environmental technology founder manfred hammes klaus hammes area served worldwide key people frank hammes jens hammes glory dolphin hammes products air purifiers website iqair.com iqair is a company that specializes in technology solutions that help protect people from airborne pollutants . iqair implements this technology in residential commercial and public buildings . iqair has received numerous awards and recognitions for its room air purifiers and air filters . 1 2 3 iqair also engages in international projects that create ultra clean living and working environments . 4 5 6 iqair s vision is to assist people in living longer healthier and more productive lives by helping them breathe the cleanest healthiest air possible . 7 contents 1 history 2 products 3 services 4 technology 5 company organization 6 special projects 7 educational work 8 see also 9 external links 10 references history edit the company s history goes back to 1963 when the brothers manfred and klaus hammes introduced an air filter system for residential coal ovens in germany . the product was initially sold to help reduce the black dust build up on the walls behind ovens . soon though manfred hammes a lifelong asthma sufferer noticed that the filter reduced his flare ups during the winter months . 8 klaus hammes continued through the 1960s and 70s to adapt the air filter for other heating systems such as radiators baseboard heating and forced air heating and cooling systems . in 1982 klaus hammes relocated the company headquarters to switzerland from which the company continued to expand . citation needed in the early 90s frank hammes klaus oldest son joined the family business . after promoting an after market cabin air filter the company had developed for mercedes benz automobiles frank hammes turned his attention to portable room air cleaners . dissatisfied with existing products he set out to build a line of portable air purifiers with medical grade air cleaning performance . frank hammes and a small team of swiss and german engineers worked for four years on the project . in the spring of 1998 iqair shipped its first healthpro air purifier from its swiss factory . iqair air purifiers were initially available only in europe and asia but became available in the united states in 2000 . in 2001 klaus hammes second son jens hammes joined the business and helped the expansion of iqair in asia and the middle east . 9 products edit iqair currently has products that fall into four product categories 1 . portable room air purifiers 10 first introduced in 1998 the modular design of its portable room air purifiers allowed iqair to create different models with optimized air filtration technology for the removal of specific groups of air pollutants . one of iqair s most popular models is the iqair healthpro plus healthpro 250 outside north america which uses three separate filter stages that are arranged in a modular tower design . in august 2012 the company announced a major overhaul of its portable room air purifiers with the designation new edition or ne . 11 the new air cleaners have improved airflow filter life and reduced sound levels . 12 2 . large commercial air cleaning systems 13 in july 2013 iqair introduced on its website two new commercial air cleaning systems the cleanzone sl and cleanzone 5000 . these two systems are intended for larger commercial spaces such as open plan offices hospitals and classrooms . the cleanzone sl is a slim wall mounted air cleaning system for particularly noise sensitive indoor environments . the cleanzone 5000 is a large mobile air cleaning system that is available in various configurations to address specific groups of particulate and gaseous air pollutants . 3 . hvac based air cleaning systems 14 in 2006 iqair introduced its first air cleaning system to work in conjunction with ducted forced air heating ventilation and air conditioning hvac systems . the perfect 16 derives its name from being the first independently tested residential and commercial air cleaning system for hvac systems to achieve the highest minimum efficiency reporting value merv 16 under the ashrae 52.2 test format . 15 other characteristics of the system include very low pressure drop and a filter life of up to 3 years . 4 . handheld laser particle counters in 2000 iqair introduced a line of hand held optical particle counters . iqair develops and manufactures all of its products at the iqair technology center in switzerland . iqair s portable air purifiers have been recognized for best in class performance and have received a number of awards stiftung warentest germany best air purifier 1998 16 apartment therapy usa best product 2008 17 finnish institute of occupational health finland best air purifier 2012 18 consumers digest usa best buy award 2004 2007 2011 2014 19 reviewboard magazine usa best buy 2012 20 parent tested parent approved usa award winning product 2013 21 consumersearch usa best overall air purifier award 2011 2013 22 services edit iqair offers a variety of services for residential commercial and institutional customers on site air quality evaluations installation services for its air cleaning products air cleaning verification and monitoring filter replacement and on site maintenance iqair has swiss and california based installation teams that carry out large air cleaning projects throughout the world . iqair calls this operation clean air team . for example during the beijing olympics an iqair clean air team carried out air filtration installations for the u.s. olympic committee in u.s. athletes living and training quarters . 23 technology edit iqair employs a wide range of particulate and gas phase air cleaning technologies . the company has been a vocal opponent of ionizing and ozone producing air cleaning technologies . 