Modular Cleanroom Sustainability

Highly controlled environments like cleanrooms require a great deal of energy to operate. They must maintain pressure, airflow, filtration, and sometimes temperature, humidity, and sound as well. All of these require electricity inputs, often continuous, in order to control contamination effectively within the space. For organizations that need to utilize cleanrooms for their operations but want to make more sustainable choices, modular cleanrooms are a good option. Let’s talk about modular cleanroom sustainability. 

“Green” Features of Modular Cleanrooms

Modular cleanrooms are a more sustainable choice for several reasons. The pieces that make up modular cleanrooms are factory manufactured in an efficient process, using only as much material as necessary. Because they must be shipped, they are designed using lightweight materials that cost less to transport. When they are delivered to the customer, they are easily assembled. If they break or malfunction, they are easily replaced. Many of these parts are made from recycled materials and are themselves recyclable. 

Because it is project specific and not standardized, traditional stick-built construction generates more waste. The materials used are more difficult and expensive to ship. The quality of the end product is also dependent on the craftsman or contractor hired. It’s often tricky to get as good a seal on windows, doors, and other cleanroom elements because they are not designed to fit together seamlessly as modular ones are. Energy efficiency may be affected as a result. 

Modular cleanrooms are also space saving. They can be purchased and installed to meet the needs of a small operation right away and then expanded if and when that becomes necessary. This means the organization can buy as much cleanroom as they need and no more, avoiding guess work, saving money on initial costs, and limiting energy expenditures. Both softwall and rigidwall cleanrooms can be set up quickly without creating the mess or noise disruption stick-built makes. 

Because modular cleanrooms are made from interchangeable parts, they are very flexible. They can be disassembled and then reassembled in a different location, and they can be altered in shape or size with very little effort – or waste – compared to stick-built cleanrooms. 

Modular Cleanroom Sustainability

Every type of cleanroom has its advantages and disadvantages, but modular cleanrooms are very well suited for applications that don’t need a large, permanent cleanroom space. They require less energy to operate and less investment to install and can be easily modified whenever necessary. 

Some operations require a large, permanent, stick-built cleanroom to operate effectively, but if yours does not, Technical Air Products manufactures modular cleanrooms in softwall and rigidwall options. Our company has over 30 years of experience designing cleanrooms and other clean air solutions that are used by customers in a wide variety of industries, and we can meet the needs of your organization as well.