# FAQ

## Common questions, straight answers.

Questions from asset managers, engineers, sustainability teams, building managers, and school leaders — answered plainly.

## The Basics

### What does Poppy actually do?
Poppy measures how ventilation actually performs in your building using aerosol tracers — not how drawings say it should perform. We then tune outdoor air rates, schedules, and filtration strategy to reduce HVAC energy waste while maintaining or improving air quality.

### What makes Poppy different from other energy or air quality companies?
Most efficiency programs guess at savings or rely on models. We measure. Our Real-Time Air Tracing technology tells you exactly how much clean air is reaching occupied spaces, and savings verification uses real data from your building — not industry benchmarks.

### What buildings does Poppy work with?
Commercial office, retail, industrial, and healthcare — primarily Class A office over 50,000 sq ft. We focus on buildings with central HVAC, meaningful ventilation waste, and an owner or operator motivated by energy performance. Schools and healthcare facilities qualify under our Health program.

### Is Poppy a one-time project or an ongoing relationship?
Both options exist, but we recommend an ongoing engagement. Buildings change — tenants, schedules, equipment, and seasons all shift ventilation needs. We track performance over time and re-tune to make sure savings persist.

### Does reducing ventilation make buildings less healthy?
No. We only reduce outdoor air where buildings are delivering significantly more than code requires. Our measurements prove exactly how much clean air reaches each zone — we never take away air people need. Most buildings we test are over-ventilating by 30–50% above what's required for healthy, compliant air quality.

## For Asset Managers

### Is there an upfront cost?
Assessment is offered at no upfront cost for qualifying buildings. If we find a meaningful savings opportunity and you choose to move forward, you share verified savings with Poppy. If we don't deliver savings, you don't pay.

### Is this capex or opex?
Typically structured as an operating expense tied to verified savings. Details depend on your agreement and accounting preferences — we can walk through structure with your finance team.

### How do I know the savings are real?
Savings verification uses real metered energy data from your building, normalized for weather and occupancy changes. We report baseline vs. post-optimization, so the answer to 'what would we have spent?' is measurable, not modelled.

### What if we already have DCV or a building optimization vendor?
Many buildings with DCV still run conservative ventilation baselines that DCV doesn't address. We measure actual outdoor air delivery and focus on the gaps other systems often leave open.

## For Building Engineers

### Do you need access to our BAS?
Not to begin testing. If recommended changes require BAS updates, we coordinate with your team and controls vendor. We stay within your access rules throughout.

### Who makes the changes?
Your team stays in control. We provide recommended settings and can support implementation with your controls vendor or in-house staff — but we don't touch your systems without explicit approval.

### Will this disrupt tenants?
Testing is designed around occupancy and access constraints. We minimise time in tenant spaces and coordinate scheduling with building management in advance.

### We already meet ASHRAE 62.1. Do we still need this?
Meeting the minimum requirement and being optimized are different things. 62.1 sets floors, not ceilings. Many buildings over-deliver outdoor air well above code minimums — that's the waste we reduce.

### What if you find broken equipment during testing?
We quantify impact and options. You see the economics and decide whether the fix is worth it. We won't push you toward unnecessary repairs.

## For Sustainability Teams

### How does ventilation reduction affect occupant health or air quality?
We reduce outdoor air only where it can be safely reduced. Our measurements show where buildings are over-delivering — often significantly above code requirements. We don't remove clean air people need; we remove the waste.

### Will this affect our LEED, WELL, or BREEAM certification?
We help you tune toward standards, not away from them. We have deep expertise in ASHRAE 62.1 and 241 and can help you document performance for certification and reporting purposes.

### Can savings be reported for Scope 1 or Scope 2 emissions targets?
Yes. Verified HVAC energy reduction maps directly to Scope 1 (gas) and Scope 2 (electricity) reductions. We provide documentation suitable for ESG reporting.

### How does Poppy handle portfolio-scale rollouts?
We support phased rollouts: prioritise by opportunity size, run pilot buildings first, then expand. Reporting is consolidated so you can present portfolio-level results to leadership.

## For Building Managers

### How long does the on-site visit take?
Testing is typically completed in two to three days per building, depending on size and access constraints. We can work nights and weekends around your tenant schedule.

### Will my tenants notice anything?
The aerosol tracers are odourless, colourless, and safe at measurement concentrations. Most tenants won't notice testing at all. We coordinate access with building management before any on-site work.

### What do I need to prepare before Poppy arrives?
Basic mechanical documentation (as-built drawings if available, BAS access details), a site contact for the day, and confirmation of any access-restricted areas. We'll send a checklist in advance.

### What happens after the assessment?
We deliver a findings summary with quantified savings opportunity and recommended tuning actions. You review, ask questions, and decide whether to move forward — no obligation.

## Health & Schools

### What's different about Poppy for schools vs. commercial buildings?
Schools focus on protecting children and staff from airborne risk, not just energy savings. We measure clean air delivery in classrooms and common areas, identify under-performing zones, and help schools align with ASHRAE 241 — which sets a health-based bar for infection risk.

### What is ASHRAE 241?
ASHRAE 241 is the industry standard for infection risk mitigation in occupied spaces. It defines equivalent clean air delivery targets — combining outdoor air, filtration, and other clean air sources — that reduce the risk of airborne transmission of disease.

### What is the ARPA-H BREATHE SCALE program?
SCALE is Poppy's ARPA-H-funded project to demonstrate real-time sensing and building response technology across US schools. The goal is to move beyond periodic testing toward continuous monitoring that connects airborne hazard detection to building actions.

### Can we document results for parents and the school board?
Yes. Poppy provides reports specifically formatted for non-technical stakeholders — showing what was measured, what was improved, and how the building compares to health standards.

## Still have questions?
If your question isn't answered here, talk to our team. We'll give you a straight answer about whether Poppy is a fit.