Lowering heating and air conditioning energy use by improving air filtration efficiency through sonic vibration technology. We sat down during Hong Kong Climate Week with Philip Yuen, CEO of Aurabeat, to learn more. For a transcript, please visit climatebreak.org/energy-efficient-building-air-filters-with-phil-yuen/
Aurabeat is a medically patented air filter technology that has proven to reduce up to 99.9% of COVID-19 bacteria from the air. This was heavily deployed in some of the most infectious environments akin to COVID-19 hospitals and quarantine facilities, where more than 500 air purifier units were placed. It was also used in over a 100 schools, hospitals, retail outlets, and major shopping centers in places like Hong Kong to aid in the reopening of public facilities during pandemic times.
Aurabeat manages to sterilize air up to “3.4 times in one hour” in an extremely efficient manner while remaining quite portable and accessible to everyone. Most air filtration technologies are employed through means of direct installation, which not only takes time to deploy, but also comes with other costs. For example, systems like HVAC consume large amounts of electricity which “can lead to increased carbon emissions unless the energy comes from renewable sources” (Mechanics Depot).
Additionally, the production of air filters requires heavy transportation along with the extraction of resources from the earth which can deplete the environment. Moreover, after air filters are installed, they “need to be replaced regularly” and because they are usually not biodegradable or recyclable, this adds to landfill burden. Aurabeat deftly handles a lot of these challenges, making it an environmentally friendly alternative with medical grade benefits.
While it may be an extremely energy efficient alternative, the noise that the purifier makes can be disturbing to some users. Additionally, Aurabeat has some other air purifying competitors that may have larger coverage.
Mr. Philip Yuen emphasizes that although Aurabeat's energy efficient building air filters which utilize acoustic soundwaves to filter air may seem to be a costly investment, they save money in the long run due to improved efficiency. Additionally, they help the climate by providing a significant 15-30% reduction in energy consumption.
Phil Yuen has been the CEO of Aurabeat for over 5 years, leading the company through the pandemic to help building owners better protect their occupants from risk of COVID 19 infection. He achieved his M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from Cornell University.
For a transcript, please visit climatebreak.org/energy-efficient-building-air-filters-with-phil-yuen/
Ethan: I’m Ethan Elkind, and you’re listening to Climate Break — climate solutions in a hurry. Today’s proposal: Lowering heating and air conditioning energy use by improving air filtration efficiency through sonic vibration technology. We sat down during Hong Kong Climate Week with Philip Yuen, CEO of Aurabeat, to learn more.
Philip: We do air filters, um, and we have a patented Sonic vibration technology. That replaces, um, traditional air filters found in air handling units. Once our filters are in, uh, typically, um, we see that each air handling unit we're able to reduce anywhere between 15 to 30% of energy reduction.
Ethan: Yuen says the sonic vibration works by producing acoustic soundwaves that force particulate matter in the air to vibrate as they pass through the filter. That increases the chances that the filters will capture and intercept them. Customers then save money, because the air filter’s improved efficiency means they use less energy.
Philip: typically we see a payback within, um, two to three years. Um, so that's a, a sweet spot when it comes to energy reduction product. After installing our product, there's no increase in operational expense. You don't spend more money buying filters from us. You don't spend more money buying filters more often.
Ethan: Going forward, Aurabeat is looking to expand their customer base around the world.
Philip: for now, uh, it's just getting into more markets because, uh, in each market that we get to is a very word of mouth, buildings that used our product would publish it in journals and share it with the resident industry, you know, unlike other industries so the value speaks for itself and then, and then it really naturally spreads on its own.
Ethan: To learn more about Aurabeat and sonic vibration technology, visit climatebreak.org.