Let's Talk Clean Air | Camfil

Camfil
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Discover how clean air can affect the quality process for you and the workplace from world leading experts. We find out how controlling air can bring benefits to production plants and facilities, the health of people who work there, and bringing greater efficiencies to your final product. We're also joined by experts from Camfil, a world leader in the development and production of air filters and clean air solutions, on what they are doing to keep air clean and safe.

  1. Optimal Filter Change Sweet Spot

    4D AGO

    Optimal Filter Change Sweet Spot

    Relying on a fixed calendar schedule for HVAC filter changes could be actively draining your facility’s budget and increasing energy costs. This time-based approach often leads to filters being changed too early or too late, both of which are expensive mistakes. This episode reveals the crucial data point you should use—the optimal 'sweet spot' for replacement based on pressure drop—and explains why visually checking for dirt is dangerously subjective. We also demystify the MERV rating, focusing on the critical detail that truly protects occupants and equipment, not just the sticker price. Joining us is Jon Holmes, a specialist from Camfil. With over a decade of experience, Jon has spent years helping facility managers bridge the gap between complex engineering principles and practical, breathable air solutions. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Goals of filter maintenance and replacementOptimal filter change is double pressure dropVisual dirt checks are subjective and unreliableMedia, area, shape affects filter lifespanWhy the MERV-A rating is crucial GUEST DETAILS  Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/ MORE INFORMATION Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle. https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io QUOTES Changing a filter at twice its initial number based on which is pressure drop or resistance to airflow... That's the optimal sweet spot. – Jon Holmes If you have a variable frequency drive, you can save a tonne of money by actually replacing that filter, because it's cheaper to buy a new filter than to pay the energy bill to continue pulling air through it. – Jon Holmes So the gold standard to know when a filter is due to be replaced is a resistance to airflow or pressure drop. – Jon Holmes KEYWORDS  #AirFiltration #HVACMaintenance #EnergySavings #PressureDrop #MERVRating

    21 min
  2. What Building Occupants Expect in 2026

    FEB 2

    What Building Occupants Expect in 2026

    Building occupants in 2026 no longer accept invisible air quality as a guaranteed standard. They demand proof and documentation that the environments where they work and live are safe. The days of emergency pandemic fixes have passed. We are now entering an era where long term air quality strategy is essential for every facility. This episode explores the shift from reactive maintenance to proactive indoor air quality management. We discuss the differences between true HEPA and high filtration standards. We also examine how molecular filters tackle smells and city smog. You will learn how to balance energy efficiency with air purity. Our discussion covers the importance of interpreting sensor data as a continuous movie rather than a snapshot. Our guest is Jon Holmes. He is a specialist at Camfil with over twelve years of experience. He helps facilities bridge the gap between complex engineering and practical solutions. Jon shares his expertise on improving breathable air while managing the bottom line. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Changing occupant air quality expectations True HEPA versus high filtration Molecular filters for VOC smells Balancing energy efficiency with airflow Sustainable air filter reduction strategies GUEST DETAILS  Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/ MORE INFORMATION Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle. https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io QUOTES The building occupant today is not the same building occupant of pre pandemic. Jon HolmesThe first thing you want to consider, first and foremost is a reduction of what you're using. - Jon HolmesAs long as you have a filter that can perform better for longer, not just last longer. Now you're getting the benefit of higher quality, higher flow, but you're also using less. - Jon HolmesAir filters, we really got to get away from the sticker price conversation. It's all about what is the impact on the building and the bottom line for the year. - Jon Holmes KEYWORDS #IndoorAirQuality #FacilityManagement #BuildingMaintenance #SustainableHVAC #AirFiltration

    21 min
  3. Professor Stefano Schiavon: Energy Efficiency Occupant Health Together

