What could possible further developments of the protective canopy look like?
Norrefeldt: The first demonstrator of the protective canopy was made from standard components that are available on the market virtually off the shelf. For example, the fan, filter, air diffuser and tubes can be ordered from the catalog and were only suitably assembled by our indoor air quality technicians. With further optimization loops and fine-tuning of the components, energy efficiency could be further increased and noise levels reduced at the same time. Work could also be done on the appearance, as we know from previous test subject studies that the appearance of the protective canopy also influences perceived comfort.
What do you think: Will the protective canopy still be present in the workplace in the future – that is, after the hoped-for containment of the pandemic?
Norrefeldt: The original idea of the protective canopy, the so-called climate canopy, actually pursued the approach of increasing thermal comfort locally at the workplace. Here, a slowly trickling stream of cold air was supposed to cool the person underneath – without the risk of drafts. The effect of avoiding mixing with the room air was something we were aware of at the time, but before Covid-19 it was secondary to comfort. If the protective canopy is now extended with a cooling option, for example a cold exchanger connected to the cold water network, it contributes to local cooling of the person, especially in very warm workplaces. Due to the local area of effect, this solution is significantly more energy-efficient than cooling an entire hall. We believe that the new awareness about the transmission pathways of Covid-19 will remain another strong argument for the operation of the climate sky after the pandemic.