Northern Ireland company OKTO Technologies has introduced an air control system which it says can remove any Covid-19 virus from the atmosphere in a building within ten minutes.
The Lisburn company provides smart building technology and solutions, and says that its OktoAir system has been proven in testing to remove 99.98% of a Covid-19 proxy virus within ten minutes, and 100% in 45 minutes.
According to Okto, its new range of ‘wellness’ technology was designed to eradicate the problem of indoor air contamination and natural allergens/pollens in offices, hotels, and homes.
“The system will consistently monitor, contrast, and manage indoor air quality, temperature and humidity,” says managing director Philip Dowds. (pictured). “The technology also incorporates a dashboard to keep occupants informed and updated of all aspects of air quality inside and outside their properties.”
The company fast-tracked final development of the technology in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and says it can provide a high level of atmospheric safety in homes, restaurants, offices, bars, hotels and nightclubs.
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Dowds added: “Never before has the Irish public been more focused on feeling safe and protected in the home or work environment. We fast tracked the launch of this system as a result of Covid-19 because we genuinely feel it will have a positive and helpful impact for hotels and businesses across the country as they reopen their doors."
The system works by analysing 11 key air quality indicators, providing a detailed breakdown of pollutants, including levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and ultra-fine contaminants measuring 2.5 microns (one twentieth of the width of a human hair).
It then determines how to best manage the air to achieve optimum living conditions. This ranges from automatically opening or closing vents and windows, to filtering the air through its AirWorks disinfecting filtration system (DFS).
According to Dowds, the DFS filter can remove airborne particulates down to 0.007 microns, which is 40 times smaller than when filtered by advanced HEPA systems. AirWorks then purifies the air using electronic disinfection, killing even the smallest bacteria or viruses.
The new wellness suite is available either as a standalone installation or as part of Okto’s wider Smart Building Systems. The company is already installing the system in some high-end homes in Dublin, and is negotiating with several investment banks to integrate the system into their London offices.