    12/08/2025

    Professor Stefano Schiavon: Energy Efficiency Occupant Health Together

    Buildings consume 39% of United States total energy whilst HVAC professionals face constant pressure balancing energy efficiency against occupant health and comfort despite these fields often conflicting in design priorities. Professor Stefano Schiavon from UC Berkeley, global leader in thermal comfort with over 15,154 research citations, explains why HVAC systems exist primarily to protect people and create healthy comfortable spaces rather than save energy, how particulate matter sensors throughout buildings enable better control decisions, why furnace fan only mode during wildfires provides automatic air cleaning using existing equipment, and how UC Berkeley's 25 year occupant satisfaction database reveals only 40% of people feel satisfied with thermal environment despite 80% satisfaction targets. With expertise spanning personal environmental controls, radiant heating cooling systems and post occupancy evaluation research methods, Professor Schiavon shares practical solutions including smart thermostat automation connecting outdoor sensor networks and why turning systems off when leaving represents simplest most actionable energy saving advice alongside proper professional maintenance servicing.  THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT HVAC systems designed protect people create healthy spacesParticulate sensors both intake throughout building enable decisionsFurnace fan only mode wildfires recirculates large airForty percent thermal satisfaction versus eighty percent targetsTurn systems off leaving professional maintenance simple adviceGUEST DETAILS  Professor Stefano Schiavon is Professor of Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley, leading expert in building science researching how to reduce building energy consumption (39% US total energy use) whilst ensuring occupant health, happiness and productivity through improved indoor environmental quality.  Key leader at Center for Environmental Design Research running Berkeley's advanced MS and PhD programmes in Building Science, he is recognised worldwide for thermal comfort and indoor air quality expertise focusing on practical low energy solutions including personal environmental controls, radiant heating cooling systems and new ventilation methods.  Using detailed lab experiments, advanced computer simulations and real world post occupancy evaluation surveys, his research has earned 15,154 citations with h-index of 61, winning ASHRAE Ralph Nevins Award with findings reported by Wall Street Journal and CNN. Connect with Professor Schiavon: Website: https://ce.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/schiavonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanoschiavon/Center for Environmental Design Research, UC BerkeleyMORE INFORMATION There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io QUOTES We are not designing HVAC systems with the aim to save energy. We are there to protect people, to create spaces that are healthy and comfortable. If we compromise on the air quality outside is polluted, we bring outside air in. If we bring those pollutants inside, we're going to damage people. - Professor Stefano Schiavon If we can introduce that technology that allows us to ventilate, to heat, cool, to provide light only where people are, then we could save a substantial amount of energy. - Professor Stefano Schiavon The main reason is that people do not have a good sense of air quality. The fact that we don't see air, we don't properly perceive it, then there is a higher chance that we don't spend enough time and attention. That's why focusing on regulation for air quality is probably the most important aspect." - Professor Stefano Schiavon KEYWORDS #EnergyEfficiency #OccupantHealth #ThermalComfort #IndoorAirQuality #HVACDesign

