Controlled environments

Enabling efficiency and high quality

Operational quality, productivity and energy savings are the main drivers for our industrial customers. Even though they operate in very different types of environments from tiny incubators to massive engine rooms and high rise buildings, they have one thing in common: they all need to measure and monitor the conditions very closely and precisely to ensure efficient, safe and high quality operations.

The customers in Vaisala's cleanrooms and chambers markets operate in demanding production, storage and research areas where it is crucial to monitor and control the precise environmental conditions. As a rule, their operations are tightly regulated by the authorities. For instance the life science industry, comprising of pharma, biotechnology and medical device companies, must follow the "Good Manufacturing Practice" regulations, which include tight requirements for validations and audits. This requires stable and accurate measurements, of e.g. the humidity and temperature levels, in processing, packaging, and storing of products. Other segments in these markets include the hi-tech industry and environmental test chambers.

In the building automation markets, the customers aim at optimizing energy consumption and indoor air quality. These can be achieved by controlling and optimizing the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems (HVAC & R) in buildings.

HVAC accounts for 70 – 80% of the operating costs in buildings. In the EU, buildings are a major source of greenhouse-gas emissions and account for a large portion of the final energy demand. Energy savings in buildings are an essential element in the Union's climate change activities. Furthermore, demands for better indoor air quality are gradually leading to renewed legislation. High energy costs and new legislation, such as EU's "Green Buildings", are driving building owners to improve energy efficiency with the help of advanced building automation solutions. Well-designed solutions support sustainable development: better indoor air quality contributes to improved human comfort and productivity and the on-demand systems help minimize the environmental load. When ventilation is controlled according to the carbon dioxide levels, indoor air can be kept fresh without wasting energy.
The main customer groups represent building automation system manufacturers, integrators, contractors and distribution channel, and facility HVAC management. Vaisala's solutions can be used across various man-made environments, for example in commercial buildings, event complexes, airports and metro stations as well as in cleanrooms and laboratories, factories and cold storage applications.

The customers of targeted industrial applications segment represent various demanding industries from power and pharmaceutical to marine and plastics. Reliable and stable real-time measurements improve processes, extend equipment lifetime and prevent downtime.

Vaisala provides measurement instruments for instance to help customers produce high-quality compressed air dependably and energy efficiently. Reliable measurements are also the back bone of condition based maintenance programs for critical equipment such as power transformers, high-voltage switch gear and ship engines. Dewpoint and moisture content of oil are typical specialized measurements used in these applications.