Classified clean: hygienic levels for AHUs explained

Not all Air Handling Units (AHUs) are equal when it comes to air quality and cleanliness. Hygienic AHUs have been specially designed for applications demanding a high hygienic standard. Projects can range from commercial applications requiring enhanced indoor air quality (IAQ) in offices, schools and hotels, to projects looking to reduce airborne pollutants to protect health, such as hospitals and healthcare. The most critical applications include pharmaceutical, food processing and operating theatres, where air quality is paramount. With such a breadth of applications, it’s therefore vital that decision makers can identify and select the right hygienic AHU for the project.

To this end, Eurovent Certification has developed a system to evaluate product performance and aid decision makers in product selection. In this article we discuss the difference between hygienic and standard AHUs, and how Eurovent’s 3-level classification system helps decision makers choose the right AHU for their project.

Hygienic vs standard AHUs

While hygienic AHUs provide the same functions as traditional AHUs, the main differences are that hygienic AHUs:

• Are easy to clean and disinfect
• Feature access to all internal surfaces
• Are constructed in such a way as to reduce places where dirt can accumulate.

The materials used in construction are designed to:

• Prevent fungal and bacterial growth
• Be resist corrosion and abrasion
• Be odourless and emission free.

These features are greatly desired in environments where air purity impacts health, safety, or product quality.

Hygienic AHUs:

• Offer improved IAQ
• Aid compliance with health and safety standards (e.g. VDI 6022-1:2018 and DIN 1946-4:2018)
• Prevent microbial growth
• Offer easier cleaning and maintenance.

Hygienic AHUs therefore offer an excellent solution in projects that demand enhanced levels of air quality and cleanliness.

Why do we need hygienic certification?

AHUs often have very succinct requirements and can be built bespoke to the project using a selection software. Decision makers therefore need to know the product data declared by the manufacture and used in selection software is accurate, so they can confidently configure, size, and specify AHUs. This is where Eurovent Certified Performance programme for Air Handling Units steps in.

The AHU product certification programme evaluates mechanical characteristics such as casing strength and casing air leakage, along with performance characteristics including airflow, sound power levels, cooling capacity, energy efficiency class and more. The AHU programme also certifies the selection software, ensuring the data included is verified as correct.

While this gives decision makers a wealth of verified, comparable data at their fingertips, the certification did not include a standardised way to identify the hygienic capabilities of AHUs, or regulatory compliance with health and safety standards. With this information critical on numerous projects, Eurovent Certification developed a certification that would remove the guesswork for decision makers.

Hygienic AHU classification

The Eurovent Certified Performance programme for Hygienic Air Handling Units guarantees the hygienic aspect of an AHU by checking the quality of the materials used, the components selected, as well as the level of maintenance of the casing and of the components. The hygienic certification is an optional extra for manufacturers already enrolled in the Eurovent Certified Performance programme for Air Handling Units.

The hygienic certification adds in extra layers of evaluation and crucially uses a 3-level system to classify each AHU by application:

Level 1: Is suitable for commercial applications including offices, commercial buildings, schools and hotels.

Level 2: Is suitable for use in hospitals and healthcare. Level 2 certified hygienic AHUs comply with the VDI 6022-1:2018 standard.

Level 3: Is suitable for applications including pharmaceutical, food processing, white rooms, operating theatres and equivalent. Level 3 certified hygienic AHUs comply with the VDI 6022-1:2018 and DIN 1946-4:2018 standards.

As the hygienic level of the product is clearly displayed, the certification is simple to understand, with clear definitions, and no interpretations.

What’s more, HVAC professionals and end users have free access to certified data, so they can view and compare the performance of AHUs and hygienic AHUs online via Eurovent’s Certified Product Directory.

Conclusion

As demand for hygienic AHUs grows across diverse sectors, the importance of selecting the right product cannot be overstated. From commercial buildings to critical healthcare and pharmaceutical environments, each application carries unique hygienic requirements that standard AHUs may not meet. Eurovent Certification’s 3-level hygienic classification system offers a clear, standardised approach to identifying suitable AHUs, ensuring decision makers can select units that align with project demands and relevant regulatory standards. The Eurovent Certified Performance programme for Hygienic Air Handling Units enhances transparency, simplifies product comparison, and reduces project risk, ultimately supporting healthier indoor environments and peace of mind for all stakeholders.

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Find out more about the Hygienic AHU programme

Find out more about the AHU programme