295 FASB; coffee and cookies in the lobby prior to the seminar.
To attend via zoom, register at
https://utah.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtfuusrDwtH9JoPXmE6RN0mVw3U0y4k0Vu
Individuals spend up to 90% of their time indoors, and poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is associated with numerous adverse human health effects. Yet, it has been less frequently studied than outdoor air quality. Particulate matter (PM), specifically PM2.5 concentrations, is a key driver of adverse health effects. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important measure of building ventilation, and elevated levels can lead to drowsiness and declines in student or worker performance. This study aims to understand the impact of outdoor air pollution episodes (wildfires, dust events, and temperature inversions) on indoor air quality and to partner with facilities management to identify the effect of HVAC settings on IAQ. We deployed 18 low-cost air quality sensor nodes in 16 indoor and two outdoor locations that measure particle pollution and CO2 levels across the University of Utah campus. Over the course of one year, only wildfire smoke events caused IAQ to exceed WHO guidelines. In fact, PM2.5 levels exceeded WHO IAQ 24-hour guidelines by more than a factor of three during one wildfire event. In addition, numerous hours during inversion events exceeded the IAQ guidelines. Furthermore, our study identified CO2 levels in limited cases that could adversely affect occupant comfort and performance. Our results also suggest that building HVAC operations impact IAQ, particularly during wildfire smoke events. The ultimate goal is to work with facility management to optimize energy consumption, IAQ, and student/staff comfort and health.
Tristalee Mangin is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah and is a member of Dr. Kerry Kelly’s research lab (https://kairlab.che.utah.edu/team/). Tristalee’s research focuses on low-cost air quality sensors, their respective uses, and optimizing the data quality that can be achieved from these devices. Before her graduate work, she received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah and served five years in the United States Navy as an instructor and quality assurance engineer at the Navy’s Nuclear Power School.
Dr. Kerry Kelly is a professional engineer and an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on understanding the connections between energy, air quality, and health. More recently, she has focused on using cost-effective, air-quality sensing to understand local-scale, air quality challenges. She served 8 years on Utah’s Air Quality Board and currently serves on the state’s air quality policy board.