Let's Talk Clean Air | Camfil

Air filtration systems are often misunderstood until performance drops or maintenance costs spiral. 
Many facility managers view these components as commodity items, yet this oversight leads to equipment failure and poor indoor air quality. 

We decode the four essential filter stages required to protect building assets and human health. Jon Holmes, also known as the Filter Guy at Camfil, joins us to clarify the science behind the hardware. With over twelve years of experience, he brings practical insights to help facility managers navigate complex filtration requirements and reduce operational costs.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

The role of pre-filters as the first defense.
Preventing filter failure through structural integrity.
Protecting human health with efficient final filters.
Distinguishing between HEPA box and panel filters.
Why molecular filtration is necessary for VOCs.

GUEST DETAILS 

Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/

MORE INFORMATION

Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle.

https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

It stops the really large particles from either fouling your coils or clogging up your more expensive final filter that really protects human health. - Jon Holmes

Structural integrity is key. Otherwise, what can happen is that filter essentially gets sucked into the fan. - Jon Holmes

How can you get air through something that's filtering literally everything in terms of particles? Yeah, a lot of surface area. - Jon Holmes

KEYWORDS 
#AirFilterTypes#HVACFilterMaintenance#MolecularFiltrationGuide#IndoorAirQualityManagement

Budget constraints and limited space often force facility managers to compromise on air quality. This approach creates recurring costs and missed opportunities for optimising building performance. Facility teams must understand how to balance equipment constraints with the need for high quality air filtration.

We explore effective strategies for managing rooftop HVAC systems, navigating filter track limitations, and maximising maintenance labour efficiency. We also examine compelling evidence linking improved air quality to better cognitive performance and decision making.

We are joined by Jon Holmes, a filter specialist at Camfil with over twelve years of experience. Jon helps facility managers bridge the gap between complex engineering and practical, cost effective maintenance solutions.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

Why schools rely on rooftop HVAC systems
Challenges of one to four inch filter tracks
Maximising filter life with high quality investment
How air quality impacts cognitive performance
Using maintenance windows for better air solutions

GUEST DETAILS 

Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/

MORE INFORMATION

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io
CAO Mini-Series: Chess vs Air:
https://podfollow.com/camfil/episode/7d49e1164cc62ac171dfe8976e1b7e904272ce76/view

Enhancing Creativity With IAQ:
https://podfollow.com/camfil/episode/411b7c654f4917ecc19c3ea6fc0512a7d09f20eb/view

QUOTES

You could spend a little less money on day one, but  just spending a little more on day one for a better filter that will perform better for longer. - Jon Holmes

Just 10 micrograms, which is incredibly small, increased the odds of people making mistakes by 26%. - Jon Holmes

As long as you have low average resistance to airflow, a really quality performance air filter, yeah, you can definitely get away with changing it once a year. - Jon Homes

KEYWORDS 

#Rooftop#HVAC#FilterMaintenance#HighPerformanceAirFilters#CleanAirCognitiveImpact

Many facilities overspend on HVAC maintenance while compromising air quality due to simple, avoidable installation and monitoring errors. Costly inefficiency often stems from relying on subjective visual inspections rather than objective performance data.

This conversation provides a clear path to optimizing HVAC systems. We address common pitfalls, ranging from air bypass and incorrect orientation to the essential role of pressure drop monitoring.

We are joined by Jon Holmes, a Camfil specialist and industry veteran with over twelve years of experience. As a trusted expert on total cost of ownership, he offers practical engineering solutions to bridge the gap between complex standards and facility reality.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

Comparing filter efficiency via industry standards.
The dangers of air bypass in HVAC systems.
Correct vertical orientation for filter integrity.
Why pressure drop matters more than time.
Replacing visual checks with manometer readings.

