Overview
Indoor bio effluent CO2 level is an important factor influencing the IAQ
and performance levels of employees and students while Particulate Matter (PM) pose great health
risks as they can get deep into lungs, lead to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Dutch
government considers levels above 1000PPM non-optimal and are associated with adverse health
effects, such as headaches and dizziness. WHO 2018, considers optimal levels of PM 2.5 to be below
10 μg/m3.
Staff lounge SBE
Recent research on IAQ and the related spread of SARS-CoV-2 has increased
awareness about CO2 and PM (fijnstof). Therefore, in June 2020, the Department of Data Analytics and
Digitalisation (DAD) started a pilot project at with 2 sensors (staff and student lounge). The
project has been started after 2 years of testing at CBS and houses in Kerkrade and the effect of
re-opening campus is investigated. Since the re-opening, and relaxation rules, the CO2 (and PM)
readings changed drastically. (see CO2 and PM values above 1000 and 10 in the figures above)
Student lounge SBE
This project will focus on classrooms and offices by scaling up the
ongoing SBE pilot to 50 sensors. Sensors will be manufactured collectively through citizen-science
and students will be trained by the spin-off social entrepreneurship start-up for free. The costs
will cover 50 units of IoT devices that measure CO2, PM2.5, PM10, Temperature, Humidity, and Air
Pressure once every minute and will detect the abnormal. The analysis of data in various environment
during the scale up will include lecture halls, tutorial rooms, seminar rooms and offices with
different locations.
Acknowledgement
This project has been possible via financial support from
Universiteitsfunds Limburg (SWOL) and technical support from the School of Business and Economics.
