CIT UPC, founding member of the new Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) cluster

31/7/2020

The CIT UPC Technology Centre has joined the new Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) cluster, which has emerged as an association of companies that cooperate and share synergies, with the aim of leading future decisions on how to improve indoor air quality in buildings and infrastructures. The CIT UPC has joined from the academic sphere to promote innovation projects based on the knowledge that is generated by the UPC in this area.

Given social concerns about indoor air quality and the potential propagation of pathogens via the air, the CLUSTER IAQ will provide solutions and general recommendations to improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). It will achieve this by taking advantage of the experience and technical capacity of all its members, leading companies in the air treatment sector.

Companies and organisations associated with the cluster are from various communities in Spain and cover the entire value chain in the sector of indoor air treatment: including engineering and the production of ventilation, cooling, air conditioning, heating, automation, measurement systems, etc. Companies that form part of this cluster are: Aire Interior (Cabrera de Mar), Carrier (Madrid), CIT UPC (Barcelona), Danfoss (Madrid), FabricAir (Saragossa), Frigicoll (Sant Just Desvern), InBiot (Noain), Schneider (Barcelona), Sodeca (Ripoll), Tubsnet Fire (Mataró), Valtria (Barberà de Vallès) and Venfilter (Terrassa).

This sector provides solutions for a wide range of public and private buildings and infrastructures: hotel chains, banks, shopping centres, airports, train stations, hospitals, etc. In total in Spain, they provide work for over 1,500 employees, have revenue of over 500 million euros and over 300 research groups, and they are present in around 150 countries.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Covid-19 virus can travel several metres in enclosed, badly ventilated places, which increases the risk of contagion. Therefore, the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) cluster will work to “improve the air quality in buildings and infrastructure to face global health problems such as Covid-19 or environmental issues”, explained Pau Pallàs, the chairperson.

Presentation in Barcelona

The launch event for the cluster was held in Barcelona, at the Hotel Arts, on 22 July. Participants included Jordi Berenguer, Vice-Rector of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Antoni Cañete, general secretary of PIMEC, as well as several companies that form part of the cluster.