Construction Sites and Dust in Montreal: How to Protect Your Building with a High-Performance Ventilation System

Protecting your building from construction dust: a priority for health and energy performance

In a constantly evolving city like Montreal, construction and renovation sites are part of the daily urban landscape. Whether it's work on residential, commercial, or institutional buildings, the impact on indoor air quality is often underestimated. At AirGreen, we’ve developed deep expertise in installing high-performance ventilation systems to protect occupants and maintain healthy indoor environments, especially in areas impacted by major construction.

Our mission: to ensure a safe, healthy environment that complies with the highest standards in HVAC across Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore, and the South Shore.

The issue of air quality during a construction site

When a building is located near a construction zone, fine dust, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mold spores, and other pollutants can easily infiltrate indoor spaces. These contaminants can:

• Clog ventilation ducts.

• Damage sensitive electronic equipment.

• Affect occupants' health (respiratory issues, allergies, irritations).

• Degrade the quality of indoor air during and after the work.

• Increase maintenance and cleaning costs.

In this context, installing an appropriate mechanical ventilation system becomes an essential solution.

Case study: Custom ventilation for a residential building near a construction site in Griffintown

One of our recent projects involved equipping a six-story residential building located in Griffintown, a booming neighborhood in the heart of Montreal, right next to a demolition site followed by a major commercial construction project.

Challenges encountered:

• Constant infiltration of fine dust through windows and balconies.

• The original ventilation system was not designed to handle such a massive influx of pollutants.

• Requests from condo owners for a discreet, efficient, and quick-to-install solution.

The solution proposed by AirGreen:

We recommended and installed a high-efficiency heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system, combined with HEPA filters and G4 prefilters, covering each unit independently.

• Brand used: Venmar AVS N series

• Type: Centralized residential HRV

• Airflow: 160 cfm per unit

• Filtration: two-stage with 99.97% HEPA filters

• Advantage: high-efficiency energy recovery core, quiet, ideal for densely populated urban areas.

The work was completed in 4 days, without disrupting residents’ daily routines. We also installed outdoor air intakes facing away from the construction site to limit intake of exterior dust.

Why call on a ventilation HVAC specialist during a construction site?

Many property managers and owners are unaware that polluted air from a nearby construction site can circulate freely through poorly maintained or poorly sized HVAC systems. That’s why a technical audit is crucial.

Here’s what we offer at AirGreen:

1. Personalized assessment of pollution risks based on the type of construction and building layout.

2. Installation or upgrade of HRV/ERV systems with high performance.

3. Addition of temporary or permanent HEPA filters in existing ductwork.

4. Proactive maintenance during the construction phase.

5. Continuous monitoring of indoor air quality (AQI) with connected measurement devices.

Tangible benefits for your building

• Reduced post-construction cleaning costs.

• Lower health risks (especially for children, seniors, and people with asthma).

• Increased property value thanks to a modern HVAC system.

• Eligibility for certain grants related to energy efficiency and improved ventilation.

Tailored solutions for densely populated urban neighborhoods

We frequently intervene in urban areas such as:

• Downtown Montreal (Griffintown, Le Plateau, Villeray, Rosemont)

• Laval (Pont-Viau, Chomedey, Laval-des-Rapides)

• Longueuil (Vieux-Longueuil, Saint-Hubert)

• South Shore (Brossard, Saint-Lambert, Sainte-Julie)

• North Shore (Terrebonne, Boisbriand, Blainville)

Anywhere construction work is near residential buildings, we step in quickly with effective and long-lasting ventilation solutions.

HVAC maintenance: a crucial step after construction work

Once construction or renovation work is complete, it is essential to carry out a full ventilation system maintenance:

• Duct cleaning to remove dust residue.

• Replacement of clogged filters.

• Airflow checks to optimize comfort.

• Balancing airflow between fresh and stale air.

This maintenance ensures optimal indoor air quality and extends the life of your equipment.

AirGreen: your trusted partner in HVAC ventilation

Our expertise is based on:

• A certified team in residential, commercial, and institutional ventilation.

• Fast, safe interventions tailored to each building.

• High-performance equipment from trusted brands (Venmar, Fantech, Lifebreath, Aldes).

• In-depth knowledge of the urban challenges of Montreal and its surrounding areas.

We intervene both in prevention (installation before construction begins) and in remediation (installation or upgrade during or after construction).

Protecting your occupants, your equipment, and your real estate investment starts with a well-designed ventilation system.