In addition to the right temperature and humidity, the CO₂ concentration in the indoor atmosphere is particularly important for our well-being indoors. In closed rooms with an insufficient supply of fresh air, the CO₂ concentration quickly rises to a high level. Since CO₂ is produced when we exhale, the more people there are in a room, the faster the CO₂ content in the room air increases. Starting at a CO₂ concentration of 0.1% by volume (1000 ppm), the tasteless and odourless gas has a negative effect on our well-being, performance and concentration. Often the ventilation system is only switched on when the indoor atmosphere is perceived to be stuffy or used up and this limit value has already clearly been exceeded. For comparison: fresh outside air has a CO₂ content of about 400 ppm.

COVID-19 – Ventilation Minimises Risk of Infection

Prompted by the Corona pandemic, indoor ventilation has taken on additional importance. Since the Corona virus can also spread via aerosols, based on current knowledge, experts recommend ventilating rooms regularly. The higher the proportion of fresh air, the lower the aerosol concentration in the indoor atmosphere. This also reduces the risk of infection from potentially viral particles.

Even the use of simple CO₂ measuring devices, also known as CO₂ indicators, can significantly contribute to a better indoor atmosphere. The devices measure the CO₂ concentration and provide information about how stale the air inside the room is and when the room should be ventilated. The use of CO₂ indicators is a sensible course of action if installing a ventilation system is out of the question due to the structural conditions or for reasons of cost.

In modern buildings such as passive or low-energy houses, ventilation systems are now state-of-the-art. If they are to work in an energy- and cost-efficient way, CO₂ sensors are needed to monitor the CO₂ content of the room air precisely and reliably. Based on the measured CO₂ values, the air supply can be regulated to reflect requirements.

In contrast to a building ventilation system with a constant volume flow, a ventilation system controlled by CO₂ sensors supplies the room with the volume of fresh air actually required. This reduces heat loss through excessive ventilation, avoiding unnecessary heating costs. In addition, the power consumption of the fans in the ventilation system can be significantly reduced by speed-controlled ventilation.

CO₂ sensors from E+E Elektronik are ideal for indoor atmosphere and ventilation control. CO₂ measurement is based on the non-dispersive infrared measuring principle (NDIR), the advantage of which is high contamination resistance. In combination with an auto-calibration procedure, the CO₂ sensors offer precise measurement results with long-term stability. The CO₂ measurement data form the basis for demand-driven ventilation control, and thus make an important contribution to a good indoor atmosphere.