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Alkmaar, April 8, 2020 – In order to solve the shortage of face masks, the Dutch air filter manufacturer AFPRO will mass produce masks on its own soil on behalf of the government. Initially, this concerns 1 million face masks per week, also known as FFP2 face masks. Currently, there is an urgent shortage of protective equipment for health care workers and other high-risk professions. Production that is started up as quickly as possible should help solve the shortage. The government is responsible for the distribution and distribution of the FFP2 masks produced.

The Alkmaar company, which has three factories in China, was already closely involved in the supply and installation of air filters in two emergency hospitals in Wuhan during the outbreak of the virus in Wuhan province. When the virus reached Europe, the demand for advanced air filters grew. AFPRO, for example, has already installed specific air filter systems at emergency hospitals abroad.

 Machine to the Netherlands

Two weeks ago, the call for protective equipment such as face masks became increasingly urgent. The shortage increasingly hinders the work of nursing and medical staff. The management of AFPRO then decided to produce FFP2 face masks in the Netherlands. In this way, these face masks can be made on home soil according to Dutch standards and delivered quickly. Initially it concerns the production of 1 million face masks per week. The intention is to further scale up production.

AFPRO Filters vice president Joost Verlaan: “Everywhere you hear that we can only overcome this virus if we do it together. That means do what you can. The following applies to everyone: stay at home and keep your distance. For us it also means produce and deliver! We are happy that we can support the government and the emergency medical services with this.”

 Tested by government

The face masks produced are first tested by the Reinier de Graaf Hospital in Delft in consultation with and on behalf of the Dutch government and are initially only available to healthcare personnel.

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March 2020. Everything changed overnight. A virus that seemed far away came to us at breakneck speed and suddenly thousands of people are at home and there is not much to do but wait and follow the rules of the local health authorities. For many people, and certainly for entrepreneurs, it is a situation that no one was really prepared for and which causes a lot of worry and uncertainty.

When the virus broke out in China in early January, the Wuhan government had to make quick decisions. One of them was to start building two emergency hospitals as soon as possible. AFPRO Filters, which has a factory located near the affected area, took immediate action and provided the hospitals with filters that keep the air inside free of bacteria and virus particles. This is a good way to protect both patients and staff. You can read more about this in this post. The virus is now finally in remission in China. A hopeful message for the countries that are still in the midst of the corona crisis.

Due to the huge increase in the demand for air filters (mainly coming from various hospitals), we have all but doubled our production. And we have plenty of stock available. Our distribution and transport is also fully operational. If you have any questions about air quality and filtering, please contact us by mail or phone. Our employees are equipped to quickly and thoroughly inform you about the operation and installation of the filters.

We are confident that, with appropriate action and a strict follow up to expert guidelines, Europe and the rest of the world, too, will emerge from this crisis safely and strongly. Our filters are only a small link in the fight against the virus, but we are nevertheless fully at your service.

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The Corona virus that has broken out in China seems to be emerging in more and more countries. Now that the first cases have also surfaced in Europe, aid workers around the world are doing everything they can to stop the virus. Dutch company AFPRO Filters has a factory located in China and has offered a helping hand.

The virus claims new victims daily and is spreading rapidly. Dozens of new cases are reported every day. The city of Wuhan immediately started on the construction of a new hospital where a maximum of a 1000 patients can be treated. Doctors and nurses from all over the area are deployed to staff the hospital.

AFPRO Filters has been making air filters for over 40 years. One of their factories is located in China. The filters have now been developed to such an extent that they are capable of filtering even the smallest particle of polluted air and distributing clean air. They are therefore often used in operating rooms and in the pharmaceutical industry.

Joost Verlaan, director of AFPRO Filters: “When it became clear that a new hospital had to be set up within 10 days in Wuhan, we immediately decided to help. Because of the Chinese New Year, many employees were on leave, but we made a call to suspend that leave and go to work. This was answered by a massive positive response.”

Thanks to the rapid action of AFPRO and the involvement of their employees, the high performance filters can be delivered within a few days. This will help the new hospital to minimize the chance of infection of visitors and employees and also increase the chance of recovery for people with symptoms of the disease.

