Saving energy with the right air filter
A filter does not consume any energy by itself, but air filters are an important component in ventilation systems, which can consume up to one-third of the total energy used by buildings. Buildings, in turn, account for around 40 percent
of all energy consumed worldwide. In a ventilation system, air filters create a resistance to the air flow; as a consequence, energy is needed to overcome this resistance. The air resistance of a filter will depend on many factors, including design, material selection and technology. Low energy air filters need less energy to clean the air and therefore provide good IAQ at lower cost.
Energy consumption for ventilation in Europe
According to a report from the Fraunhofer Institute, ventilation fans consume almost 200 TWh of energy each year in Europe alone. It is estimated that around 15 percent of
the energy used by fans is specifically related to filters, or 30 TWh. A ten-percent improvement in the energy efficiency of air filters would save 3 TWh, or the equivalent of
1.8 million tons of CO2 emissions – the same amount produced by 600,000 cars.
Due to the amount of energy consumed to “push” air through a filter over its life span, a filter often costs four to five times as much to use than to buy, although the expense is often not readily seen because filter and energy costs are usually accounted for separately. To help customers choose the most energy-efficient solution, the Eurovent organization launched a European programme for certifying the energy efficiency of products in 2011, and starting the first quarter of 2012, all filters made by Eurovent program members will display an energy label.
The EU has a goal to reduce energy consumption 20 percent by 2020. With stricter regulations, the filtration business could help them achieve this target.