Good Air Quality Research Articles

The Effects of an Adaptive Ventilation Control System on Indoor Air Quality and Energy Consumption

Indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy consumption (Q) are well-known building estimators, but they are used separately. Energy consumption is used during the design stage, while IAQ is used during operation. The novelty of our approach is that we propose using both estimators simultaneously during building operations. The purpose of this study was to find an adaptive ventilation strategy that maintained good indoor air quality with minimal energy consumption. The second novelty of our approach consists of IAQ estimation. While the operation of ventilation systems depends only on the indoor carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration at present, our novel approach uses a more global IAQ index that includes four different air pollutants. Physical models are used for the hourly prediction of the two indices: global IAQ and Q. This study presents a comparative analysis of several ventilation operations strategies: fixed versus adaptive. The main findings show that a decrease in the ventilation rate, na, from 3.5 h−1 to 2.0 h−1 leads to a diminishment in energy consumption of 42.9%, maintaining the global IAQ index under the limited health risk value (VRL). Moreover, an adaptive ventilation strategy of na, maintaining the global IAQ index value under VRL, achieves a further reduction in energy consumption of 72.9%, highlighting its efficiency.

Energy efficient heating and ventilation of a factory hall by monitoring the indoor air climate

Background Different usage scenarios and design guidelines were considered when planning a factory building and its ventilation system. Accordingly, it often makes sense to analyze the actual operating conditions again during subsequent operations in order to optimally adapt the air supply to the respective conditions in terms of demand-responsive ventilation. The aim is to ensure good indoor air quality and thermal comfort while significantly reducing energy consumption. Methods For this purpose, in addition to the sensors in the building management system, approximately 120 wireless sensors were installed in the occupied areas to measure the air temperature, operating temperature, humidity, and CO2. In this way the spatial and temporal distributions of temperature, humidity, and CO2 in the hall were visualized and evaluated to reduce the volume flows of the ventilation systems. The recorded data and findings were used to optimize ventilation systems by gaining a deeper understanding of indoor air flow. Results As part of the investigation, a considerable reduction in the air volume flows and thus the required energy consumption of the air handling units was achieved while maintaining the same thermal comfort. It was shown that the temperature field and indoor air quality were not negatively affected by the change in the air volume flow over a wide range. Conclusions This was made possible by the well-designed ventilation system, which achieves a low-pulse, slightly stratified indoor airflow, and a structural envelope with very good thermal insulation.

A Review on the Effective Utilization of Organic Phase Change Materials for Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Energy efficiency is critical for achieving building sustainability because it means that fewer resources are consumed. In this context, the advancement of phase-changing materials has attracted attention with regard to the integration and management of energy efficiency in construction projects. Buildings consume 40% of the global energy output annually, accounting for one-third of the global greenhouse gas emissions. For hot weather-prone construction, PCMs should have a melting temperature of 25–50 °C. For more than 30 years, researchers worldwide have experimented with PCMs at various temperatures, but few studies have been conducted in hot or harsh environments. According to recent studies, the amount of PCMs in construction materials has been limited to 20%, and exceeding this ratio was shown to significantly affect the compressive strength of concrete specimens. In this study, various phase-changing concrete materials were investigated to reduce the thermal energy consumption of buildings. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art phase change materials for constructing thermal energy storage building materials. It also includes a brief review of the most recent developments in phase change technologies and their encapsulation techniques based on thermophysical properties. Implementing PCM technology in buildings will also maintain good indoor air quality. These materials are widely used in various real-time applications to significantly enhance thermal comfort in buildings.

