Honeywell is deploying a healthy buildings dashboard and air quality sensing technology at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center’s Belk Theater, Booth Playhouse and Stage Door Theater in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Blumenthal Performing Arts is working with Honeywell to create a healthier environment for its performers and staff to help boost their confidence and continue to provide performing arts and entertainment experiences for the Charlotte community.

The dashboard measures key indoor air quality (IAQ) parameters such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOC), helping theatre staff quickly visualise and correct any potential issues. A network of IAQ sensors connected to the dashboard monitors and validates the effectiveness of the theatre’s existing air cleaning systems.

These efforts, along with installation of Honeywell mobile HEPA air purifiers, allow Blumenthal to establish an IAQ baseline that can be communicated to performers both during the booking process as well as during show runs.

“During shut down, we learned of the criticality of indoor air quality,” said Tom Gabbard, CEO of Blumenthal Performing Art. “It was essential to navigating our way out of the Covid-19 crisis and creating a healthier environment for audiences, artist and our staffs. Working with Honeywell, we’re able to identify ways to better measure, monitor and control our existing air quality systems and provide performers with a greater peace of mind about our facilities. Our goal is to provide the best performing arts experiences to the Charlotte community and, by investing in our facilities, we can reassure artists that we care about the environment in which they perform.”

The dashboards integrate into the theatres’ existing systems, giving Blumenthal’s facilities staff an upgraded, comprehensive view of backstage conditions. Monitoring IAQ not only supports the creation of a healthier environment but also provides facility managers with metrics to help them operate the building in a more energy-efficient manner.

“As we’ve all become more aware of the impact of IAQ on our well-being, creating a healthier building experience is becoming a standard ask on performance riders,” said Manish Sharma, vice president at Honeywell Building Technologies. “Creating a healthier back-of-house environment with the Blumenthal team allows them to create a healthier facility and continue to attract renowned artists and events to Charlotte.”

In addition to updating its IAQ systems and monitoring, Blumenthal instituted a contactless guest experience from ticketing to restrooms and updated its cleaning processes and frequency, along with requiring face coverings for indoor events. Blumenthal and Honeywell’s corporate headquarters are both in Charlotte.

Honeywell’s healthy buildings technology integrates air quality, safety and security technologies with analytics to help building owners improve the health of their buildings, operate more cleanly, comply with guidelines, and help reassure occupants. The IAQ portfolio can help improve occupant well-being, meet energy efficiency goals and, importantly, change the way occupants experience a building.