INNOVATION


Some foodservice outlets have made little effort to improve air purification, relying on their existing HVAC and filtration systems, while others have gone to great lengths to make a focal point of their operations. One example is the Big Sur restaurant in California’s Monterey County. When restaurants were


allowed to reopen in March 2021, the restaurant was ready to show customers how it had responded to the pandemic. Its dining area was replete with tabletop mini-purifiers, strategically placed HEPA air purifiers, and an upgraded HVAC system that now features sensors to constantly


“CLEANING AND AIR PURIFICATION PROCESSES MUST BE VISIBLE. THE TECHNOLOGY IS EFFECTIVE, AND INVESTING IN SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR GUESTS IS SENSIBLE, BUT OPERATORS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT GUESTS KNOW THAT IT IS HAPPENING”


measure air quality in real time. In April this year, California municipality Carmel-by-the-Sea launched the Verified Clear Air program as part of an effort to boost the local restaurant industry in the post-pandemic world. Backed by Wynd applied sciences, which develops AI-enabled indoor air monitoring and purification systems and indoor air quality optimization specialists AirByDesign, the project aims to rebuild confidence around indoor eating for patrons, employees and residents. Wynd’s Indoor Air Quality


Optimization Service comprises a suite of products that simultaneously detect, monitor and remediate air quality. The Halo air monitor and analytics component measures more than 16 different variables of air quality, and its automation tools work with HVAC and air purifiers to react to any changes. Industry-leading manufacturer Halton has also come out with new systems, notably the Quattro Aero,


which is a highly efficient, four-stage air purification unit that can be installed in both existing or new ventilation systems. It eliminates microbes using bi-polar ionization, UVGI light, filtering and photo-catalytic oxidation. It is also IoT-enabled to allow operators to remotely monitor large numbers of installed devices. Mobile air cleaning units such as those brought to market by Hathaspace, are a convenient choice for smaller restaurants, as they can remove airborne pollutants wherever needed and are compact in their design. The HSP001 Air Purifier, for example, is the perfect fit for rooms up to 700 sq ft (65 sq m), in which it can filter 100% of the air every hour.


Here to stay? Investing in air purification in response to a global pandemic makes sense, but will it add value in a post-pandemic world? The likely answer is yes. “It will become table stakes in many


areas,” says Radford. “Sanitized air will be advertised on the outside of the restaurant to reassure customers.” A key part of the program launched in Carmel, California, is to enable premises to display blue window decals stating: Verified Clear Air; This enterprise has invested in your wellbeing and security. This is as much about perception as


anything else, but also wide-ranging to take preventative measures. Covid-19 is unlikely to be the last pandemic. “If customers see best practices being used then it reassures them,” notes Bender. “Cleaning and air purification processes must be visible. The technology is effective, and investing in safe environments for guests is sensible, but operators have to make sure that guests know that it is happening. It gives confidence in the operator, which is showing that it cares about its guests.”


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