3eaw - How Different Ventilation System’s Designs Affected Their Applications in Healthcare Facilities: A Comprehensive Review

Effective indoor ventilation systems are crucial in reducing airborne viruses in healthcare facilities which include significant sections such as OR, isolation room and emergency department. Infection control through indoor ventilation system can be done by manipulating the concentration of infectious particles to reduce airborne infections. This review article highlighted different types of indoor ventilation strategies including mechanical ventilation system, natural ventilation system and hybrid ventilation system that have been integrated into different healthcare facilities. The overview, advantages, and limitations of each strategy were discussed in detail. The utilization of mechanical was deemed more suitable for better air quality control, while a vertical (ceiling-mounted) airflow ventilation system was found to promote higher air cleanliness in the desired zone in healthcare facilities. However, many ventilation systems face limitations when attempting to maintain both thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency simultaneously. The findings of this review are useful for the researchers who design appropriate ventilation strategies in healthcare facilities to ensure good indoor air quality meanwhile reduce the risk of disease dissemination.

Feasibility and Affordability of Low-Cost Air Sensors with Internet of Things for Indoor Air Quality Monitoring in Residential Buildings: Systematic Review on Sensor Information and Residential Applications, with Experience-Based Discussions

In residential buildings that are private, autonomous, and occupied spaces for most of the time, it is necessary to maintain good indoor air quality (IAQ), especially when there are children, elderly, or other vulnerable users. Within the development of sensors, their low-cost features with adequate accuracy and reliability, as well as Internet of Things applications, make them affordable, flexible, and feasible even for ordinary occupants to guarantee IAQ monitoring in their homes. This systematic review searched papers based on Scopus and Web of Science databases about the Low-Cost Sensors (LCS) and IoT applications in residential IAQ research, and 23 studies were included with targeted research contents. The review highlights several aspects of the active monitoring strategies in residential buildings, including the following: (1) Applying existing appropriate sensors and their target pollutants; (2) Applying micro-controller unit selection; (3) Sensors and devices’ costs and their monitoring applications; (4) Data collection and storage methods; (5) LCS calibration methods in applications. In addition, the review also discussed some possible solutions and limitations of LCS applications in residential buildings based on the applications from the included works and past device development experiences.

Understanding the online restaurant rating bias induced by air pollution and the underlying spatial and temporal effects

Using unique restaurant review data in the urban tourism system combined with air quality data in the Chinese context, we confirmed the air pollution-induced mood misattribution in terms of negative online restaurant rating bias. Further heterogeneity analyses grounded in expectancy-disconfirmation theory were conducted. Tests regarding air quality differences across geography (i.e. the spatial effect) show that good air quality in the city where a restaurant is located can induce a stronger online rating bias. Tourists, especially those who are from cities with poor air quality, tend to post biased online restaurant ratings on polluted days compared with their local peers. For locals, their online restaurant rating bias is additionally determined by air quality differences over time (i.e. the temporal effect), suggesting the significance of persistent air pollution rather than by air quality deterioration. Overall, our work highlights the importance of air pollution, an external environmental stimulus, in shaping consumers’ online rating bias towards restaurant services. This underscores the need for guidelines by regarding air pollution that inform sustainable urban planning and destination management.

The Combined Effects of the Thermal Environment and Air Quality at Recreation Places on the Physiology and Psychology of People in Urban Parks

