Plant-Assisted Air-Conditioning Systems for A Better Tomorrow

Biofiltration to remove contaminants from the air has a long history, dating to early research about how to safely maintain deep space flight. Recently, several research teams have used this body of work to apply biofiltration to the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of buildings. A plant-based air filtration system called the biowall has been developed as a method to maintain high levels of indoor air quality (IAQ) without losing energy efficiency. In this design, various plants are integrated into the ventilation system. As a byproduct of plant growth, CO₂ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are removed from the air and oxygen is added. This system allows conditioned air to remain in the building and avoids energy losses due to thermal mixing in conventional ventilation systems.