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In Aix en Provence, AFPRO Filters optimises the university’s air quality

As part of its performance management, Eiffage Services, which maintains the University of Aix-Marseille’s premises, called on AFPRO Filters to optimise its air filtration plants. Interview with Benoît Joffroy, Maintenance Technician at Eiffage Services.

Can you tell us about the areas of the university you are in charge of?

Aix-Marseille University (AMU) is involved in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the Eiffage Services group to provide the maintenance of several buildings renovatedbetween 2015 and 2018: the Faculty of Arts, its car park, the university library and the Cube (library with amphitheatre, conference room, offices and occupational medicine). The maintenance contract also covers two new university restaurants.

What is the surface area of the premises and the members of the public you are accommodating?

This complex represents more than 50,000 square metres. Between seven and ten thousand people (students and administrative staff) work on the site, with frequent visitors varying according to the periods of the year: peak attendance between October and December, decrease in staff numbers after the January part-timers to an average of 2,000 in May and June. After the summer holidays when the site is not very busy, students are back from the beginning of September.

What is the size of the facilities you maintain?

Each office has air conditioning, so we manage more than 500 air conditioning cassettes, plus about 50 air treatment units (ATUs) that represent just over 400 filters to change each year.

In what context do you use AFPRO Filters?

Among the technical work packages that have been allocated to our team (four technicians and a site manager), we manage the air quality work package, the largest in terms of workload. As the university is public-access building (PAB), air quality monitoring is now mandatory for
the party placing the order and is subject to European standards. It is in this context that we have called upon the skills of AFPRO Filters, both for blower filtration, return air filtration and fresh air.

What were your needs?

As part of the performance management implemented by Eiffage Services each year, we asked AFPRO Filters to optimise the filtration of our power plants with the objective of finding a solution for reduced filter rotation, while remaining within a correct price-quality ratio. The aim is to save on filters and labour.

What results have you achieved?

We have gone from a rotation of four to two filters per year. AFPRO Filters proposed that the ISO Coarse 70% prefilters be replaced with CPMC ePM10 75% panel filters. These pre-filters are less likely to fail and have a longer service life. Our budget has therefore been reduced for a constant quality of result. At the end of the day, we are very satisfied with the proposed solution.

How would you rate the business relationship with AFPRO Filters?

The sales team is responsive, attentive, efficient and always ready to offer advice to improve and optimise the equipment in place. There is true customer support, with test phases for each proposal. Orders are delivered quickly, which is always appreciated. A small but not insignificant addition is that they offer a service to collect and recycle used filters.

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Located at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers, the Musée des Confluences tells the story of humans and living things. It is housed in a modern building inaugurated in December 2014. The building unveils its assets over a surface area of 22,000m2, of which 5,000m2 is dedicated to exhibitions. In a place of this size, good air quality is required, not only for visitors but also for employees and for the preservation of works of art.

Boris Apkarian, SPIE team leader for the maintenance of the Musée des Confluences, describes his role within the site: “We have a HVAC contract with the Musée des Confluences, which means that we take care of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing and fire safety system parts. To sum up, all the maintenance of the building is in our hands. The team’s role is also to manage humidity and ensure that humidity in the air is balanced, which also involves filtration and air treatment.”

Quentin Lafont – musée des Confluences

Indoor air quality for visitors, employees and works of art

Boris Apkarian, team leader for the maintenance of the Musée des Confluences, gives a full explanation of his objective for the site: “Managing air quality and ensuring a healthy environment for employees, visitors and works of art are our main objectives on site. With an annual influx of nearly 1 million admissions, the Musée des Confluences has large air treatment facilities. Indeed, there are about thirty air handling units (AHUs) on the site to provide a healthy indoor environment.”

Did you know?

The air around us is made up of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% miscellaneous gases. This 1% is composed of carbon dioxide, particulate matter, salts and gases from cars and industry.

Pierre Henry Martin, AFPRO Filters Sales Manager in the South East region, adds: “Although 1% seems very low, this small concentration of gas is no less dangerous for the works. Indeed, the gases have corrosive effects on the works and cause their premature ageing as well as their yellowing and tarnishing.”

