Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation’s Continued Focus on Indoor Air Quality
A little over a year ago, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) made the decision to take monitoring the air quality of their building into their own hands. To supplement this initiative, they decided on Q-Trak™ XP Indoor Air Quality Monitors and the AirAssure™ Continuous Indoor Air Quality Monitors. The goal was to learn and act on the insights of the air quality within the Scotiabank Saddledome Arena. A few examples of what gases and other conditions monitored for include Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Particulate Matter (PM), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and more.
“The Q-Trak™ XP has actually changed a lot of how we operate day to day when it comes to indoor air quality” – Richard Gurney.
Prior to the pandemic when air quality wasn’t on the forefront of most people’s minds, the focus of many venues, including the Scotiabank Saddledome, was to optimize fresh air being brought in based on outside temperatures while still keeping the venue comfortable. Poor air quality is known to have negative effects on the health and wellbeing of players, staff, and spectators alike. This can include respiratory problems, headaches, and fatigue, all of which can negatively impact performance and enjoyment of the event. With the newly-heightened focus on air quality across the industry, the strategy of relying solely on their HVAC systems simply didn’t cut it anymore.
“You still want to be efficient (when it comes to heating and cooling) but there are times where you have to put the money aside and consider the air quality. For example, if it’s -5 degrees outside but the data shows you should bring in more fresh air, you just have to… we have TSI monitors to give us the data so that we know we’re always supplying fresh air adequate to whoever’s in the building.” – Richard Gurney
And now, it’s not just the spectators, fans and athletes taking notice of the better air quality. Monitoring air quality can help identify potential sources of pollution or contamination within the building, such as mold, chemicals, or carbon monoxide. This data they found on the device reports were then used to take proactive steps to address the issues and continue to make improvements on the overall air quality.
“I’ve shared a few of the reports (from the Q-Trak™ XP) with the others and they were actually quite impressed with what was going on here. One gentleman who works within the industry actually flew out just to see and ask about them… and it’s funny because now I get calls from around the industry about air quality.” – Richard Gurney
For the areas that the facility management team cannot get into on a regular basis, such as the players locker rooms, is where the AirAssure really shined. They were able to mount the monitor directly on the wall and begin monitoring right away from anywhere using TSI Link software. If there were air quality concerns, they would get alerts immediately and advise on a plan of action for correction.
Air quality monitoring is a critical aspect of creating a safe and healthy environment in facilities. By ensuring that the air quality is of the highest standard, TSI solutions can help to prevent health issues and improve the overall experience for everyone involved. It is important for building owners and operators to prioritize air quality monitoring as an essential part of their facility management practices.
For the full story, check out the video testimonial below.