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H.I.D.E.S. Design

Building Materials

Water Management

Passive Heating and Cooling

Active Heating and Cooling

 

Air Purification and Ventilation

 Bio Filtration

 Physical Filtration

 UV Treatment

 Ozone Treatment

 Recovery Ventilators

 

Water Purification

Power Generation

 

 

Physical Filtration

What is it?

Physical filtration is the screening and absorbing of pollutants, and works very well as a primary filtration system. Physical filtration includes HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance), as well as carbon filters and standard furnace filters. Physical filtration includes everything from individual room filters to whole house filters.

 

How does it work?

Physical filtration is a three-step process. Each step filters out progressively smaller particles.

-Pre-filtration
The first step in physical filtration is a pre-filter, which catches large particles of dust, animal hair, and other assorted debris. Having a pre-filter can increase the efficiency of downstream filters by 70-90%. The next step is a more discriminating filter, a HEPA filter.

-HEPA filtration
HEPA filters screen out pollutants working on the Òsmall holeÓ principle: If the hole is smaller than the pollutant, the pollutant is blocked. This works very well for all pollutants larger than the hole, pollutants such as dust, dander, and allergens.

-Adsorption
The next step in filtration is adsorption of pollutants, removing them from the air stream before they enter a structure. Activated charcoal is an incredible absorber, and is so effective against organic chemicals and chlorine that it is used in military gas masks.

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal has an extraordinary amount of surface area to adsorb contaminants; one pound of activated charcoal can have over 100 acres of surface area! Activated charcoal is effective in removing odors and colors from the air.

 

Why does Exup use it?

Physical filtration is the first step in cleaning the air for people in Exup buildings. For the most part, filtration is a simple and effective technology that can be used and maintained by people anywhere. Without physical filtration, none of the “fancy” techniques like UV or Ozone treatment work very well.

 

For hundreds of helpful facts and figures regarding green building, energy, and the economy, check out our GREEN FACTS page.