GUEST DETAILS 

Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/

MORE INFORMATION

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

The only true standards in the air filtration world for this kind of stuff is ASHRAE slash MIRV A standards - Jon Holmes

You could have the best filter in the world, but if it's not sealed properly, that's a big issue. - Jon Holmes

If the pleats are horizontal, not vertical, essentially what you're going to have is, again, it's not structurally sound. - Jon Holmes

The rule of thumb is two times the initial pressure drop - Jon Holmes

Pressure drop is objective, that's the key. - Jon Holmes

KEYWORDS #FilterBypassPrevention#HVAC#AirFilterMaintenance#FilterBypassPrevention#AirPressureDropData

Muchos hospitales priorizan equipos médicos costosos mientras descuidan el aire invisible que puede propagar infecciones letales entre los pacientes más vulnerables. Este descuido operativo transforma centros de salud en focos de cultivo para patógenos resistentes que el simple lavado de manos no puede detener.

La conversación se centra en la bioseguridad mediante el uso de filtración mecánica avanzada y el monitoreo constante de la presión del sistema. Se analizan estrategias para reducir infecciones y optimizar costos operativos a largo plazo en infraestructuras hospitalarias críticas.

Ari Guerrero es un experto en sistemas de filtración y bioseguridad aérea radicado en la Ciudad de México. 

Posee amplia experiencia asesorando a instituciones de salud sobre la implementación de normativas internacionales de calidad de aire interior.

COSAS DE LAS QUE HABLAMOS

- Prioridades reales en ingeniería hospitalaria
- Aire como vector de infecciones
- Diferencia entre confort y bioprotección
- Riesgos de bioaerosoles en hospitales
- Ventajas mecánicas del valor MERV-A

DETALLES DEL INVITADO

Ari Guerrero actualmente se desempeña como especialista en soluciones de filtración de aire y bioseguridad. Su labor principal consiste en educar a departamentos de ingeniería y compras sobre la reducción de infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud. Sus habilidades clave incluyen la auditoría técnica de manejadoras de aire, optimización de eficiencia energética y gestión de riesgos biológicos en áreas críticas como quirófanos.

CITAS

- El aire es un vector crítico que no se ve ni hace ruido, pero que sí define si un hospital es realmente seguro o no. - Ari Guerrero (01:14)

- Tenemos una barrera muy importante de bioseguridad que es mantener una eficiencia MERV 14A. - Ari Guerrero (05:27)

- Debemos exigir el valor MERV-A para garantizar que la protección no se desplome a la mitad del mes. - Ari Guerrero (06:16)

- Lo que ahorramos en equipos viejos lo terminamos pagando en cuentas de luz, días de hospitalización y recambios de filtros. - Ari Guerrero (07:11)

- Es vital que estas unidades tengan manómetros. - Ari Guerrero (07:16)

- Operar sin un manómetro es como conducir sin un indicador de gasolina. - Ari Guerrero (07:33)

- Esta semana, salgan de la oficina, suban al área técnica y verifiquen si sus manejadoras críticas tienen manómetros calibrados. - Ari Guerrero (08:02)

- Un sello defectuoso por medio centímetro puede arruinar la esterilidad de una sala. - Ari Guerrero (08:24)

- El aire no es un vacío pasivo, es un vehículo de bioseguridad que si no lo controlamos, puede comprometer directamente la salud. - Ari Guerrero (08:34)

- Seleccionar filtros de baja calidad aumenta el presupuesto total a la larga. - Ari Guerrero (09:23)

PALABRAS CLAVE Y

#AireHospitalario #BioseguridadAérea #GestiónFacilidades #FiltraciónMecánica #IngenieríaClínica

Major facilities worldwide spend millions each year on air filters, yet if those filters are not performing optimally, that investment can lead to wasted money and compromised air quality. This problem is universal, affecting smaller, everyday facilities just as much as large operations like data centres or hospitals.

This episode strips away the confusing technical jargon to reveal how simple, on-site testing can bridge the gap between lab-ideal measurements and real-world results. Discover how to compare brands, understand the true ‘Total Cost of Ownership,’ and use little testing to unlock massive savings in electricity and maintenance. You will learn why resistance to airflow is key and how modern mobile testing labs provide precision results across different manufacturers.

Joining host Dusty Rhodes is Jon Holmes, a specialist from Camfil. Jon has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry, dedicated to helping facility managers bridge complex engineering concepts into practical, money-saving solutions.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

Benefit of testing: trust but verify.
How to measure a filter trial.
Pressure drop means resistance to airflow.
MERV ratings: lab conditions downside.
How filter testing creates huge savings.