Urban forests, crucial to urban ecosystems, are increasingly threatened by the challenges of urbanization, such as deteriorating thermal environments and declining air quality. Despite their recognized benefits to city dwellers’ quality of life, a systematic understanding of the impact of these environmental factors on public psychophysiological well-being in recreational sites is a notable gap in the literature. The objective of this research was to bridge this gap by examining the effects of the thermal environment and air quality in urban forests on the public’s perception, offering scientific evidence to inform environmental optimization and health management strategies for urban parks, essential for sustainable urban development and public health. Three urban parks in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, namely Fuzhou National Forest Park, Xihu Park, and Jinniushan Sports Park, were selected as research sites. Environmental monitoring and questionnaire surveys were conducted at 24 recreation places from October to December 2020, collecting temperature, humidity, and wind speed; the atmospheric composition includes PM2.5, PM10, negative oxygen ion, and psychophysiological data from the public. Multivariate statistical methods were employed to assess the environmental characteristics of different recreation places types and their impact on public health. The findings reveal that environmental factors explained 1.9% to 11.8% of the variation in physiological and psychological responses, mainly influenced by temperature, wind speed, and negative oxygen ions. Forests and waterfront recreation places significantly outperform canopy and open recreation places in promoting mental invigoration, stress relief, emotional tranquility, and attention restoration. Environmental monitoring results indicate that favorable meteorological conditions and good air quality are crucial for enhancing the service functions of recreation places. Notably, the positive correlation between a negative air ion concentration and psychological well-being provides a novel perspective on understanding the health benefits of urban forests. The thermal environment and air quality of urban recreation places exert a significant influence on the psychophysiological status of the public. Increasing green coverage, improving water body environments, and rationally planning recreation places layout are of great theoretical and practical significance for enhancing the environmental quality and service functions of urban forests.

Dynamics of indoor volatile organic compounds and seasonal ventilation strategies for residential buildings in Northeast China

This study utilized a questionnaire survey to collect data from 265 residents in Changchun, encompassing building characteristics, ventilation frequency and overall satisfaction with the indoor environment. Statistical analysis revealed significant disparities in ventilation frequency and satisfaction with indoor temperature. The survey results indicate that the primary mode of indoor air exchange amongst Changchun residents is window ventilation, accounting for 93%. Field tracking was conducted to measure indoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in residential buildings during winter and summer seasons. The study revealed a significant increase in the average indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratio of the targeted 25 VOC concentrations in winter, rising from 10.8 to 17.7. The findings underscore indoor sources as predominant contributors to the measured VOCs. Temperature, humidity and room functions are the main factors affecting VOC concentration. Higher temperatures and increased relative humidity both contributed to elevated indoor VOC levels. This study recommended the opening of more windows during high temperature and high humidity in summer, to maintain good indoor air quality and effectively age the emission of VOCs from furniture. This study contributes to the enhancement of the database on indoor air quality and effective ventilation strategies in cold regions for safeguarding public health.

A directed grey incidence model based on panel data

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to construct a grey incidence model for panel data that can reflect the incidence direction and degree between indicators.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, this paper introduces the concept of a negative matrix and preprocesses the data of each indicator matrix to eliminate differences in dimensions and magnitudes between indicators. Then a model is constructed to measure the incidence direction and degree between indicators, and the properties of the model are studied. Finally, the model is applied to a practical problem.FindingsThe grey-directed incidence degree is 1 if and only if corresponding elements between the feature indicator matrix and the factor indicator matrix have a positive linear relationship. This degree is −1 if and only if corresponding elements between the feature indicator matrix and the factor indicator matrix have a negative linear relationship.Practical implicationsThe example shows the number of days with good air quality is negatively correlated with the annual average concentration of each pollutant index. PM2.5, PM10 and O3 are the main pollutants affecting air quality in northern Henan.Originality/valueThis paper introduces the negative matrix and constructs a model from the holistic perspective to measure the incidence direction and level between indicators. This model can effectively measure the incidence between the feature indicator and factor indicator by integrating information from the point, row, column and matrix.

Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for ventilation and indoor air quality.

The rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the beginning of 2020 presented the world with its greatest health challenge in decades. It soon became clear that governments were unprepared to respond appropriately to this crisis. National and international public health authorities were confused about the transmission routes of the virus and the control measures required to protect against it. In particular, the need to reduce the risk of infection through sufficient and effective ventilation of indoor spaces was given little attention. In this review, we discuss insights and key lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic regarding the role of ventilation as an effective means against airborne transmission of pathogens and, more broadly, for supporting good indoor air quality.

