Engineers take distinctive strategy to deal with indoor air high quality

Chances are high you have by no means thought of the act of respiration. Our lungs’ mild rise and fall is autonomic, pulling air in and nourishing our physique with oxygen earlier than expelling wastes like carbon dioxide (CO₂).

However have you ever ever considered all the opposite microscopic molecules floating by means of the air, additionally making their means into your lungs and physique?

“We now know that any particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns—about 30 instances smaller than a strand of hair—can get deep into your lungs, which turns into a well being concern,” explains Dr. Jonathan Little, Professor of Well being and Train Sciences at UBC Okanagan.

Whether or not it is viruses, micro organism, pollen, automotive exhaust or wildfire smoke—to call a couple of—typically our air is not as clear because it may very well be.

That is the place UBC Okanagan’s Aerosol Eradicating Tapestry—or ART—is available in.

Cleaner air with ART: Remodeling indoor air filtration

It seems to be like some other portray hanging on a wall, however positively charged filters from neighborhood companion C-Polar Applied sciences quietly removes airborne particles and micro organism within the room beneath a creative mesh cloth “canvas.”

Developed by Dr. Little and Dr. Sunny Li’s Airborne Illness Transmission Cluster, the system is a low-cost, quiet, and customizable different to present filtration gadgets available on the market—lots of that are massive, loud and typically ugly.

“Air filtration gadgets aren’t new, however we’re attempting to create a extra sensible answer to realize cleaner air. ART is wall-mounted, modular and quiet. It is nearly prefer it’s constructed into the room,” says Dr. Li, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, the cluster’s lead researcher and head of its Know-how, Analysis and Growth crew.

“As a crew, we now have quite a lot of questions for the analysis to reply,” he provides. “Primarily, how we will improve indoor air high quality throughout our campus and lengthen our findings to different websites like hospitals?

“And, secondly, would individuals be involved in and use a sensible answer like ART of their house or workplace?”

After evaluating indoor areas on the college with the very best danger of viral unfold and potential inhalation of pollution through CO₂ measurements, cluster crew members will use the data to check completely different ART sizes and places, monitoring its impact on air high quality within the room.

The analysis is well timed and related—not solely in Canada however world wide—as an estimated 99 % of human beings presently breathe air that exceeds the World Well being Group’s guideline limits for pollution.

Indoor and outside air air pollution is accountable for almost seven million deaths yearly.

“COVID-19 was the primary time that questions on airflow and air high quality obtained a lot consideration,” says Dr. Little. “However simply because the rapid concern of COVID-19 is over does not imply we should always cease that analysis or cease enthusiastic about indoor airflow.

“We nonetheless have wildfires, automobile exhaust and manufacturing emissions that pollute our air and negatively influence thousands and thousands. That is why problems with airflow and indoor air high quality are essential to grasp.”

Interdisciplinary work supplies international options

Such questions cannot be answered with out an interdisciplinary strategy.

In line with Jake Winkler—the cluster’s Analysis Coordinator—the entire challenge could be rather more tough at an establishment apart from UBC Okanagan, which is presently the one college in BC investigating indoor airflow on this method.

“We’re a close-knit campus that prioritizes analysis, so we will extra successfully carry collectively various specialists to supply completely different views. On a topic as advanced as indoor airflow, no single educational self-discipline can remedy this drawback.”

The cluster options UBC researchers from medication; engineering; well being and train sciences; and neighborhood companions like C-Polar Applied sciences and Inside Well being. Via UBC Okanagan’s Campus as a Residing Lab initiative, UBC Okanagan’s Amenities Administration and Well being, Security and Surroundings workplaces are additionally on board.

“In the end, everyone seems to be affected in a technique or one other by air air pollution and indoor air high quality, so we’re not solely looking for a solution for our campus however, at some point, for the globe.”

Campus as a Residing Lab companions UBC researchers with campus operations employees to plan and implement progressive options to on-campus challenges. The cluster successfully bridges the tough hole between theoretical, elementary analysis and tangible outcomes.

“These sorts of research are at all times thrilling as a result of there could be analysis outcomes that present constructive well being outcomes down the street,” says Dr. Li.

“In the end, everyone seems to be affected in a technique or one other by air air pollution and indoor air high quality, so we’re not solely looking for a solution for our campus however, at some point, for the globe.”