Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif. (April 27, 2022) — Wynd Technologies, Inc. (Wynd), a maker of AI-powered indoor air monitoring and purification technologies, and Bay Area consulting and engineering company AirByDesign (ABD), announced the successful rollout of their Verified Clean Air program in restaurants in the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The groundbreaking certification program enables safer indoor air quality and dining conditions for patrons and workers in an innovative effort to support the local restaurant scene and bring the community together in a post-pandemic world.
The initiative was mobilized as a collaborative endeavor between Wynd, ABD, Carmel Cares and local business leader and philanthropist Bill Hayward. Carmel Cares is a volunteer organization working to keeping Carmel beautiful, safe, and inviting. Led by the president and “Chief Caring Officer” Dale Byrne, they have conducted extensive outreach to the city’s business owners. The goal is to develop an integrated program that efficiently supports the restaurants in this world-renowned seaside destination. Hayward, CEO of the Hayward Healthy Home Initiative, had previously worked to implement Wynd’s air filtration monitoring system at the Post Ranch Inn’s Sierra Mar Restaurant in Big Sur, and enlisted the company’s help again for this initiative — this time with the addition of ABD.
Improving Air Quality
Dora Du, CMO of Wynd says they’re immensely proud to be improving the overall public safety. “Our mission has always been to raise awareness around the importance of indoor air quality in addition to solving for it — and the results of our partnership with AirByDesign and Carmel Cares are a case study for what can be accomplished when businesses and local communities work together.”
The program works to re-build confidence in the safety of indoor dining. That’s for patrons, workers, and residents. it also leverages advancing technologies and techniques by Wynd and ABD. ADB’s initial assessment is to develop digital twin models for each restaurant. The following step is designing and customizing air quality improvement plans. From there, Wynd’s proprietary Halo air quality product suite begins installation. It actively senses, monitors, and purifies each space in real-time. The team is equipping the Halo with artificial intelligence models. Moreover, they identify pollutants in the air and control HEPA-grade Wynd Max air purifiers to keep the air pristine.
“Carmel-by-the-Sea presented the ideal scenario for our team to collaborate with Wynd — it’s already a world-renowned tourism destination due to its scenic beauty, charm, and intimate atmosphere,” said Andrew Limcaco, CEO of ABD. “With more than 50 full-service, locally-owned and -operated restaurants in one square mile, it has more eateries per capita than any other small city in the country. By scaling the application of this technology to larger cities and metropolitan areas, the implications are amazing for the recovery of the retail and service industries nationwide.”
Signing Up and Installing
Restaurants are increasingly signing up for the program. They’re undergoing facility scanning, equipment installation, and staff training on how to educate customers about the system’s benefits. Blue window decals reading “Verified Clean Air; This business has invested in your health and safety.” Restaurants are displaying that sign to let customers identify participating restaurants. To further facilitate visibility of the program and its mission, Wynd and ABD also provide restaurant owners with customized QR codes on every tabletop, allowing customers to not only view their menus but also see the live air quality reading in the restaurant themselves on the web. Additionally, a grant program is also available for restaurants that need financial assistance. The grant covers most of the first-year charges.
Diners are beginning to move indoors again. Therefore, the Verified Clean Air initiative assures locals and visitors to Carmel that they care about safety. Byrne says that their restaurant partners are instrumental in developing this unique solution. The early adopters are now seeing the benefits of this seamless approach to improving inside air quality.”
Savings
Since the program’s launch three months prior, Carmel-by-the-Sea’s participating restaurants are reporting immediate improvements. Not just in air quality, but also in guest satisfaction and revenue. This is being complemented by reductions in employee turnover and pandemic-related operational expenses — data collected by Wynd estimates that the cost savings and increased profit from improved air quality add up to more than $17,000 per year on average.
For questions about the program and installing the Wynd/AirByDesign program in your restaurant, please visit https://shop.hellowynd.com/