    26 min
  4. Dr. Jon Samet: Indoor Air Quality Public Health

    11/10/2025

    Dr. Jon Samet: Indoor Air Quality Public Health

    When the 1952 London fog killed people in large numbers, it became a wake-up call that air pollution could be deadly—inspiring a young medical student named Jon Samet to dedicate 40+ years to understanding how the air we breathe affects our health.  Now a leading authority who has shaped EPA policy and US Surgeon General reports since 1984, Dr. Samet reveals how tobacco industry fraud tactics resurfaced in air pollution debates, why COVID taught us that we humans are powerful infectious sources in small particles suspended for hours, how radon is the one carcinogen you can measure yourself for $30-50 and actually fix, and why MERV-A filter ratings matter more than standard MERV for real-world efficiency. Plus the critical reminder that indoor spaces where we spend most of our time are places where we inhale dangerous things.  THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Tobacco industry fraud tactics mirror air pollution industry science denialCOVID taught us people are powerful infectious sources needing controlRadon is measurable carcinogen you can test and mitigate yourselfAir filtration reduces infectious load; MERV-A ratings show real-world efficiencyIndoor air quality improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, attracts talented employees GUEST DETAILS  Dr. Jon Samet is a leading authority in environmental health who has dedicated over 40 years to understanding how inhaled pollutants affect public health. Former Dean and current Professor of Epidemiology, Dr. Samet has chaired key advisory committees for the EPA (Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee) and FDA, fundamentally shaping environmental health policy. Since 1984, he has been a crucial contributor to multiple US Surgeon General reports on smoking, documenting the health impacts of active and secondhand smoke.  His work exposed tobacco industry campaigns of fraud and deception that attempted to undermine scientific evidence—tactics later replicated by air pollution industries. During COVID, he chaired a National Academies of Sciences committee developing frameworks for providing respiratory protection for the nation—recommendations that unfortunately never gained traction despite demonstrating critical needs. Dr. Samet earned membership in the National Academy of Medicine and continues advancing indoor air quality science, particularly post-COVID focus on controlling pathogen transmission in buildings.  Based in Denver, he consults with building owners, school districts, and policymakers on implementing evidence-based air quality improvements. His expertise bridges epidemiology, aerosol science, regulatory policy, and practical building management—making him uniquely qualified to translate decades of public health research into actionable indoor air quality strategies. MORE INFORMATION There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io QUOTES You know, when people ask me about radon, it is a carcinogen, but somebody can go buy a test kit, get back a result. How many carcinogens are there that you could measure yourself and do something about it? - Dr. Jon Samet Airborne pathogens have always been with us and will remain with us. I think what COVID did is it taught us just what powerful sources of infection we people can be - Dr. Jon Samet A couple of nights ago, I got on the train, and there's somebody with a very wet cough, coughing right in the middle of a very small space. And I'm thinking he should be wearing at the least a mask to prevent droplets from flying around, and in that small space probably I should have had on an N95. - Dr. Jon Samet KEYWORDS #indoorairquality #radontest ing #airbornepathogens #secondhandsmoke #respiratoryprotection

    26 min
  5. Camfil at the UN

    10/13/2025

    Camfil at the UN

    Join us for a special episode as regular host Jon Holmes becomes our guest, sharing his experience at the UN's - Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action - event during Climate Week 2025. Hear powerful excerpts from world experts including Dr. Jagat Narula's stunning mummy research revealing 1,000-year-old evidence of pollution-caused disease, Rachel Hodgson's announcement of a groundbreaking Global Commission, and Professor Joseph Allen's call to recognize that; the person who manages your building can have a bigger impact on your health than your doctor.  The commitments made and initiatives launched at that event, are truly a pivotal moment in the global clean air movement. Listen now to discover all.  THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT How ancient mummies show evidence of black lungs from indoor cooking pollutionLaunch of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air, working to make clean indoor air universalWhy 3.2 million deaths annually are linked to household air pollutionHow indoor air quality remains largely invisible and unmonitoredGUEST DETAILSWatch the entire event on United Nations TV here. ABOUT OUR HOST Jon The Filter Guy Holmes serves as the regular host of Camfil Let's Talk Clean Air podcast, where he explores air quality issues with industry experts and thought leaders. In this special episode, Jon becomes the featured guest after attending the historic Healthy Indoor Air: A GlobalCall to Action event at the United Nations on September 23, 2025.  His firsthand experience at this landmark gathering provided unique insights into the global movement to recognize clean indoor air as a fundamental human right and the launch of unprecedented international initiatives to improve air quality worldwide. Featured UN Speakers in the episode include: Dr. Jagat Narula, President of the World Heart FederationRachel Hodgson, President & CEO of the International WELL Building InstituteProfessor Joseph Allen, Director of Healthy Building Program, Harvard TH Chan School ofPublic Health MORE INFORMATION There is a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io QUOTES Having done approximately 400 mummies CT scans, we found that they had black lungs. We went to the places where they lived—low ceiling houses where they cooked inside. - Dr. Jagat NarulaNever doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. - Rachel HodgsonThe person who manages your building can have a bigger impact on your health than your doctor. - Professor Joseph AllenKEYWORDS #airquality #globalstandards #indoorairquality #IAQ #airqualityeducation #airqualitystandards