Strict constraints for air treatment

Concerning the maintenance of the site’s molecular filtration, Mr. Apkarian mentioned a restrictive environment: “The main site constraint concerns humidity, in fact we have an obligation to maintain the temperature of the exhibitions rooms at a certain threshold. The temperature must not fall below 20 degrees nor exceed 24 degrees. We must achieve the right air flows so as not to humidify the rooms and jeopardise the storage, conservation and display conditions of the works of art. Under these conditions, air treatment is an issue because activated carbon must work in different environments.”

An inappropriate environment can cause severe damage to art works and objects stored in the museum. Mr. Apkarian made mention of the conditions for conserving the works: “To ensure proper conservation of the works, several parameters must be taken into account: temperature, humidity, lighting, and pollution. It is necessary to balance the temperature and humidity level of the building, which is possible thanks to filtration. The works are not our only concern, the human presence within the building requires air that is perfectly breathable.”

Air Filtration: A solution against air pollution

Poor air quality and poor regulation cause damage to the quality of the works. A site such as the Musée des Confluences requires constant monitoring. A poorly monitored filter, a decrease in air flow, a large influx of people and extreme conditions can affect the quality of the air. Outside air contaminating inside air, the filtration of the air and its treatment, make it possible to avoid any risk of damage to the works. Pierre Henry Martin, AFPRO Filters Sales Manager in the South East, stresses the importance of healthy indoor air: “With SPIE, at the Musée des Confluences, our common objective is to ensure everyone’s comfort and provide high-quality air. Air filtration also helps to fight against indoor air pollution and to avoid all types of damage. Filtration takes place at different levels, first by means of ISO Coarse pre-filters that remove the largest particles present in the air, then by means of ePM1 filters, the glass fibre composition of which allows greater efficiency against fine particles.”

A collaboration based on exchange

Boris Apkarian discusses his relationship with AFPRO Filters : “The site opened in 2014, and we started working with AFPRO Filters from the very beginning of the museum’s life. In parallel, we are working with the Fine Arts Museum, which also uses the AFPRO Filters brand for air filtration. Between external pollution, museum attendance, maintenance of AHUs, as well as pressure drops and clogging rate, the filters require recurring changes. I have regularly exchanges with Pierre Henry, in order to optimise the air treatment installations.”

Quentin Lafont – musée des Confluences

Do you know about the filtration simulator?

To go further, AFPRO Filters has developed an intelligent and innovative tool that allows you to calculate how much you can save with AFPRO Filters filtration devices. The filtration simulator allows you to evaluate the overall cost of filtration (purchase, maintenance, energy cost). The filtration simulator determines the areas of improvement on your filtration lines in terms of indoor air quality and energy consumption.

Filtration has a fundamental role in a museum. With regard to the Musée des Confluences, Mr. Apkarian said: “Filter replacementdepends on the  AHUs, some of which can allow higher air pressure and flow than others. For example, compact AHUs have a smaller capacity. Some AHUs work on an ad hoc basis, others are new and operate all the time. Filters in air treatment units dedicated to exhibitions rooms are changed between 3 and 4 times a year, and the F7 filters are changed once a year. We had to find a way to optimise orders. Along with Mr. Martin, we set up a clogging table so as we know the supply frequencies and the quantity of filters to order, and we can determine a maximum pressure so as not to push the filters too hard and damage air flow.”

Did you know?

AFPRO Filters offers energy audits that aim to identify areas for improvement in terms of energy costs, maintenance and return on investment and to implement progress plans. Please do not hesitate to contact our regional sales manager to carry out an audit of your plants or send an email to: ventes@afprofilters.com

Closing words

Boris Apkarian, who is satisfied with his collaboration with AFPRO Filters, asserted: “I arrived in the building in 2014. Right from the start, we have trusted AFPRO Filters, we are working together on other sites and I am very satisfied with this. On a daily basis, logistics remains a major challenge for the smooth running of operations. AFPRO Filters is reliable and very responsive, which means we have reliable and easy product receipts. I like it when situations are resolved quickly and AFPRO Filters has been able to respond to my requests efficiently and quickly. This is a partner you can count on.”