Toward occupant-centric system: Multicriteria optimization of hybrid displacement–personalized ventilation system using computational fluid dynamics with computer-simulated person

Engineers have integrated general ventilation systems with personalized ventilation (PV) to achieve energy efficiency while providing good indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort. Previous studies conducted parametric analyses of PV by varying its flow rate and temperature, analyzing energy, IAQ, and thermal comfort while keeping main ventilation settings constant, even though the latter significantly affect the general flow field. Therefore, computational fluid dynamics simulation is performed to simultaneously optimize the above-mentioned three outputs in an office with displacement ventilation (DV) and PV by varying the DV supply flow rate and temperature, the fraction of outlet air being resupplied to inlet or DV recirculation, and PV supply flow rate and temperature. We utilize the Taguchi design to minimize the number of simulations as well as use the “technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution” (TOPSIS) coupled with Taguchi's signal-to-noise ratio analysis for optimization. Four optimization cases are investigated by varying the thermal comfort and IAQ parameters from volume-averaged to occupant-centric values, such as the skin temperature and inhaled concentration. Results show that occupant-centric optimization presents low energy requirements with acceptable IAQ and thermal comfort compared with volume-averaged optimization, which can be attributed to imperfect mixing conditions. Furthermore, the DV settings and thermal plumes significantly affect the direction of jet released by the PV, which does not improve the IAQ. This underscores the importance of considering the aforementioned effects in maximizing the PV potential. Nevertheless, the PV system functions as intended under a flow rate of 6 L/s.

Evaluation of CO2 and TVOC concentration in a school in Palma during the month of June

ABSTRACT In the context of a warmer climate, one of the population sectors most affected are children. Therefore, it is important to consider the study of school buildings since children invest there about 30% of their time. In schools, human activities (CO2) are the main sources of pollution, along with the emissions of construction materials and cleaning products (TVOC). Additionally, reaching good indoor air quality should not be to the detriment of adequate thermal comfort. This work aims to make a comparison between different classrooms of a school in Palma (Mallorca, Spain) by assessing the values of relative humidity, temperature, TVOC and CO2 concentration during the month of June, the warmest month. This study aims to contribute to the field with the achieved outcomes. It is observed that CO2 increases until it exceeds the limit levels, established by current policies, up to 54% of the time during school time. TVOC concentration also exceeds the limit, up to 65% of the time. On the other hand, indoor temperature is above the comfort range between 75 and 100% of the time, being higher than the outdoor temperature. The relative humidity is mainly within comfortable values.

Evaluating the impact of control measures on sulfate-nitrate-ammonium aerosol variations and their formation mechanism in northern China during 2022 Winter Olympic Games

Sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium (SNA) significantly contribute to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). To ensure good air quality during 2022 Winter Olympic Games (WOG), stringent control measures were implemented in northern China. In this study, comprehensive atmospheric observations were conducted from 2022 January to March in four representative cities to investigate the changes in SNA and their formation mechanism in response to these control measures. The SNA concentrations obviously decreased (29.45%–42.83%) during the control periods in the four cities, but their proportion of PM2.5 remained relatively stable (>50%). SNA was the key factor driving the decrease and increase in the PM2.5 concentration during WOG, with nitrate making the most prominent contribution. The formation of SNA was largely dominated by aqueous heterogeneous chemistry instead of gas-phase oxidation. However, the aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) decreased while odd oxygen (OX) increased during the control periods. Such a variation influenced the role of aqueous heterogeneous and gas-phase reactions in SNA formation, with the former's dominant role being replaced by the latter. After the control periods, the aqueous heterogeneous reactions were enhanced again due to the increased ALWC. Among the cities in the study region, SNA formation became more intense from north to south with increased air temperature and relative humidity (RH). Moreover, ISORROPIA-II thermodynamic modelling revealed notable impacts of sulfate, ammonium, and nonvolatile cations (NVCs) on variations in particle acidity throughout WOG. These results provide a more comprehensive understanding of SNA responses to pollution control on a regional scale and insight into future conventional control.

Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality Levels at Various Locations Within Lead City University, Ibadan

BACKGROUND: Air quality in university environment is strongly affected by the student population explosion, climatic conditions and industrial activity within the institution. Monitoring the main air pollutants such as carbon dioxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter may help control the most polluted areas of the institution and take measures to reduce the pollution.Universities are big metropolitan institutions with sizable populations of students, employees, and visitors. However, university settings can contribute to air pollution, with diverse activities such as lab work, cooking in dorms, and vehicle traffic, among others, causing interior and ambient air pollution. It is impossible to estimate how much air pollution affects the health and happiness of students without embarking on this type of research work. PURPOSE/AIM: Evaluation of meteorology parameters (i.e. temperature and relative humidity (RH)) and ambient air quality (CO, CO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5)) level at various locations within Lead City University, Ibadan is essential. METHODOLOGY: Ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), Relative humidity (RH), Temperature (TEMP), and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) were measured in 15 locations across Lead City University over a two-week period (between 25th of June 2023 and 3rd of August 2023) with Bosean air quality detector -T-201. RESULTS: Morning temperatures in all the locations measured ranging from 23.7°C to 29.2°C while afternoon temperature fluctuates more significantly, with the lowest recorded at 27.2°C and the highest at a notably warmer 35.8°C in all the locations measured. The morning RH levels ranging from 63.8% to 74.7% while afternoon RH values, ranging from 58.2% to 63.4%. The finding also shows that afternoon CO2 levels range from 468.5 ppm to 971.6 ppm, with Location 13 having an unusually high average. Morning CO levels ranging from 4.1 ppm to 49 ppm, with location 13 showing the most highest figure of 184.2 ppm. CO2 and CO levels are mostly within acceptable ranges as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) that CO2 concentration levels in school buildings should kept below 1000 ppm and CO be below an average of nine parts per million (ppm) for any eight-hour period, and below 25 ppm for any one-hour period as an indicative benchmark of good indoor air quality (IAQ). Morning RH values range from 63.8% to 74.7%, with Location 1 having the highest average while afternoon RH values are between 58.9% and 67.7%, with Location 6 having the highest average. The relatively narrow variance in RH indicates that the dataset predominantly represents conditions with moderate humidity levels. Morning PM levels vary from 8.9 to 17.1µg/m³, suggesting diverse air quality conditions across the samples. In the afternoon, PM concentrations display a broader range, from 8.9 to an exceptionally high 436.1 in Location 13. Interestingly, all the air pollutants measured are still within the USA EPA permissible level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5, which is 35 μg/m3, and CO, which is 40 mg/m3 and CO2 between 400 - 1,000ppm CONCLUSION: Variability in these parameters has implications for human health therefore, adequate ventilation and pollution control measures is thereby recommended for the university management in order to improve indoor air quality.

Green Design Parameters in High Rise Building in Hot Humid Climate

Abstract: The term "green building" is used to describe buildings that are designed, constructed and operated, to have a minimum impact on the environment, both indoor and outdoor. Most discussions of green buildings refer to the importance of providing an acceptable, if Not exceptional, indoor environment for the building occupants. However, these discussions of indoor environment quality have Not included many specific recommendations or criteria for building design, construction, or operation. Building projects described as green building demonstrations often make reference to indoor air quality, but these references are often general and qualitative. In addition, rating systems that have been developed to assess the "greenness" of a building are based largely on design features and are Not particularly specific with respect to indoor air quality. This Project reviews the features of indoor air quality that are considered in green building discussions, demonstration projects, and rating systems. These green building features are discussed in terms of their completeness and specificity, and are compared to other guidance on building design, construction, and operation for good indoor air quality. A case study of indoor air quality performance in a green building is presented. This study includes adscription of the indoor air quality features of the building and the results of a short-term indoor air quality evaluation of the building involving ventilation and contaminant concentration measurements

Evolution of black carbon and brown carbon during summertime in Southwestern China: An assessment of control measures during the 2023 Chengdu Summer World University Games

