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Indoor Air Sensors Which Sensors? How Much? When? Next Steps?
Citation:
Thompson, B. Indoor Air Sensors Which Sensors? How Much? When? Next Steps? To be Presented at Air Sensors International Conference, Oakland, California, September 12 - 14, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
This panel presentation at this EPA/OAQPS conference is intended to encourage accelerated forward movement on development of low cost air sensors by highlighting the value that low cost air sensors could bring to people and economies, and outlines approaches that could help get there more quickly. Low cost air sensors are essential for resolving the conflict between increased outdoor air supply for human health and productivity, and reduced outdoor air supply for lower energy costs.
Description:
How do we currently address the problem of indoor air pollutants? Brute force! We push what we hope is a sufficient quantity of outdoor air through our buildings in an attempt to flush out indoor air pollutants. This technique of using air movement, as well as the amount of air deemed necessary to continually move through our buildings, has remained roughly unchanged over the past 150 years. Because we do not have a low-cost and reliable way to sense what is in the air we’re breathing, one of the largest costs of operating a building is the energy it takes to heat, cool, and control the moisture in all this air that is brought into buildings before being exhausted back outdoors. This is also a primitive approach to protecting and enhancing human health and well-being.