Marseille Provence International Airport is the third largest airport in France (excluding Paris) in terms of traffic, with more than eight million passengers welcomed each year.

Located next to the Etang de Berre, in an area with a high industrial and urban density, the airport is in the middle ofan area that generates a lot of dust. The installation of air filtration has proved essential to avoid clogging of the exchangers and to maintain the energy performance of the facilities.
Although most of the establishment’s surface area is dedicated to air terminals and offices, air filtration affects more specific areas such as computer rooms, inverters, technical rooms and electrical substations. To do this, the airport has 85 air processing units and nearly 400 fan coil units, as well as numerous insulated air filters.

Régis Rambert, head of the Maintenance and Air Conditioning workshop team at the airport, describes his role in the management of air filtration:

Our workshop’s task is to ensure that all thermal production equipment works properly and is correctly maintained (air conditioning, heating and fluid management). Our team is made up of eight people. We perform all repairs for the Maintenance Department of the Technical Department, which numbers 130 people.The frequency of filter replacement is seasonal (before summer and before winter). We also work with sensors that
trigger replacement beyond a certain threshold. For the moment we do not have any hygiene constraints in terms of air filtration inside buildings. With the planned expansion of the airport in the coming years, there will be regulations on indoor air quality. Air filtration is therefore an area where we have not finished working.

Why did you choose AFPRO Filters?

When choosing our filter supplier, we were mindful of the energy performance of the products offered. For the same product, we have opted for the most economical consumption. To support our thinking, AFPRO Filters has commissioned a technical case study with an explanation of the life-cycle cost of their products, which proved to be very enlightening. We appreciated other details, such as the presence of handles on the product packaging boxes. It doesn’t seem like much, but when you handle a large number of them, it makes a big difference. The fact that our storage constraints have been taken into account and factored into delivery frequencies has been a real plus for us. We have a good relationship with AFPRO Filters. Their sales representative visits regularly to check that everything is going well.

A perspective from Michael Lepichon, (Office Manager AFPro Filters) who managed the response to the public procurement contract at Marseille Provence Airport:

For each public sector call for tenders, we study several documents provided by the client: the technical specifications, the administrative specifications and the unit price list (UPL). After studying the bids, each tenderer  receives a technical score, a price score and sometimes a score on the company’s environmental commitment. In 90% of cases, it is the price score that guides the customer’s final decision.

In our approach to public procurement, we try, as far as possible, to focus our approach on improving what is already in place at the client’s premises. When we were alerted to Marseille Provence airport’s call for tenders , in addition to answering the usual questions, we drafted an optimisation audit of their existing installation. Although this study was not requested at this stage of the call for tenders, we found it relevant to present them with a study of the financial, energy and environmental impact of their current facility. We drew up two additional proposals, with two areas for improvement: one based on efficiency (installation of filters with a larger filtration surface, which need to be renewed less often), the second on energy efficiency. All electrical appliances nowadays have an energy classification (A+, A, B, etc.). Our filters also have this type of label. By offering filters which consume less energy, we have positioned ourselves on filters that are a little more expensive to buy, but more cost-effective over time in terms of electricity consumption. This is the solution chosen by the customer.

In addition, Jérémy Potvin, a sales representative in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur sector, states: “Ourcompany is not just a supplier of filters, however efficient they may be. AFPRO Filters aims to offer the most efficient air filtration solutions, guaranteeing the best possible air quality. If the approach also allows the customer to save electricity and reduce their carbon footprint, everyone wins.”

This audit was particularly appreciated by the client, who found it clear and accurate. Mr. Rambert subsequently informed us that this audit made the difference compared to the other applications received, and that the call for tenders was won in part thanks to it. For this contract, we have also been careful to factor in a strong logistical constraint: the limited storage space within the airport infrastructure. This has involved the implementation of more orders closer together, instead of spaced orders that require more storage.

Learn in just 90 seconds what the new ISO 16890 is all about. And why PM1 protection with the right air filter is key for your health.