    24 min

  6. 09/01/2025

    Teaching Air Quality Without Creating Fear

    Building managers face a critical dilemma when implementing air quality monitoring systems: how to educate occupants about invisible health threats, without creating panic or overwhelming them with real-time data alerts.  This episode explores practical ways for effective air quality communication, including customizable notification systems that adapt to different comfort levels and gamification approaches that engage rather than frighten. We cover the science behind particulate matter, debunks common myths about building immunity to pollutants, and introduce the groundbreaking Global Open Air Quality Standards (GO AQS) initiative. Our guest Sotirios Papathanasiou is a world-leading air quality expert, author of the "See the Air" blog, and spearheads the GO AQS project involving 150 global experts. He has over a decade of experience helping organizations implement practical air quality monitoring solutions without overwhelming building occupants. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT ●        Impact of Covid-19 on air quality awareness ●        Educating the public without fear ●        Myths about particulate matter and CO2 as a pollutant ●        Need for Global Open Air Quality Standards ●        The challenges of setting standards ●        Air Quality as a human right GUEST DETAILS Sotirios Papathanasiou is an air quality expert with substantial experience in the field of environmental issues but particularly indoor air pollution. His is the author of three books on air pollution, for adults and kids as well as curate a popular web blog ‘See the Air’. He has a special interest in IoT devices for personal AQM/low-cost sensors and has been researching how start-ups rise and fall in this sector. http://goaqs.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sotirios-papathanasiou/ MORE INFORMATION There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.comLet’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io   QUOTES   Once you fix indoor air quality, you fix all the other problems like Covid or any others transmissible from airborne particles in the environment. - Sotirios Papathanasiou   We do find different ways to educate people and reach out to their lives without creating that fear by for example enabling gamification through specific apps. They can teach you about air quality but at the same time keep you engaged to learn more and start taking the right decisions - Sotirios Papathanasiou   Size matters. PM 2.5 is a very well-studied pollutant, so it's very well linked with health outcomes. We understand better when we see a value that is related to mass.  - Sotirios Papathanasiou KEYWORDS #airquality #globalstandards #indoorairquality #IAQ #airqualityeducation #airqualitystandards

    27 min
  7. Long-term Savings and Sustainability

    07/07/2025

    Long-term Savings and Sustainability

    Building managers are facing the seemingly impossible challenges of balancing indoor air quality and sustainability.  Today we learn how striking this balance is not only achievable, but actually can go hand in hand with decarbonization goals. We hear from a renowned expert in building science who has been instrumental in shaping industry standards in filter innovation and working with ASHRAE to curate better IAQ standards, while holding onto a passion for the all important energy efficiency.  A Partner at D ZINE Partners, she leads the research of “Air as a Service” around indoor air quality, filtration and air cleaning systems. It’s a pleasure to welcome Dr. Marwa Zaatari. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Preventing sick building syndrome with efficient filtering ASHRAE 241 ventilation standards for new and existing buildingsImproving knowledge on filter performance, optimization and life cycle costsWhy all MERV filters are not created equally Incentivising IAQ compliance and education  GUEST DETAILS  Dr. Marwa Zaatari is a renowned expert and influential leader in the realms of building science and indoor air quality (IAQ). Her innovative work has earned her the prestigious title of ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer. At the forefront of HVAC design innovation, Dr. Zaatari has been instrumental in shaping industry standards through her involvement in various ASHRAE committees. Dr. Zaatari's contributions extend to the USGBC School Air Quality Leaders Network Technical Advisory Committee and she has also served as chair for the LEED IAQP Working Group. Dr. Marwa Zaatari is Partner at D ZINE Partners. She leads the research of “Air as a Service” around indoor air quality, filtration and air cleaning systems, and IAQ measurements to design and operate buildings for optimal energy and people efficiency. https://www.linkedin.com/in/drzaatari  MORE INFORMATION Let's Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io  ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air. The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood. The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives. Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today! CAO Website: https://www.chiefairgonomicsofficer.com/  CAO Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12679402/  Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by Dustpod.io QUOTES There is a misconception that you cannot achieve IQ and energy efficiency. - Dr. Marwa Zaatari If you follow prescriptive approaches, you're gonna miss out on a lot. - Dr. Marwa Zaatari ASHRAE 241 went a step beyond our existing minimum ventilation standards by actually having an operation focus. - Dr. Marwa Zaatari Filter design should be part of what we're going to do, part of studying a filter, quality of the filter, cost of the filter, over the lifetime of the filter. - Dr. Marwa Zaatari Even for a low efficiency filter you need to make sure that the filter is well placed. - Dr. Marwa Zaatari KEYWORDS #IAQ #sustainability #energyefficiency #filter #innovation #HVAC #MERV ratings

