Do we rely too much on ventilation technology to correctly operate and provide a good environment for our pigs? This question has many different answers, but fundamentally, the environment inside the barn will only be good as how it is managed by people. People design the ventilation system, construct the buildings and install the equipment, program the controller, have to maintain and service the equipment, and must troubleshoot/optimize the ventilation system and the environment. We need trained individuals throughout the process to create a good environment inside our barns. While we cannot rely solely on technology to perform these tasks, we can use it as a tool to save time, labor and costs.

The focus here is less on ventilation design and facility construction, and more on ventilation operation and management. A growing gap has appeared between the technology in ventilation equipment and the knowledge needed to use it. Further, technology cannot, and most likely will not be able to maintain equipment and keep it operational. Many key maintenance tasks that we harp on all the time and required human involvement include keeping equipment clean, inspecting belts/pulleys, reducing leakage and infiltration, greasing actuators/curtain machines, fixing broken fan housings, cleaning clogged soffits/eaves, replacing missing louvers on shutters, and list goes on. Routine care and maintenance of equipment are essential to give the controller and other technology the best chance of success.

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Newer controllers offer fantastic features, such as more flexibility in ventilation operation using variables beyond temperature, like relative humidity, static pressure and carbon dioxide. Real-time electrical current monitoring and the ability to avoid burning up relays can save money and focus efforts, but a person needs to act when they notice a fan has too high or low current for an extended period. More detailed alarm descriptions versus a generic “controller alarm” can help pinpoint troubleshooting and save time diagnosing problems. Access to more specific settings can limit potential negative actions. Additionally, the ability to remotely monitor and troubleshoot ventilation systems has saved significant time and travel.

At the end of the day, it does not matter how expensive, high-tech, advanced, etc. a controller is, if:

We still need trained people who understand ventilation, can troubleshoot problems, and correctly program controllers based on the unique ventilation system design and equipment for a particular barn. In the near future (some can and/or are working on this), controllers may be able to learn and optimize the operation of equipment and key settings, reducing some programming needs and frequent checks on settings. However, this assumes all equipment is properly operating and well maintained.