Alkmaar, NL – February 2017

AFPRO Filters, the manufacturer of energy efficient air filters, has taken the new ISO 16890 test rig into use in their laboratory in Alkmaar. This new test rig is the first one of its kind in The Netherlands. This new Air Filter Test System has been developed according to ISO16890 the new global air filter test standard that replaces both the EN 779:2012 and ASHREAE 52.2-2008 standards.

The new ISO16890 standard shifts the focus from filtration performance at certain particle size to the performance on particulate matter size (PM) and is therefore a much more realistic test criteria than the theoretical EN779:2012. This fulfils the need of the market to have more clear performance of air filters that is closer to real life performance.

Joost Verlaan, Vice President AFPRO Filters: “Protection against particulate matter is part of our company strategy. The introduction of the new ISO 16890 standard is enforcing our strategy. This new ISO 16890 test rig will enable us to test all of our air filters according the new standard and it’s a huge step forward for our R&D department.”

Onno Kooijman, Head of R&D at AFPRO Filters: ”In the test rig the filter samples can be easily installed into the rotatable and movable duct sections. We will measure the performance on filters in an charged and discharged circumstance. Via this method we have an better indication of the filters in real life. At the same time we also perform an dust loading that will increase the pressure drop. This will give an indication on the actual energy consumption of the filters.  based on these methods we can indicate efficiency on different fine dust fractions and energy labels on the products. We will make sure that all our filters live up to the strict ISO16890 standard. Our test rig will be very busy in the coming period!

About AFPRO Filters

AFPRO Filters offers their customers the best air quality via energy efficient air filters that protect against particulate matter. Since the company was founded in 1979, AFPRO Filters has secured a leading role in the international air filtration market. Our energy efficient air filters that also protect you against various forms of particulate matter are globally available through our own offices and an extensive international dealer network.

Besides the energy saving air filters and high quality products, AFPRO Filters stands out because of its excellent logistics and high quality service. AFPRO Filters also produces highly specialized customized work that meets the specific wishes of our valued customers. Clean air. Our care.

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Dr. Andreas Winkes, head of GUI Lab and chairman of VDI 6022, talks about the VDI 6022 and ISO 16890 and how it is important to comply with their guidelines.

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The new Hotel Hilton Schiphol Airport: fully focused on guest comfort 

In December 2016, the new Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol opened its doors. The hotel has no less than 433 rooms. In addition to various luxury rooms, the hotel offers 25 meeting rooms, including a ballroom with a capacity of 640 persons as well as the largest conference centre of Schiphol. (picture 1 =  pm1 air filter hotel hilton schiphol airport suite).

The hotel is fully focused on comfort. In order to guarantee this, the hotel must meet a number of brand standards. Bert Tenthof, Chief Engineer at Hilton Schiphol: “Brand standards are the requirements drawn up by our main office that all Hilton hotels must meet. This not only concerns the quality of food and the status of the rooms, but also the indoor climate and the lighting. We are inspected regularly on whether we meet these high standards. Regarding the indoor climate, an advanced building management system provides control and regulation of equipment for air treatment, lighting and security systems. Everything we need to make staying here as pleasant as possible.” 

Sustainable enterprise as important part of the organisation policy

Despite having comfort and luxury as the top priority, the hotel makes a great effort to keep the CO2 emissions as low as possible. Tenthof: “An example of this is our heat-cold-storage. We use groundwater in the soil as an energy buffer. To calculate the impact of its hotels on the environment and to compare them, Hilton developed the ISO-certified system Light Stay. This system measures the gas, water and electricity usage and the waste production and separation. We report these data monthly to the main office and we use the data to improve ourselves. It is a bit of a competition, because the employees of the ‘greenest’ hotel are rewarded annually.”  (Picture 2 = pm1 air filter hotel hilton schiphol airport lobby).

“The comfort of guests is the focus of our hotel. Proper air filtering is essential for a healthy and pleasant indoor climate. The new filters perfectly match our objectives of decreasing CO2 emissions. This is a real win-win situation for us”, Bert Tenthof, Chief Engineer at Hilton Schiphol 

In addition to service and comfort, the hotel also offers air quality at the 4-star level. “We feel responsible for the wellbeing of our guests and employees. The indoor climate plays an important role in this. Despite meeting all quality norms, we wanted to see if we could improve on it when designing the new hotel. AFPRO Filters reviewed the possibilities and pointed us to a new type of air filter. This filter provides further optimization of the air quality while also reducing energy usage and, with that, the costs”, says Tenthof. 

