Amantra FM, a Dubai-based niche facilities management company, today announced a partnership with the US-headquartered AtmosAir, a global leader in solutions for healthier indoor air, and its authorized reseller Circulus, a managed office solutions company. The strategic partnership makes Amantra Middle East’s authorized distributor and promoter of AtmosAir’s bi-polar ionization technology, which boasts a pathogen reduction rate of up to 99 per cent in indoor environments.
Amantra FM, known for its bespoke services, has been an ardent proponent of good indoor air quality (IAQ) in the Middle East. Its advocacy draws upon the growing incidence of sick-building syndrome (SBS) and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases linked to poor IAQ in residential and commercial facilities worldwide. Considering humans spend 90 per cent of their lives indoors, on average, and a person in a closed room can add about 37 million bacteria to the air every hour, solutions that can demonstrably optimise IAQ are the need of the hour.
Sangeetha B, CEO, Amantra FM, explains when she says, “Indoor environments can be a cesspool of contaminants and pathogens, yet seem clean and liveable to the naked eye. As a result, contaminated indoors have been silent killers since time immemorial. The market is rife with stop-gap solutions that reactively combat pathogens that have already contaminated indoor spaces. Conversely, bi-polar ionization technology neutralises contaminants at the source, such as HVAC inlets and ducts, before they can cause any harm indoors.
"This proactive approach to optimising IAQ, combined with the solution’s interoperability with existing HVAC systems, has remarkable implications for public health, utility costs, and sustainability in the Middle East."
Charged ions in AtmosAir’s proprietary technology actively seek out pathogens at the source and eliminate them, thereby mimicking nature’s way of cleansing air outdoors. Thanks to its ability to seamlessly integrate with existing HVAC systems, it can be retrofitted in relatively old facilities where chances of contamination are high.
The IoT-based integration allows owners/operators to understand and visualize the complex relationship between HVAC systems, occupant safety, energy consumption, and operational costs.
Peter Kenney, CEO of Circulus, notes: “Facilities must proactively rid the indoor environments of pathogens while reducing energy usage and associated carbon emissions — an integrated approach built on social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability. We have championed that vision through bi-polar ionization, which, as per documented results, saves up to 30 per cent on HVAC energy costs and reduces up to 8 per cent on entire utility expenses.
"Combined with optimal IAQ, such possibilities can help facilities comply with LEED and WELL, among other building standards. We are glad to partner with Amantra FM to turn that vision into a reality in the Middle East."
Echoing the same sentiment, Syed A. Rehman, SVP at Circulus, says the multi-fold benefits from bi-polar ionization complement the ESG trajectory that companies are taking today. “AtmosAir has observed significant improvements in IAQ and occupant productivity levels in large hospitals, stadiums, building portfolios, warehouses, etc. while working in unison with AI-driven solutions optimising energy consumption and reducing GHG emissions."
Facility management teams and owners can determine the feasibility of bi-polar ionization in their buildings by responding to a questionnaire presented by AtmosAir in conjunction with Amantra FM. A certified AtmosAir team will subsequently conduct an onsite inspection, after which a proposal is presented.
After client approval, installation schedules are discussed, followed by production go-live. Stakeholders can monitor the systems round-the-clock and accurately measure ROI afterwards.
The arrival of this state-of-the-art IAQ solution in the Middle East complements the growing emphasis on “liveability” in residential and commercial buildings following the pandemic. Recent studies have established the irrefutable correlation between good IAQ and business bottom lines. Optimal IAQ has been linked to reduced absenteeism and employee churn in offices and increased tenant retention and rental yield in residential facilities. The accompanying sustainability outcomes, Amantra FM says, make bi-polar ionization a potential catalyst for the region's broader net-zero goals.
