There are many factors to consider — from what you can retrofit vs. what needs a full replacement, how to mitigate the distribution of dusts, odors, and particulates (ASHRAE Standard 170-2017 5.5) within the ductwork, patient planning around available beds and decommissioned surgery suites, and how to liaise with primary investigators about their research requirements. 

In consideration of renovation challenges, Johnson Controls offers a cost-effective and flexible solution to retrofit one of the most vital components of your critical environment HVAC system: Venturi air Valves.

Supply and exhaust Venturi air valves work to:

• Deliver clean air to spaces to help dilute and disperse airborne pathogens
• Create negative or positive pressured spaces
• Help maintain the optimum temperature and humidity levels
• Provide the required air changes per hour 

Our Venturi Valve upgrade solution can easily retrofit your legacy valves or tracking pair control system with fast-acting digital controls that integrate into any building automation system (BAS) so you can eliminate gateways and optimize your critical spaces. 

If the original valve body is in good condition, it can remain in the duct work and the installer can simply remove the existing valve hardware and install the Upgrade Kit components. 

Below are 4 Benefits of Updating the Pneumatic Controls on Your Venturi Valves as part your wholistic strategy to create a smarter, more resilient future for your critical environments. 

1. Increased Health and Safety 

• Adding fast-acting actuators and digital controls enables your HVAC infrastructure to provide immediate responses to changing conditions to help ensure your critical spaces are kept compliant.
• For healthcare facilities, this strategy is an ideal approach because the valve body can remain in the ductwork if it is in good condition, minimizing the disruption and distribution of dusts, odors in particulates in congruence with ASHRAE Standard 170 Section 5.5: Planning for Infection Control During Remodeling of an Existing Facility.
• For laboratories, the Upgrade Kit can provide greater fume hood safety and BAS visibility.  Along with modern digital controls on your room supply valves and hood exhaust valves, installing our HMS-1655 Fume Hood Controller and other hood sensors provides a closed loop system for more accurate readings and integrates your fume hoods and valves into your BAS. 

2. Energy Savings

• With digital controls installed on your Venturi valves, you’ll have greater visibility and flexibility through your BAS to utilize zone presence sensors, scheduled setbacks, and unoccupied modes to reduce energy consumption.
• Upgrading your valves to fast-acting actuators provides more precise airflow control, without overcompensating and wasting energy, enabling overall better building performance and energy efficiency. 

3. Maintenance Convenience

• The Upgrade Kit eliminates potentiometers for hall effect sensors with longer life spans and less maintenance
• Pneumatic controls and clunky gateways are removed so scheduling proprietary maintenance visits are no longer required
• The installation process is simply and convenient — you can install the upgrades in phases on your schedule
• Integrating your Venturi valves directly into your BAS enables remote monitoring and control

4. Cost Savings

• Upgrading your valves enables facility managers to troubleshoot and maintain valves, eliminating expensive visits from proprietary technology companies. 
• This solution is cost effective compared to a full valve replacement and includes a 3-year standard warranty on the Upgrade Kit components.
• This approach allows for phased-in upgrades to fit your budget and schedule – avoid long OR and lab shutdown periods