Maurice Gijzen, senior account manager AFPRO Filters: “At the time, I advised Hilton Schiphol to transition to the new PM1 particulate matter filter. The advantage of this filter is its lower air resistance. Thanks to this, the ventilator in the air handling unit can spin easier, thus decreasing power usage. Simply placing this filter results in an energy saving of no less than 57%! An additional benefit is that the air quality increases even further.” 

Improved indoor climate at a lower cost

Tenthof: “Proper air filtering is essential for a healthy and pleasant indoor climate. The new filters perfectly match our objectives for reducing the CO2 emissions. This is a real win-win situation for us.” 

Tenthof is also positive about the collaboration with AFPRO Filters: “AFPRO was actively involved in the development of the new hotel. As I expected. After all, we have been working together for 37 years with great satisfaction. We have only ever had good experiences with AFPRO Filters, regarding both quality and service.” 

Thank you for reading this case study. If you wish to learn more about this case study, the protection against particulate matter / finedust and/or saving energy and money with AFPRO Air Filters, please contact us.

Europe’s most sustainable office building is located on the Amsterdam Zuidas. The Edge has obtained a sustainability score of no less than 98.36% (BREEAM-NL) thanks to smart technological innovations. The building, which is developed by OVG-Real Estate, has a floor space of 35,000m2 and is built with efficient energy consumption and sustainability in mind. The Edge owes its name to the impressive shape with sharp edges.

Light-over-Ethernet by Philips is an example of such a smart technological innovation in the office building. The system offers employees the possibility to adjust light and climate of the workplace themselves via an app. 30,000 sensors enable in advance-adjustment to personal preferences in various spaces such as meeting rooms and workplaces. Together with all types of other sustainable provisions such as solar panels, heat/cold storage (WKO), strongly insulating glazing and rainwater harvesting for flushing the toilets, the Edge is capable to consume 70% less electricity than similar buildings.

Check out this video about The EDGE

Healthy indoor climate

The building is located along the busy A10 motorway. Joost Verhulsdonck, Senior Technical Manager at CBRE: “Right now, Rijkswaterstaat is fully engaged in broadening the motorway which means that the amount of traffic will increase enormously in the future. Not only that, but a lot of building activities are going on around the building – you can imagine that, because of this, we are dealing with a high concentration of particulate matter in the air. Off course we feel responsible for the wellbeing of the people working in the building. To make a substantial contribution to the health of those people, the air quality inside the building has to be optimal.” To achieve this, a collaborative partnership between HOMIJ Technische Installaties and Bosman bedrijven (collaborating under the name HBC, HOMIJ Bosman Combinatie) has been closely involved in the installation and maintenance of all electronic matters from the design phase.

Wilco Vinke, Service Manager at HOMIJ: “During construction we started looking for an air handling system which would on the one hand consume as little energy as possible and realise the highest possible air quality on the other hand. In the end we have opted for air handling units with a frequency regulator. These units work with a variable rotational speed which means that the air handling unit adjusts itself to the air volume from the control technique and the air resistance over the air filter. Despite the fact that the new systems have been built from the ground up with an efficient operation in mind, we keep looking for improvements that we can apply inside the building – the developments in the field of sustainability have really been racing ahead these past few years.”