GUEST DETAILS 

Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/

MORE INFORMATION

Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle.

https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

Trust but verify. There's a lot of claims out there today about how well a filter is going to save you energy or improve your air quality.  -  Jon Holmes

How restrictive is that filter? Because that'll tell you. Like, how long is that filter going to actually last in your unit..  -  Jon Holmes

Oftentimes the most common test is we'll do a filter trial. - Jon Holmes 

KEYWORDS #FilterTrial #RealWorldTesting #HVACSystems #FacilitySolution #AirFilter

Operating a manufacturing facility without a properly calibrated dust collector is a gamble that risks product quality and worker safety. Many facilities rely on outdated systems that look functional on paper but fail to perform under the heavy demands of modern 24 hour production cycles.

This episode explores the critical difference between off the shelf vacuums and engineered dust collection systems. We discuss how environmental factors like humidity and static electricity impact safety and how modular retrofitting can save significant capital expenditure while ensuring compliance with evolving global regulations.

Our guest is Randi Huckaby, Technical Director at Camfil APC. She brings extensive experience in helping global manufacturers navigate complex safety standards and sustainable manufacturing practices to protect both people and profits.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

- Triggers for investing in collectors

- Risks of buying off the shelf

- Conditioned air and energy savings

- Importance of dust hazard analysis

- Modular retrofitting for facility growth

MORE INFORMATION

Links we referred to during the podcast;

Upcoming Events in Charlotte, April 22 & 23:
 https://www.mdmsouth.com/
 https://www.thebatteryshowsouth.com/ 

YouTube Channel: 
https://www.youtube.com/CamfilAPC/videos

Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle.

https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn

GUEST DETAILS

Randi Huckaby is a technical expert at Camfil specializing in air pollution control and industrial safety. She possesses deep expertise in navigating OSHA and NFPA regulations regarding combustible dust and hazardous environments. Her main skills include conducting comprehensive dust analysis and designing sustainable filtration solutions for many different process and manufacturing operations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/randilyne-huckaby-5a976ba/

QUOTES

I think the worst mistake is somebody just going online, typing in the word desk collection and buying something off the shelf. If you're buying something off the shelf, it hasn't been tailored to your process, your operating hours or the people that you have in the building. – Randi Huckaby

There's a new dust created every day. New types of plastics, of toners, materials used for 3D printing, orthotics, orthopaedics, things like that that we've never seen before. So we like to get as much sampling as we can, and we offer this as a service to our customers or potential customers, so that we can stay up with the industry and the trends that are coming out. – Randi Huckaby

KEYWORDS

#DustCollection #FacilityManagement #IndustrialSafety #AirQuality #CombustibleDust

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

Relying on a fixed calendar schedule for HVAC filter changes could be actively draining your facility’s budget and increasing energy costs. This time-based approach often leads to filters being changed too early or too late, both of which are expensive mistakes.

This episode reveals the crucial data point you should use—the optimal 'sweet spot' for replacement based on pressure drop—and explains why visually checking for dirt is dangerously subjective. We also demystify the MERV rating, focusing on the critical detail that truly protects occupants and equipment, not just the sticker price.

Joining us is Jon Holmes, a specialist from Camfil. With over a decade of experience, Jon has spent years helping facility managers bridge the gap between complex engineering principles and practical, breathable air solutions.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

Goals of filter maintenance and replacement
Optimal filter change is double pressure drop
Visual dirt checks are subjective and unreliable
Media, area, shape affects filter lifespan
Why the MERV-A rating is crucial

GUEST DETAILS 

Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/

MORE INFORMATION

Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle.

https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

Changing a filter at twice its initial number based on which is pressure drop or resistance to airflow... That's the optimal sweet spot. – Jon Holmes

If you have a variable frequency drive, you can save a tonne of money by actually replacing that filter, because it's cheaper to buy a new filter than to pay the energy bill to continue pulling air through it. – Jon Holmes

So the gold standard to know when a filter is due to be replaced is a resistance to airflow or pressure drop. – Jon Holmes

KEYWORDS 

#AirFiltration #HVACMaintenance #EnergySavings #PressureDrop #MERVRating

Building occupants in 2026 no longer accept invisible air quality as a guaranteed standard. They demand proof and documentation that the environments where they work and live are safe. The days of emergency pandemic fixes have passed. We are now entering an era where long term air quality strategy is essential for every facility.