The 31st FISU Summer World University Games (SWUG) was held in Chengdu, southwestern China, from July 22 to August 8, 2023. A series of control measures were carried out to ensure good air quality during the SWUG, providing an opportunity to investigate the atmospheric behaviors of light-absorbing aerosols under such a substantial disturbance caused by the control measures. To assess the impacts of emission controls on primary pollutants, a field campaign was conducted at a rural site in Chengdu to investigate the characterization of equivalent black carbon (eBC). The changes of eBC concentrations before, during, and after the SWUG were characterized. The sources of eBC were resolved, and the impacts of atmospheric processes on the absorption capacity were also investigated. During the SWUG, the eBC concentration decreased by 12.1 % and 25.3 % compared with those before and after the SWUG. A fossil fuel combustion (eBCff) and a biomass burning (eBCbb) originated eBC were resolved using the aethalometer model. Both eBCff and eBCbb decreased during the SWUG, indicating the effectiveness of control measures. After the SWUG, the influence of biomass burning emissions became more and more significant, and the contribution of brown carbon (BrC) to light absorption at 370–660 nm increased by 52, 19, 7, 6, and 17 % compared to those during the SWUG. As the biomass burning emitted aerosols aged, the absorption Ångström exponent and babs(BrC370nm) decreased gradually, which was mainly due to the photobleaching of the chromophores during the daytime. eBCff was mainly affected by strong wind, while high eBCbb concentration was mainly attributed to the gradual accumulation of biomass-burning emissions near the observation site. The results show the significant reduction of eBC with the implementation of the air pollution mitigation campaign, and provide insights on the impacts of atmospheric processes on BC optical properties during summertime.

Inventarisasi Awal Liken Langka, Sensitif dan Toleran sebagai Bioindikator Polutan di Kabupaten Belitung Barat

The existence and population conditions of the rare, sensitive or tolerant lichens of Lobaria, Coccocarpia, Coenogonium, Dictyonema, Pseudocyphellaria, Sticta, Usnea, Leptogium, and Parmotrema tinctorum are not yet known in West Belitung Regency, so this research needs to be carried out. The method used in this research was exploratory descriptive with survey techniques and purposive sampling. The number of target lichen thallus was calculated from the entire area of the tree trunk with a height of 0-1.5 m. The lichens found in the Gunung Tajam area were Coccocarpia sp. with the highest number of thallus and the highest frequency of thallus (0.8%), followed by Coenogonium sp., Leptogium sp., and Usnea sp. with the same frequency of thallus (0.4%) while in the Batu Mentas area lichens were not found as the research target, but was dominated by fruticose lichen. Parmotrema tinctorum, the tolerant lichen, was not found at either location. The presence of sensitive lichens and the absence of tolerant lichens does not indicate that the locations have good air quality. It is recommended that the lichen population, especially P. tinctorum, be studied further so that air quality can be easily confirmed through the diversity and population of the lichens.

Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality Level at Various Locations within Lead City University, Ibadan

