Selecting the right Air Handling Unit (AHU) filter is critical for office buildings, hotels, shopping malls, and airports, where indoor air quality standards, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort must all be balanced.
1. Comparing Filter Classification Systems
MERV (United States)
- MERV 1–4: coarse filtration
- MERV 7–8: roughly equivalent to G4–F5
- MERV 11–13: effective for PM2.5 control
- MERV 14–16: near-HEPA performance
Limitation: MERV testing is conducted under dry conditions and does not reflect real-world performance under high humidity.
EN 779 (European Union — discontinued in 2018)
- G1–G4: coarse grades
- F5–F9: fine grades, based on 0.4-micron efficiency
Limitation: EN 779 does not directly reflect PM1, PM2.5, or PM10 control performance, and has been replaced by ISO 16890.
ISO 16890 (current international standard)
Classifies filters into ePM1, ePM2.5, ePM10, and Coarse groups based on efficiency at specific particle sizes:
- ePM1 ≥ 50%: approximately equivalent to F7
- ePM1 ≥ 70%: approximately equivalent to F8, meets LEED/WELL requirements
- ePM1 ≥ 90%: approximately equivalent to F9, suited to server rooms, luxury hotels, and hospitals
2. Filter Recommendations by Building Type
| Building Type | Recommended Filter |
| Office buildings | ePM2.5 ≥ 50% (F6–F7), per ASHRAE 62.1 |
| LEED / WELL certified buildings | ePM1 ≥ 70% (F8) |
| 4–5 star hotels | ePM1 ≥ 80–90% (F8–F9) |
| Airports / shopping malls | ePM2.5 ≥ 60–70% (F7–F8) |
| Data centers | ePM1 ≥ 90% (F9) |
3. Balancing Pressure Drop and Filtration Efficiency
Higher filtration efficiency generally increases pressure drop and energy consumption. Building owners should weigh:
- Electricity cost associated with fan energy consumption
- ASHRAE, LEED, and WELL certification requirements
- Filter replacement cycle (typically 3–12 months)
- AHU fan and motor efficiency (EC motor vs. standard AC motor)
Air Filtech offers Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to help building owners select the most cost-effective filtration strategy over the system’s lifetime.
4. Air Filtech AHU Solutions
- Compact Filter F6/F7 (ePM2.5 ≥ 50–65%)
- Pocket Filter F7/F8/F9 (ePM1 ≥ 50–90%)
- Rigid V-Bank Filter F9
- Activated carbon pre-filters for VOC and odor control
5. Featured Projects
- Vincom Center Đồng Khởi (Ho Chi Minh City) — Pocket Filter F8 for mall and basement AHU systems
- Sofitel Saigon Plaza — F9 filters for guest room and lobby AHU systems
- Landmark 81 (Ho Chi Minh City) — full-tower HVAC filtration consulting and supply
Contact Air Filtech: 08 999 44 666 | info@airfiltech.vn