This episode explores the shift from reactive maintenance to proactive indoor air quality management. We discuss the differences between true HEPA and high filtration standards. We also examine how molecular filters tackle smells and city smog. You will learn how to balance energy efficiency with air purity. Our discussion covers the importance of interpreting sensor data as a continuous movie rather than a snapshot.

Our guest is Jon Holmes. He is a specialist at Camfil with over twelve years of experience. He helps facilities bridge the gap between complex engineering and practical solutions. Jon shares his expertise on improving breathable air while managing the bottom line.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

Changing occupant air quality expectations 
True HEPA versus high filtration 
Molecular filters for VOC smells 
Balancing energy efficiency with airflow 
Sustainable air filter reduction strategies

GUEST DETAILS 

Jon Holmes serves as a specialist at Camfil. He has spent over twelve years in the air filtration industry. His main skills include bridging engineering gaps and creating practical facility solutions. He is an expert in helping managers understand total cost of ownership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwholmes/

MORE INFORMATION

Hungry for knowledge? Camfil's Lunch & Learn programme is a tailored air quality training at your office - No travel, no hassle.

https://www.camfil.com/en-ie/support-and-services/trainings-and-education/lunch-and-learn

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

The building occupant today is not the same building occupant of pre pandemic. Jon Holmes
The first thing you want to consider, first and foremost is a reduction of what you're using. - Jon Holmes
As long as you have a filter that can perform better for longer, not just last longer. Now you're getting the benefit of higher quality, higher flow, but you're also using less. - Jon Holmes
Air filters, we really got to get away from the sticker price conversation. It's all about what is the impact on the building and the bottom line for the year. - Jon Holmes

KEYWORDS

#IndoorAirQuality #FacilityManagement #BuildingMaintenance #SustainableHVAC #AirFiltration

Buildings consume 39% of United States total energy whilst HVAC professionals face constant pressure balancing energy efficiency against occupant health and comfort despite these fields often conflicting in design priorities.

Professor Stefano Schiavon from UC Berkeley, global leader in thermal comfort with over 15,154 research citations, explains why HVAC systems exist primarily to protect people and create healthy comfortable spaces rather than save energy, how particulate matter sensors throughout buildings enable better control decisions, why furnace fan only mode during wildfires provides automatic air cleaning using existing equipment, and how UC Berkeley's 25 year occupant satisfaction database reveals only 40% of people feel satisfied with thermal environment despite 80% satisfaction targets.

With expertise spanning personal environmental controls, radiant heating cooling systems and post occupancy evaluation research methods, Professor Schiavon shares practical solutions including smart thermostat automation connecting outdoor sensor networks and why turning systems off when leaving represents simplest most actionable energy saving advice alongside proper professional maintenance servicing.

 THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• HVAC systems designed protect people create healthy spaces
• Particulate sensors both intake throughout building enable decisions
• Furnace fan only mode wildfires recirculates large air
• Forty percent thermal satisfaction versus eighty percent targets
• Turn systems off leaving professional maintenance simple advice

GUEST DETAILS 

Professor Stefano Schiavon is Professor of Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley, leading expert in building science researching how to reduce building energy consumption (39% US total energy use) whilst ensuring occupant health, happiness and productivity through improved indoor environmental quality. 

Key leader at Center for Environmental Design Research running Berkeley's advanced MS and PhD programmes in Building Science, he is recognised worldwide for thermal comfort and indoor air quality expertise focusing on practical low energy solutions including personal environmental controls, radiant heating cooling systems and new ventilation methods. 

Using detailed lab experiments, advanced computer simulations and real world post occupancy evaluation surveys, his research has earned 15,154 citations with h-index of 61, winning ASHRAE Ralph Nevins Award with findings reported by Wall Street Journal and CNN.