“We are responsible for the electro-technical side of the story. We only see advantages in the field of energy savings from this perspective. The collaboration between HOMIJ, CBRE, AFPRO filters and us is a good example of a chain partnership.” – Willem de Bruin, account manager Bosman bedrijven

Improved air quality and savings

“We feel it’s important that our tenants are able to work in the healthiest environment possible. These new air filters enable us to further improve the indoor climate and make an extra contribution to the well-being of these people. The new filter is slightly more expensive, but we will probably recoup that in the near future.” – Joost Verhulsdonck, Senior Technical Manager CBRE

Together with the HOMIJ Bosman Combinatie, AFPRO Filters looked for a way to further improve the air quality inside the building and to reduce the energy consumption at the same time. Maurice Gijzen, senior account manager at AFPRO Filters: “At the time, I recommended switching to an ePM1-air filter, which complies with the new, strict ISO16890-norm. This switch ensures a further improvement of the indoor air quality with no less than 25%. The filter also has a lower initial resistance which means that the monitor in the air handling unit doesn’t have to rotate that much. This saves energy and therefore reduces the CO2-emmission.” Vinke agrees: “The building has an air volume of approximately 90,000 m3. For the office rooms we use a ventilation rate of 1.95 and for the meeting rooms a ventilation rate of 6. With these volumes of air are being pumped into the building even a small improvement yields big results.”Verhulsdonck: “We feel it’s important that our tenants work in the healthiest environment as possible. These new air filters enable us to further improve the indoor climate which allows us to make an extra contribution to the well-being of these people. The new filter is slightly more expensive, but we will probably recoup that in the near future. The energy reduction combined with increased lifetime of the filter ensures quite a saving on energy, labour, material and disposal costs.”

Sources and special thanks to CBRE, Bosman bedrijven (and Duurzaamgebouwd for the pictures).

New air filter provides important contribution to sustainability for Hotel De L’Europe

In the centre of Amsterdam, looking out over the Amstel River, lies the 19th century Hotel De L’Europe. This five-star hotel with 88 rooms and suites is located at a walking distance of the many museums and tourist attractions home to our capital. In 2014, the restaurant of De L’Europe received its second Michelin star and, in the same year, Richard van Oostenbrugge was named Chef of the Year by Gault & Millau. Previously, the bar of the hotel, named after the Dutch beer brewer Freddy Heineken, already won the award “Holland’s Best Cocktail Bar.”

Jan Pastor, Head Technical Service at De L’Europe: “At the hotel, the guest experience is pivotal. Our indoor climate is an important aspect of this, it makes the guests feel good. Which is why it should be optimal. We also feel responsible for the outdoor climate. That is why, in 2004, the hotel signed a sustainability covenant with the municipality of Amsterdam and why we have received Green Key certification. Green Key is the international quality label for sustainable management. In 2006, we were the first hotel to receive the golden certificate. Despite luxury and comfort coming first, we make an effort to operate as sustainable as possible. Think of water saving and climate control.”

“We not only offer service at a very high level, but we are also leading with regards to sustainability. The hotel is equipped with advanced air conditioning that regulates the cooling and heating of the rooms. In striving for an optimal indoor climate, we try to burden the outdoor climate as little as possible.” – Jan Pastoor, Head Technical Service at De L’Europe

Improvements regarding power savings

Pastor: “Achieving a Green Key certificate does not mean you can start relaxing. You have to actively search for ways to further improve the management. That is why we draw up a sustainability plan each year. In this plan, we look for areas for improvement regarding sustainability. Sometimes these just come to you, such as AFPRO Filters. AFPRO pointed us at a new type of PM1 air filter for hotels. After attending a presentation, I was immediately enthusiastic. The new filters save a substantial amount of energy and so provide a lower CO2 emission and a cost reduction.”

20% energy reduction by new air filters

Thomas de Wit, account manager  at AFPRO Filters: “I advised Hotel De L’Europe about switching to a new type of PM1 HQ filter (suited as air filter hotel). Big developments have taken place recently in the field of filter quality. The new HQ air filter has a lower starting resistance, which means the motor in the air treatment unit has to work less hard, which in turn leads to an energy reduction. My Life Cycle Costing calculation showed an expected energy reduction of no less than 20%.”

Longer service life air filter hotel

An additional benefit of the new air filter hotel is the longer service life. It is expected that they will have to be replaced less often. This means a decrease of material and labour costs as well as less waste. In other words: even more reductions and profit for the environment. Pastor: “The new air filters are a little more expensive to purchase, but we are convinced that all investments into sustainability will return to your wallet. You only need the guts to invest in it. Only looking at the price tag is not enough. Also think of the consequences of your investment.”

