Clean air IAQ solutions to tackle pollution challenges

As pollution intensifies in high-risk regions like NCR, Delta Electronics leads the charge with advanced Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) solutions. Abhishek Sarmah, Head of IAQ business at Delta Electronics, India, explains that energy recovery ventilators, fresh air supply fans, and filtration systems redefine clean air standards for healthier, sustainable living.

What inspires Delta Electronics to focus on IAQ solutions, particularly for high-pollution regions like the NCR?

As a pioneer in energy-saving technology and the market leader in brushless DC fans, Delta Electronics is committed to delivering best-in-class products. Our expertise in creating world-class brushless DC fans and power supplies allows us to integrate them into smart, energy-efficient solutions. Our first design principle is to ensure minimal power consumption.

Concern for the environment and energy conservation has always been a driving force behind our innovations. Delta’s core philosophy revolves around being smarter, greener, and more collaborative, all aimed at building a sustainable future. The use of “Greener” in our tagline reflects this commitment, and we are proud to contribute to environmental preservation.

For regions like NCR, where pollution levels are high, our solutions are tailored to meet local needs while benefiting the entire country. By improving air quality and reducing energy consumption, we aim to promote healthier living and lower energy costs.

What are the innovative products that you are focusing on?

The products that we are focusing on are of three categories. First is the ventilation fans. The second category is fresh air supply fans, and the third is Energy Recovery Ventilators. So, all of these consume very little power. And all of them are BLDC-controlled. What we are trying to promote here is the state-of-the-art technology. The ventilation fan goes to houses, residential and commercial. They exhaust the internal air outside. We also have inline supply fans. That means you are bringing in fresh air from outside to your home. It also has a HEPA filter, which is of the highest standard. So what happens is that the moment you get the fresh air inside your home, it is already filtered. Now, what happens once the filtered air enters your home is that dust particles inside your home need to be exhausted.

The third category is the Energy Recovery Ventilator, designed for efficient energy exchange. It draws in fresh outdoor air, filters it, supplies it indoors, and expels stale air, effectively reducing carbon dioxide levels and airborne particles. Additionally, we incorporate HEPA filter technology, ensuring 99.97 percent of the air entering your home is purified. These three types of filters form the core of our product offerings.

Please discuss the air purification mode and how it differs from air purifiers.

An air purifier cleans the air within a space, but after a few hours, the air continues circulating with little left to purify. What sets this system apart is its ability to bring in fresh air from outside while simultaneously expelling stale indoor air. This process ensures continuous air exchange, providing refreshed, cleaner air throughout your home. That is how we would like to differentiate ourselves from air purifiers. But if you stack our wall mount, VRV, it also has an air purification mode. If we do not want external air pumped inside, we can always opt for an air purification mode to circulate the internal air.

How does the recirculation mode in Delta Energy Recovery Ventilators address the challenge of poor air quality outdoors?

Air purification is essential, as is ensuring proper air exchange with the outside environment. We are becoming less dependent on natural processes, a trend that needs to be analysed for a healthier and more sustainable future. We need to think about the children and elderly, so we invest a lot in gadgets these days.

Air quality is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity. We are introducing advanced technologies from Delta for lower power consumption. Additionally, our three types of filters and cutting-edge technologies improve indoor air quality (IAQ), providing significant health and environmental benefits.

What features distinguish your ERVs from other solutions in the market?

Our ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator)’s unique ability to manage heat and moisture sets it apart from other solutions. Unlike traditional air conditioning systems, our ERV helps reduce humidity by expelling moisture, which can, in turn, reduce the amount of time you need to run your AC. This leads to energy savings and an efficient cooling process.

We have invested heavily in research to optimise heat transfer mechanisms within our ERV, and the results have been impressive. Our technology helps to maintain a more comfortable temperature inside the home by balancing heat exchange, which can reduce indoor temperatures. We back up our claims with a wealth of studies, documents, and insights shared through technology forums, where we continue to promote and validate the benefits of this cutting-edge solution.

What sets your filters apart from other filtration technologies in terms of cost-effectiveness and durability?

The filters we use have about 99.97 percent efficiency, which is the best in this industry.

As an overall product, the filters we are using in terms of cost are placed at a very competitive pricing. The Indian market is willing to pay because of the benefits it offers, and with the filters we are using, they can also be easily replaceable. How frequently you need to change filters depends on the user needs to decide depending on location. The interesting part is an easy mechanism to change the filter. To replace one year is okay yearly once. We recommend changing the filters.

Do the fresh air supply fans cater to residential, commercial, and industrial needs?

We have solutions that cater to residential and commercial. It all depends on where and how the user wants the unit placed. We also have products which may be used once the construction is over. You can mount them on a wall, which would look like an air purifier with a purification function, but it also adds an energy recovery ventilator. And they cater to about 500 or 600 square feet. These are the different types of products we have developed, catering to the needs of the industry. It is the third year in this market, and it has been good.

At Delta we feel that it is our responsibility to educate everybody about the kind of power savings we do and the kind of filtration technologies we bring. And that is why the last one and a half years took a lot of time for us to do the research well. We attended a lot of education forums. We went to conferences, delivered a lot of technology and information, and then slowly things started. Being concerned about health, we will bring more innovative products to India.

Delta is a global brand. We have regional demands and a product that caters to the environment. Health and the environment are the same globally. Everybody is undergoing this crisis. 

Are Delta’s IAQ solutions embedded with IoT or AI systems for air quality monitoring and control?

Most of our controllers are smart controllers.  We are investing a lot in the R&D part, wherein we will try to see how we can integrate AI and IoT into this. Of course, IoT is everywhere and integrated into many building management systems. We are already ready to incorporate it. As a result of the R&D process, we have some exciting products lined up and some capabilities that we would like to show when the right time comes.

At Delta we always believe that collaboration is the key and we would like to work with various partners. We are open to meeting and networking with new partners. In the end, partners are very, very important to us.