    31 min
  8. The Hidden Danger of Dust Explosions

    06/02/2025

    The Hidden Danger of Dust Explosions

    Managing indoor air quality can have many benefits but one of the most important factors is safety.  Today we’re delving into the world of explosion prevention, and how dust can actually be a dangerous trigger. We look at the important combination of dust collectors and filters in volatile environments and what companies can implement to mitigate harm.  Our guest is a leading expert in explosion protection and industrial safety, with an array of technical solutions to prevent explosions. He is Business Development Manager at Fike Corporation, Carson Stephens.  THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Unexpected combustible elements, from coffee beans to dust The importance of prevention instead of reaction Dust Hazard Analysis and prescriptive approaches for facilities Cost-benefits of cleaner, safer working environments Hybrid approaches to dust, fire safety and cleaner air  GUEST DETAILS  Carson Stephens has extensive experience in engineering and business development, currently serving as the EP Business Development Manager for Strategic & OEM Accounts at Fike Corporation since August 2018. Previously, Carson held roles such as Explosion Protection Application Engineer II and Explosion Protection Application Specialist at Fike Corporation, and worked as a Process Engineer at DaVinci Roofscapes and Peterson Manufacturing Co. Educationally, Carson holds a Master of Business Administration in Ethical Strategic Leadership from the University of Central Missouri, earned between 2015 and 2017, and a Bachelor of Science in Plastics Engineering Technology from Pittsburg State University, completed in 2012. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carson-stephens-58696b82/  MORE INFORMATION Let's Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io  ABOUT CAMFIL’S CAO INITIATIVE The Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative was started by Camfil, a leading manufacturer in premium clean air solutions and an advocate for access to clean air. The Chief Airgonomics initiative is being driven at a time of urgency: sensitivities over air have heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollutants are well known to damage the environment and the newly published WHO Air Quality Guidelines show us that air pollution is more damaging to human health than previously understood. The initiative is a direct response to these realities while also bringing to life Camfil’s mission of protecting people, processes and the environment. It also puts into practice Camfil’s knowledge and expertise built over more than half a century and that it is eager to share with its peers and wider audiences to improve people’s lives. Our Vision : Clean and healthy Indoor Air should be a Human right Our Mission: We want all companies and organisations to put clean and healthy indoor air on the agenda Camfil believes that real change can only happen through collaborative effort and wants your organisation to join the clean air movement and community. Start your clean indoor air journey today! CAO Website: https://www.chiefairgonomicsofficer.com/  CAO Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12679402/  Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by Dustpod.io QUOTES Fike was founded on engineering solutions to help keep people safe when they wouldn't expect they would need to be. - Carson Stephens  There's a lot of things that people wouldn't assume are combustible that in the right conditions are, like really fine dust. - Carson Stephens  Just keeping your facility clean is the number one thing. - Carson Stephens  Make sure that those filters are changed on a regular basis, and that they're inspected, because if they're not, then you're going to let an explosion by. - Carson Stephens  The highest risk or highest prioritized risk area within the facility should be tackled first, and can probably be done more cost effectively than if you killed somebody. - Carson Stephens KEYWORDS #Airquality #explosion #prevention #dust #combustible #industrialsafety #HEPAfilters #manufacturing

    24 min
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Discover how clean air can affect the quality process for you and the workplace from world leading experts. We find out how controlling air can bring benefits to production plants and facilities, the health of people who work there, and bringing greater efficiencies to your final product. We're also joined by experts from Camfil, a world leader in the development and production of air filters and clean air solutions, on what they are doing to keep air clean and safe.

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