This week we want to present you another SMARCTIC project partner: HEATRD Heat Research and Development company, based in Akureyri (Iceland).
Our Icelandic partners specialise in technology used for heat utilization at various temperatures. This includes sensors for monitoring conditions, devices used to condition heat flow and electric generation (binary power). HEATRD will contribute to the project specially with their knowledge and expertise in sensors and conditioning. Icelandic partners will monitor air quality (including temperature, oxygen, CO2 content and humidity) and they will use the measured data to control innovative energy saving air management unit(s).
Due to their experience in deploying energy solutions to final customers, HEATRD will lead the testing process of SMARCTIC’s ‘Smart Energy Management Model’ and check its effectiveness for the purposes that have been conceived. HEATRD will monitor the solutions that will be tested in the 5 NPA regions participating in the project under a common transnational methodology to bring quantitative and qualitative information to analyse the performance. According to our partners, the technical solutions they select and implement may be used elsewhere, and their company could provide such solutions.
"We have proposed using SMARCTIC sensors for air quality monitoring before and after some energy improvement, e.g. when going from diesel to wind or when starting up a bio-fuel (pellet) burner. Also, we have looked at air quality sensors in indoor swimming pools and systems for better energy use in snow melting systems", explains SMARCTIC Icelandic partner Ragnar Ásmundsson.
Pilot case in Iceland
The pilot in Iceland will address issues in Arctic and Sub-Arctic houses caused by the lengthy times spent indoors by 'Arctic' people due to climatic conditions. This leads to unhealthy air conditions and contaminants, particularly in homes, kindergarten and schools. Houses have also become better insulated which may neglect air quality. This pilot will consist of IoT sensing of parameters, including oxygen percentage, dampness, dust and hazardous contaminants. Through the SMARCTIC project, HEATRD expects to jointly design and implement a system that can be used in kindergarten or schools to improve air quality. "We all have schools - and young people we need to take good care of", affirms Asmundsson.
The data will be combined with domestic weather and intelligent ventilation technology that uses AI to control ventilation systems to optimise indoor air quality without energy loss. Air exchange with energy saving/recycling technology and different sensors will be assessed as well. "SMARCTIC provides a great opportunity to explore various different technical solutions applied in different cultures and climates", states our partner.