Debut at Milan Design Week for Fybra, which from June 7 to 12 is the protagonist of the Fuorisalone program, as part of the installation Outdoor Generation @ Work + Well-being & Healtiness: in the spaces of the “Galleria Antonia Jannone Disegni di Architettura”, at Corso Garibaldi 125 in Milan.
Fybra puts the spotlight on the new Fybra Home product, designed to meet the needs of domestic life in all its facets, and recently awarded in Germany by the iF Design Award, one of the most renowned prizes in design worldwide, in the Product discipline, Home Products category.
The new “anti-smog” feature
For the occasion, the device has been enhanced with a new, unprecedented feature. As of today, its sensor is even more sensitive, with the ability to track not only indoor air quality data, but also outdoor data, taking into account trends in outdoor parameters of temperature, humidity, and pollution (such as PM10 and others). The outdoor data are obtained in real time by accessing databases already available online from specialized providers, and are integrated into the algorithm.
The information is in addition to the four indoor air quality parameters already measured by the sensor, namely carbon dioxide, temperature, humidity, and Voc (volatile organic compounds). In this way, then, the predictive and dynamic algorithms that make Fybra “smart” are able to predict even more accurately what the air exchange will be when the window is opened or, if a mechanical ventilation system is in operation, are able to make it work more efficiently.
Imagine, for example, that the algorithm calculates that a one-minute ventilation is required to arrive at the optimal level of air quality and thermal comfort. If, however, Fybra predicts that in an hour’s time the outdoor pollution condition will worsen significantly-for example, due to rush-hour traffic, which, according to historical trends, causes PM10 to spike high-then the algorithm will increase the need for ventilation immediately to 1½ minutes, reducing the window opening to 30 seconds in the next hour.
“At Fuorisalone we bring our contribution made of sustainability and design,” says Gaetano Lapenta, Ceo of Fybra. “Two key words that define Fybra Home, the only device that guarantees, at an affordable price, the best air quality and maximum thermal comfort and energy savings. A product that was awarded the prestigious iF Design Award and now, thanks to the recent update, is able to minimize the presence of smog inside homes. We developed this innovation with particularly those environments that bear a heavier load of outdoor pollution, such as large cities, in mind, but its added value is also confirmed in areas with a lower rate of pollution. In fact, the calculation of outdoor temperature and humidity improves the device’s sensitivity and speed of response, making it able to adapt even better to the occupant’s needs.”
How Fybra works
Fybra detects a number of parameters-carbon dioxide, indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity, Voc (volatile organic compounds)-that are integrated with other outdoor air pollution data. Over time, through predictive and dynamic algorithms, it “learns” their trends and defines from time to time the ideal thresholds respecting which, in a specific environment, air quality deterioration can be prevented and comfort temperatures maintained. With a simple led light it communicates when the window needs to be opened to ventilate the room and when it can be closed because the air has returned to good quality and will remain so for an appropriate period of time. The red light indicates the need to ventilate the room, the purple light indicates a gradual improvement, and when the light finally turns blue, it means that the air quality is good and it is therefore possible to close the windows again, avoiding wasted heat and colds.
The physical sensor is complemented by an advanced monitoring system through apps (for both iOS and Android) and proprietary dashboards, which allows real-time analysis of air quality. To date, there are nearly 50,000 daily users of Fybra, making it one of the world’s most important databases on natural ventilation.
