DUBAI, UAE, 12 September 2023: Amantra FM, a facilities management company,  announced a partnership with the US-headquartered AtmosAir, indoor air quality technology provider and its authorised reseller, Circulus, a managed office solutions company. Making the announcement through a Press release, Amantra FM said the strategic partnership makes Amantra Middle East the authorised distributor and promoter of AtmosAir’s bi-polar ionisation technology, which AtmosAir claims has a pathogen reduction rate of up to 99% in indoor environments.  

Amantra FM said it has been a proponent of good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in the Middle East, and its advocacy draws upon the growing incidence of sick-building syndrome (SBS) and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases linked to poor IAQ in residential and commercial facilities worldwide. Considering humans spend 90% of their lives indoors on an average, the company said, and a person in a closed room can add about 37 million bacteria to the air every hour, solutions that can demonstrably optimise IAQ are the need of the hour.  

Sangeetha B, CEO, Amantra FM, said: “Indoor environments can be a cesspool of contaminants and pathogens, yet seem clean and liveable to the naked eye. As a result, contaminated indoors have been silent killers since time immemorial. The market is rife with stop-gap solutions that reactively combat pathogens that have already contaminated indoor spaces. Conversely, bi-polar ionisation technology neutralises contaminants at the source, such as HVAC inlets and ducts, before they can cause any harm indoors. This proactive approach to optimising IAQ, combined with the solution’s interoperability with existing HVAC systems, has remarkable implications for public health, utility costs, and sustainability in the Middle East.” 

L-R: Syed A Rehman, Peter Kenny and Sangeetha B

The facilities management company said that charged ions in AtmosAir’s proprietary technology actively seek out pathogens at the source and eliminate them, thereby mimicking nature’s way of cleansing air outdoors. Moreover, Amantra FM said it can be retrofitted in relatively old facilities where chances of contamination are high. The company further said that the IoT-based integration allows owners or operators to understand and visualise the complex relationship between HVAC systems, occupant safety, energy consumption, and operational costs. 

Peter Kenney, CEO, Circulus, said: “Facilities must proactively rid the indoor environments of pathogens while reducing energy usage and associated carbon emissions — an integrated approach built on social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability. We have championed that vision through bi-polar ionisation, which, as per documented results, saves up to 30% on HVAC energy costs and reduces up to eight per cent on entire utility expenses. Combined with optimal IAQ, such possibilities can help facilities comply with LEED and WELL, among other building standards. We are glad to partner with Amantra FM to make that vision a reality in the Middle East.” 

Syed A. Rehman, SVP, Circulus, said: “The multi-fold benefits from bi-polar ionisation complement the ESG trajectory companies are taking today. Moreover, AtmosAir has observed  improvements in IAQ and occupant productivity levels in large hospitals, stadiums, building portfolios, warehouses, etc., while working in unison with AI-driven solutions optimising energy consumption and reducing GHG emissions.”  

 The release said facility management teams and owners could determine the feasibility of bi-polar ionisation in their buildings by responding to a questionnaire presented by AtmosAir in conjunction with Amantra FM. A certified AtmosAir team, the company said, will subsequently conduct an onsite inspection, after which a proposal is presented. After client approval, installation schedules are discussed, followed by production go-live, and stakeholders can monitor the systems round-the-clock and accurately measure ROI afterwards, the company further said.  

Amantra FM said the arrival of this IAQ solution in the Middle East complements the growing emphasis on “liveability” in residential and commercial buildings following the pandemic. Recent studies, the company said, have established the irrefutable correlation between good IAQ and business bottom lines. Optimal IAQ, the company said, has been linked to reduced absenteeism and employee churn in offices and increased tenant retention and rental yield in residential facilities. The company further said that the accompanying sustainability outcomes make bi-polar ionisation a potential catalyst for the broader net-zero goals in the region.