Global calls to include air pollution in COP28 agenda find regional support, new partnerships

Amantra FM, a Dubai-based niche facilities management company, announced a partnership with the US-headquartered AtmosAir, a global leader in solutions for healthier indoor air, and its authorized reseller Circulus, a managed office solutions company. The strategic partnership makes Amantra Middle East’s authorized distributor and promoter of AtmosAir’s bi-polar ionization technology, which boasts a pathogen reduction rate of up to 99 per cent in indoor environments.

The timely partnership lends itself well to the growing calls to firmly include air pollution in the COP28 agenda. The advocacy, led by reputable intergovernmental organizations such as WHO and UNEP, is backed by scientific evidence of increasing respiratory ailments and fatalities linked to poor air quality. In the UAE, the awareness of air pollution has increased significantly following the pandemic. Considering the drivers of air pollution are also sources of greenhouse gases, that development bodes well for the concurrent pursuit of UAE’s Net-zero 2050.

Amantra FM, known for its bespoke services, has been an ardent proponent of good indoor air quality (IAQ) in the Middle East. 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 per cent of their lives indoors, on average, and a person in a closed room can add about 37 million bacteria to the air every hour, solutions that can demonstrably optimize IAQ are the need of the hour.

“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 ionization technology neutralizes contaminants at the source, such as HVAC inlets and ducts, before they can cause any harm indoors. This proactive approach to optimizing 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,” explained Sangeetha B, CEO of Amantra FM.

“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 ionization, which, as per documented results, saves up to 30 per cent on HVAC energy costs and reduces up to 8 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 turn that vision into a reality in the Middle East,” noted Peter Kenney, CEO of Circulus.

Echoing the same sentiment, Syed A. Rehman, SVP at Circulus, said the multi-fold benefits from bi-polar ionization complement the ESG trajectory that companies are taking today. “AtmosAir has observed significant improvements in IAQ and occupant productivity levels in large hospitals, stadiums, building portfolios, warehouses, etc. while working in unison with AI-driven solutions optimizing energy consumption and reducing GHG emissions,” Rehman added.

• Business