Three ways indoor air quality monitors produce advanced insights into the air we breathe and how it impacts our health
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg once said that “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it and you can’t fix it.” Although this was tweeted way back in 2014, it was echoed again in 2017 with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Environment Team’s “Empowering cities with data” workshop in 2017. The main takeaway from this multi-sectoral workshop is that the multitude of problems that mayors experience can and should be quantified as data. Crime, traffic, air pollution — these can all be measured using modern technology and big data.
If outdoor air can be quantified and monitored, the same can be said for the air we breathe indoors. In fact, indoor air quality is deemed more important as adults spend more time indoors — 90% of the time is spent inside, as per the EPA.
Here are some ways owning an indoor air quality monitor can provide insight on the air we breathe at home or at work:
Indoor air is always in a state of flux – depending on the time of day, types of activities performed, and the number of people inside an enclosed space, the quality of air changes. An advanced indoor air quality monitor can track more than 9 different air quality parameters to give advanced insight to tenants and homeowners on the invisible nuances of air quality. The changing state of air throughout the day factors in the presence of windows, air conditioning and filtration systems, and even the location of rooms. For instance, carbon monoxide and other harmful gases are byproducts released into the atmosphere when cooking. Fried food and grilling can drastically increase the density of harmful chemicals into the indoor air which can escalate respiratory diseases in the family. Knowing the nuances of when the air changes during the day can help you take steps to address the source of the problem, such as opening all windows when cooking indoors.
Indoor air can differ per room – with the price of these advanced indoor air monitors becoming more and more affordable, it’s no wonder that every home — or better yet — every room can be equipped with one. Despite being located under one structure the indoor air quality can differ per room because of location and function. Bathrooms for instance have a higher chance of growing mold due to keeping damp towels hung while the door is closed. Rooms with more windows allow for better airflow and can reduce CO2 buildup
Indoor air quality monitors can help plan green homes – data collected from best practices of having healthy indoor air quality can serve as blueprints for future building planning. In an interview with Atlasen, correlations can be made between the indoor air parameters and office productivity. Sick leaves, for instance, will definitely be lessened when indoor air quality inside offices is improved.