Connect with Professor Schiavon:

• Website: https://ce.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/schiavon
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanoschiavon/
• Center for Environmental Design Research, UC Berkeley

MORE INFORMATION

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

We are not designing HVAC systems with the aim to save energy. We are there to protect people, to create spaces that are healthy and comfortable. If we compromise on the air quality outside is polluted, we bring outside air in. If we bring those pollutants inside, we're going to damage people. - Professor Stefano Schiavon

If we can introduce that technology that allows us to ventilate, to heat, cool, to provide light only where people are, then we could save a substantial amount of energy. - Professor Stefano Schiavon

The main reason is that people do not have a good sense of air quality. The fact that we don't see air, we don't properly perceive it, then there is a higher chance that we don't spend enough time and attention. That's why focusing on regulation for air quality is probably the most important aspect." - Professor Stefano Schiavon

KEYWORDS

#EnergyEfficiency #OccupantHealth #ThermalComfort #IndoorAirQuality #HVACDesign

When the 1952 London fog killed people in large numbers, it became a wake-up call that air pollution could be deadly—inspiring a young medical student named Jon Samet to dedicate 40+ years to understanding how the air we breathe affects our health. 

Now a leading authority who has shaped EPA policy and US Surgeon General reports since 1984, Dr. Samet reveals how tobacco industry fraud tactics resurfaced in air pollution debates, why COVID taught us that we humans are powerful infectious sources in small particles suspended for hours, how radon is the one carcinogen you can measure yourself for $30-50 and actually fix, and why MERV-A filter ratings matter more than standard MERV for real-world efficiency.

Plus the critical reminder that indoor spaces where we spend most of our time are places where we inhale dangerous things.

 
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• Tobacco industry fraud tactics mirror air pollution industry science denial
• COVID taught us people are powerful infectious sources needing control
• Radon is measurable carcinogen you can test and mitigate yourself
• Air filtration reduces infectious load; MERV-A ratings show real-world efficiency
• Indoor air quality improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, attracts talented employees

GUEST DETAILS 

Dr. Jon Samet is a leading authority in environmental health who has dedicated over 40 years to understanding how inhaled pollutants affect public health. Former Dean and current Professor of Epidemiology, Dr. Samet has chaired key advisory committees for the EPA (Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee) and FDA, fundamentally shaping environmental health policy. Since 1984, he has been a crucial contributor to multiple US Surgeon General reports on smoking, documenting the health impacts of active and secondhand smoke. 

His work exposed tobacco industry campaigns of fraud and deception that attempted to undermine scientific evidence—tactics later replicated by air pollution industries.

During COVID, he chaired a National Academies of Sciences committee developing frameworks for providing respiratory protection for the nation—recommendations that unfortunately never gained traction despite demonstrating critical needs. Dr. Samet earned membership in the National Academy of Medicine and continues advancing indoor air quality science, particularly post-COVID focus on controlling pathogen transmission in buildings. 

Based in Denver, he consults with building owners, school districts, and policymakers on implementing evidence-based air quality improvements. His expertise bridges epidemiology, aerosol science, regulatory policy, and practical building management—making him uniquely qualified to translate decades of public health research into actionable indoor air quality strategies.

MORE INFORMATION

There is also a wealth of industry information on air quality and how to improve it on our website at camfil.com

Let’s Talk Clean Air is produced for Camfil by DustPod.io

QUOTES

You know, when people ask me about radon, it is a carcinogen, but somebody can go buy a test kit, get back a result. How many carcinogens are there that you could measure yourself and do something about it? - Dr. Jon Samet

Airborne pathogens have always been with us and will remain with us. I think what COVID did is it taught us just what powerful sources of infection we people can be - Dr. Jon Samet

A couple of nights ago, I got on the train, and there's somebody with a very wet cough, coughing right in the middle of a very small space. And I'm thinking he should be wearing at the least a mask to prevent droplets from flying around, and in that small space probably I should have had on an N95. - Dr. Jon Samet

KEYWORDS

#indoorairquality #radontest ing #airbornepathogens #secondhandsmoke #respiratoryprotection