BACKGROUND: Air quality in university environment is strongly affected by the student population explosion, climatic conditions and industrial activity within the institution. Monitoring the main air pollutants such as carbon dioxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter may help control the most polluted areas of the institution and take measures to reduce the pollution.Universities are big metropolitan institutions with sizable populations of students, employees, and visitors. However, university settings can contribute to air pollution, with diverse activities such as lab work, cooking in dorms, and vehicle traffic, among others, causing interior and ambient air pollution. It is impossible to estimate how much air pollution affects the health and happiness of students without embarking on this type of research work. PURPOSE/AIM: Evaluation of meteorology parameters (i.e. temperature and relative humidity (RH)) and ambient air quality (CO, CO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5)) level at various locations within Lead City University, Ibadan is essential. METHODOLOGY: Ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), Relative humidity (RH), Temperature (TEMP), and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) were measured in 15 locations across Lead City University over a two-week period (between 25th of June 2023 and 3rd of August 2023) with Bosean air quality detector -T-201. RESULTS: Morning temperatures in all the locations measured ranging from 23.7°C to 29.2°C while afternoon temperature fluctuates more significantly, with the lowest recorded at 27.2°C and the highest at a notably warmer 35.8°C in all the locations measured. The morning RH levels ranging from 63.8% to 74.7% while afternoon RH values, ranging from 58.2% to 63.4%. The finding also shows that afternoon CO2 levels range from 468.5 ppm to 971.6 ppm, with Location 13 having an unusually high average. Morning CO levels ranging from 4.1 ppm to 49 ppm, with location 13 showing the most highest figure of 184.2 ppm. CO2 and CO levels are mostly within acceptable ranges as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) that CO2 concentration levels in school buildings should kept below 1000 ppm and CO be below an average of nine parts per million (ppm) for any eight-hour period, and below 25 ppm for any one-hour period as an indicative benchmark of good indoor air quality (IAQ). Morning RH values range from 63.8% to 74.7%, with Location 1 having the highest average while afternoon RH values are between 58.9% and 67.7%, with Location 6 having the highest average. The relatively narrow variance in RH indicates that the dataset predominantly represents conditions with moderate humidity levels. Morning PM levels vary from 8.9 to 17.1µg/m³, suggesting diverse air quality conditions across the samples. In the afternoon, PM concentrations display a broader range, from 8.9 to an exceptionally high 436.1 in Location 13. Interestingly, all the air pollutants measured are still within the USA EPA permissible level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5, which is 35 μg/m3, and CO, which is 40 mg/m3 and CO2 between 400 - 1,000ppm CONCLUSION: Variability in these parameters has implications for human health therefore, adequate ventilation and pollution control measures is thereby recommended for the university management in order to improve indoor air quality.

Defining Sustainable Priorities and Actions for Storage of a Public Archive: A UK Case Study

ABSTRACT Storage facilities often comprise the most energy-intensive burden within archives. One green solution is a passive building with high thermal inertia and airtightness, to create stable environmental conditions without mechanical intervention, and provide appropriate temperature and RH ranges and good air quality for preservation. However, where airtightness is concerned, there is potential for accumulation of pollutants within densely occupied repositories such as library and archive stores. This risk is not addressed by current requirements for greener operation, because operational conflicts arise when balancing these three environmental parameters. This article discusses air quality and its effects on archive materials. It contributes to better understanding of green operation for archives. It presents a preliminary study carried out at Norfolk Record Office in the UK on options to increase archives storage capacity whilst improving both public access and preservation. This concluded that an initial programme to replace low-quality packaging which is a generator of VOCs, and the building of on-site passive storage, were the most sustainable solutions.

The Air Quality Smart Monitoring and Management System

In this project, the problem that I attempt to solve is the lack of knowledge and action surrounding poor air quality. Inspired by a trip to India, I took action and built a prototype device that gave auditory and visual indications of the air quality and turned an air ionizer as necessary. During project development, I interfaced a microcontroller with multiple peripheral devices, and I studied associated documentation as necessary. Using this knowledge, I wired each component to a digital or analog pin, and a ground power connection. Some components also required a 5 voltage connection. I then programmed my microcontroller to read the temperature, humidity, and pollutant ppm values from the associated sensors. During project development, I tested my device in five environments: my room, my backyard, an open garage with a car running, the air after a car runs, and a car running in a closed garage. I used this data to determine what pollutant ppm values constitute good, poor, and bad air quality. Using this information, I programmed the microcontroller to use LEDs and a buzzer to notify users of the current air quality conditions. Finally, I later incorporated an ionizer into the project, and programmed the system to switch it on when the air quality is bad. Through further testing, I determined that each component did its job, allowing me to validate. Thus, this device could make a difference for people in industrial countries facing respiratory diseases and can be applied to various fields of science.