System and method for air sanitization

A system for sanitizing air within an indoor space, the system comprising:

• an air circulation unit configured to move air through ductwork of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;
• an air sanitization unit positioned relative to the ductwork of the HVAC system, wherein the air sanitization unit is configured to sanitize air passing through the ductwork of the HVAC system;
• and
• an indoor air quality controller communicatively coupled to the air circulation unit and the air sanitization unit, wherein the indoor air quality controller is configured to:
• control a rate at which the air circulation unit moves the air through the ductwork of the HVAC system responsive to one or more inputs received at the indoor air quality controller;
• and
• control an operational status of the air sanitization unit responsive to the one or more inputs received at the indoor air quality controller;
• and
• a flow rate sensor positioned within the ductwork and configured to sense a rate of the air within the ductwork,
• wherein the indoor air quality controller is further receive the sensed rate of the air from the flow rate sensor and modify a sanitization time period during which the air sanitization unit is activated based on the sensed rate of the air.

A method for controlling air quality within an indoor space, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an indoor air quality controller, a selection of a sanitization mode;
• receiving, by the indoor air quality controller, data associated with a characteristic of air within a first zone from a sensor;
• compare the data associated with the characteristic of the air within the first zone to a threshold, wherein the threshold is indicative of an undesirable air quality characteristic;
• in response to the selection of the sanitization mode, controlling, by the indoor air quality controller, a rate at which an air circulation unit moves air through ductwork of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;
• and
• in response to the selection of the sanitization mode and based on the comparison of the data associated with the characteristic of the air within the first zone to the threshold, controlling, by the indoor air quality controller, an operational status of an air sanitization unit according to a determined sanitization run-time associated with the first zone in conjunction with the controlled rate of the air through the ductwork, wherein the determined sanitization run-time associated with the first zone is different from a sanitization run-time associated with a second zone of the plurality of zones, and wherein the air sanitization unit is located within or adjacent to the ductwork of the HVAC system.