24 company organization edit iqair has headquarters in switzerland and california . product development and manufacturing is based at the iqair technology center in goldach switzerland . field support and installation teams in switzerland and the u.s. support large commercial customers throughout the world . the iqair science and technology team supports academic researchers from around the world in health and environmental intervention studies . frank hammes is the ceo of iqair ag . 25 glory dolphin hammes is the ceo of iqair north america inc. 26 jens hammes is ceo of incen ag which handles international sales in asia europe africa and australia . 25 special projects edit hospital projects iqair products are used in hospitals around the world for infection control . the hong kong hospital authority selected iqair portable air purifiers to help against the spread of sars . 27 a study published in the journal of hospital infection reported that an iqair cleanroom h13 air purifier reduced methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus mrsa contamination in hospital isolation rooms . the researchers concluded this portable hepa filtration unit can significantly reduce mrsa environmental contamination within patient isolation rooms and this may prove to be a useful addition to existing mrsa infection control measures . 28 another study conducted at singapore general hospital and published in the american journal of infection control in 2010 found that the use of iqair portable air purifiers with hyperhepa filtration reduced the spread of invasive aspergillosis ia by 50 % . the researchers concluded the cost of widespread portable hepa filtration in hospitals will be more than offset by the decreases in nosocomial infections in general and in ia in particular . 29 extreme makeover home edition in 2004 iqair was asked by the producers of the american reality tv show extreme makeover home edition emhe to assist with its technology to help the show s designers to create ultra clean air homes . as of december 2012 iqair had participated in 12 episodes to create ultra clean air homes for families with special health issues . the episodes in which iqair participated include the grinnan family season 2 episode 4 redlands california a young girl hanna who received a heart transplant needed a healthy home that protects her from germs viruses and mold spores . iqair installed hepa air cleaners throughout the house and hanna s bedroom . 30 broadbent family season 2 episode 10 north las vegas nevada a single mom raising three hiv positive adopted children was given a new home . iqair installed air filtration systems to work in conjunction with the new home s hvac systems to deliver ultra clean air to the family s entire home . 31 the sears family season 2 episode 13 martinez california teenager jhyrve sears was diagnosed with krabbe disease and needed a home to protect her from bacteria viruses and allergens before her doctors would let her go home . the iqair clean air team installed an air quality sensor and hyperhepa filtration . 32 the lewis family season 3 episode 8 el segundo california paulita lewis was recovering from cancer and was told she needed the healthiest home possible . iqair to helps the emhe team make the home as healthy as possible by installing a ducted air filtration system . 33 the kubena family season 3 episode 18 east bernard texas the kubena family s daughter tara suffered from leukemia and had received a bone marrow transplant . the doctors wouldn t allow her to leave the hospital until she had a safe healthy home . two iqair hospital grade air cleaning systems were brought in by crane to provide clean air throughout the home . 34 the thibodeau family season 4 episode 7 brookings county south dakota a 12 year old girl born with a hole in her heart had experienced kidney failure and collapsed lungs . her doctors said only an environment as free as possible of bacteria viruses and mold spores would be safe for her to live in . iqair installed two hvac based air purification systems in the home . 35 the stockdale family season 5 episode 9 middleton idaho a family struggling to raise four children with eosinophilic enteropathy a rare genetic disorder that made the children extremely environmentally sensitive were given a new healthy home with three iqair perfect 16 hvac air cleaning systems . 36 the yazzie family season 5 episode 5 pinon arizona a navajo family was struggling to provide a safe home for a young daughter gwendolyn with severe asthma . iqair stepped in to provide a green air purification solution . 36 the vitale family season 5 episode 9 athens vermont born with multiple birth defects aspiring artist louis angelo vitale jr. was confined to a wheelchair and breathing from a ventilator . his delicate respiratory system was especially sensitive to mold and other pollutants . iqair s perfect 16 gave him clean medical grade air in every room at home . 37 the woodhouse family season 5 episode 13 colorado springs colorado kayla woodhouse a girl with a rare neurological disorder allergies and an inability to regulate her body temperature needed a healthy and safe home . the iqair clean air team supported extreme makeover s designers with the installation of hvac system that provided a clean and temperature controlled house . 38 the dickinson family season 8 episode 21 beaufort georgia india dickinson s baby sophia was a little girl with breathing problems and a sensitivity to mold . working with the extreme makeover team iqair installed a perfect 16 whole house air cleaning system in the dickinson family s new home . 39 the harris family season 9 episode 20 wilson county texas a veteran returning from iraq and recovering from severe burns needed clean air at home to continue recovering and protect his sensitive skin from pollutants . iqair worked with extreme makeover to provide medical grade air filtration and air quality monitoring equipment to help the veteran s recovery in a new home . 40 41 air purification for team usa iqair provided air purification to team usa during the beijing 2008 olympic games . 42 43 44 the u.s. olympic committee was concerned