Alkmaar, The Netherlands

AFPRO Filters shares the vision of EUROVENT Middle East that high quality air filtration is key for the Middle East region. Therefore we are proud to join the Eurovent Middle East as their newest member. AFPRO Filters stands out in the world of air filtration as it manufacturers it’s own glass fibre filter media for a maximum Particulate Matter (PM1) / Fine dust protection according the latest global ISO16890 standard.

Joost Verlaan, Vice president at AFPRO Filters says:“The partnership we have with Eurovent is a very strategic one for us and with this new membership with Eurovent Middle East we strengthen that relationship. For us the Middle East region offers a huge growth opportunity that gets enforced by this partnership. We are excited to be on board with Eurovent Middle East!”

About AFPRO Filters

AFPRO Filters offers their customers the best air quality via energy efficient air filters which protect against particulate matter. Since the company was founded in 1979, AFPRO Filters has secured a leading role in the international air filtration market. Our energy efficient air filters that also protect you against various forms of particulate matter are globally available through our own offices and an extensive international dealer network.

Besides the energy saving air filters and high quality products, AFPRO Filters stands out because of its excellent logistics and high quality service. AFPRO Filters also produces highly specialized customized work that meets the specific wishes of our valued customers. Clean air. Our care.

Find out more at http://www.eurovent.me

AFPRO Filters saves Steigenberger Hotel €12.000 per year in energy-cost

Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg lies in the very heart of the metropolis at the river Elbe in northern Germany, with its typical hanseatic architecture and a direct view of the Alsterfleet. There are shopping arcades in close proximity to this luxurious hotel. The historic council house, the center and the Speicherstadt as well as the HafenCity are very close by.

The 5-Star superior hotel has 233 Rooms on 7 Stories, 2 Restaurants, 8 conference-rooms, complete with a full-service-wellness-area with steam bath and sauna.

The hotel was built in 1992 for the Steigenberger Hotel Group. All hotel rooms as well as the spa-area are fully air-conditioned which means that roughly 130.000 m³/h are required to supply the whole building with conditioned air.

To meet the hygienic standards according to VDI 6022, the hotel’s technicians have been applying the proven filter-class F7 according to DIN EN 779:2012 within the incoming air-levels. Filter-class F7 means a very high protection against particulate matter in urban surroundings.

Since Mr. Düx has been assisting the hotel, he has set great store on impeccable operations and also to meet all the latest requirements and standards in order to provide the best possible air to the hotel guests as well as to protect the hotels facilities.

Saving energy with energy efficient air filters

Efficient F7 particulate filters separate more than 50% of particulate matter (0,4μm particle-size) from the outside air and therefore have higher pressure losses than pocket filters of classes M5 or M6. In order to be able to run their system with an efficient particulate filter in a way that saves as much energy as possible while ensuring hygienically impeccable results, the technicians at Steigenberger Hotel have chosen the energy-efficient PM1 pocket-filter .

This new air filter has a pressure loss of merely 71Pa per year, which means a full 100Pa less than traditional F7 pocket filters. These low pressure losses with equal air quality in a modern frequency controlled facility amount to savings of over 50.000 kWh/year. The FU-regulation permanently controls the pressure loss within the system and automatically regulates the engine-frequency. Now if the pressure losses within the installed filters rise more slowly, the fans need to provide less air, using less energy.

If you consider, that one kWh costs 13 Eurocent, it becomes clear that the replacement of the filters has benefits for the Steigenberger Hotel. Steigenberger Hotel saves €12.000 per year in energy costs without further reconstruction work, just by replacing the filters!

Furthermore, it is an additional step towards Certified Green Hotel by means of reducing the greenhouse gas CO2. Certainly many hotels don’t base their decisions solely on economic savings, but also exceedingly on ecologic considerations.

Mr. Düx of Steigenberger Hotel in Hamburg is very pleased about the collaboration with filter manufacturer AFPRO. With their Eurovent certified air filters they offer the opportunity to save energy costs while reducing particulate matter in their incoming air. The in-house AFPRO calculation-program LCC clearly shows the saving opportunities by simply changing the filters.