Difference between revisions of "Air Quality"
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===== Health and Happiness Petal ===== | ===== Health and Happiness Petal ===== | ||
The standard requires a Health Indoor Environment Plan which focuses on preventing and minimizing indoor pollutants. Some of its [http://livingbuilding.gatech.edu/node/324 requirements] include compliance with EPA's Safer Choice standard, materials that emit low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc. It also utilizes a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) which allows for a large amount of outdoor air to circulate through the building to occupants. | The standard requires a Health Indoor Environment Plan which focuses on preventing and minimizing indoor pollutants. Some of its [http://livingbuilding.gatech.edu/node/324 requirements] include compliance with EPA's Safer Choice standard, materials that emit low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc. It also utilizes a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) which allows for a large amount of outdoor air to circulate through the building to occupants. | ||
| − | == Air Quality Project == | + | == Air Quality Project [SPRING 2020] == |
=== Objective === | === Objective === | ||
The aim of this research is to investigate if there is a significant difference between indoor and outdoor air quality at the Kendeda Building, which abides by many stringent eco-friendly standards, and Clough, which is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Air quality has significant impacts on health and productivity of students, faculty, groundskeepers, Parking and Transportation (PTS) employees, and many others. Our findings will provide us with background and a basis to conduct future research so we have an idea of the general air quality trends in specific areas on campus. One of our goals is to provide campus organizations, such as the Student Government Association (SGA), with data and visuals to utilize when making decisions on campus environmental policies such as a move toward electric buses. | The aim of this research is to investigate if there is a significant difference between indoor and outdoor air quality at the Kendeda Building, which abides by many stringent eco-friendly standards, and Clough, which is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Air quality has significant impacts on health and productivity of students, faculty, groundskeepers, Parking and Transportation (PTS) employees, and many others. Our findings will provide us with background and a basis to conduct future research so we have an idea of the general air quality trends in specific areas on campus. One of our goals is to provide campus organizations, such as the Student Government Association (SGA), with data and visuals to utilize when making decisions on campus environmental policies such as a move toward electric buses. | ||
Revision as of 01:01, 25 November 2020
About this subteam:
Contents
Overview
The Kendeda Building and its founders have made it their mission to provide its occupants and visitors with the highest standards of environmental health, yet little is known about the indoor and outdoor air quality. How the air quality index (AQI) surrounding and inside of the Kendeda Building compared to other spaces around campus is a vital in our research project. Particulate matter is a mixture of solid particles suspended in the air that consists of dust, smoke, and other organic and inorganic compounds. In order to understand the impact high levels of particulate matter has on people inside and outside the building, we need to have an idea of the current levels and future levels. Air quality has significant impacts on health and productivity of students, faculty, groundskeepers, Parking and Transportation (PTS) employees, and many others. Our findings will allow us to provide recommendations on improving campus air quality as we plan to partner with organizations such as the Student Government Association (SGA). Therefore, our research team aims to address indoor and outdoor air quality levels on Georgia Tech’s campus, specifically at the Kendeda Building and Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.
The Living Building Standard
The Living Building Challenge for sustainable design requires that Kendeda meet requirements of seven performance areas or Petals: (1) Place, (2) Water, (3) Energy, (4) Health and Happiness, (5) Materials, (6) Equity, and (7) Beauty. The Energy, Health and Happiness, and Materials Petals address different efforts towards clean air in Kendeda's urban setting.
Energy Petal
The building is designed to reduce air infiltration and has operable windows that can be opened or closed depending on the outdoor temperature, humidity, and pollen count.
Health and Happiness Petal
The standard requires a Health Indoor Environment Plan which focuses on preventing and minimizing indoor pollutants. Some of its requirements include compliance with EPA's Safer Choice standard, materials that emit low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc. It also utilizes a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) which allows for a large amount of outdoor air to circulate through the building to occupants.
Air Quality Project [SPRING 2020]
Objective
The aim of this research is to investigate if there is a significant difference between indoor and outdoor air quality at the Kendeda Building, which abides by many stringent eco-friendly standards, and Clough, which is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Air quality has significant impacts on health and productivity of students, faculty, groundskeepers, Parking and Transportation (PTS) employees, and many others. Our findings will provide us with background and a basis to conduct future research so we have an idea of the general air quality trends in specific areas on campus. One of our goals is to provide campus organizations, such as the Student Government Association (SGA), with data and visuals to utilize when making decisions on campus environmental policies such as a move toward electric buses.
Research Question: How does indoor and outdoor air quality differ between the Kendeda Building and Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons as a result of particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5)?
Hypothesis: Indoor and outdoor air quality is more contaminated at the Kendeda Building than the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.
Methods
We employed two kinds of sensors to collect particulate matter counts at various locations. We used two portable Flow sensors from Plume Labs to collect PM counts around campus. This included trolley rides, in dorms, and other areas on campus. For long-term collection of indoor and outdoor PM data at the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (CULC) and Kendeda Building, we employed four total PurpleAir sensors. The Kendeda and CULC each have an indoor and outdoor PurpleAir sensor installed. PurpleAir sensors primarily gather PM data, while the Flow sensors have the ability to gather data on PMs, VOCs, and nitrous oxides.
Data Analysis
We ran the PurpleAir data from April 5- April 17, 2020 through an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test along with Turkey-Kramer test. A p-value less than 0.05 is assumed to indicate statistical significance and rejection of the null hypothesis. The Turkey-Kramer test allows us to determine where the statistical difference is between the multiple sets of data . The Flow sensor and its GPS tracking data were filtered for PM 2.5 values greater than the EPA annual standard of 12 ug/m^3. The average latitudes and longitudes was then taken to provide a general idea of where the majority of campus emissions may be originating from.
Findings
Overall, there was a significant difference in indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 levels at Kendeda and Clough. The ANOVA and Turkey-Kramer tests showed that there was a significant difference between each location. A p-value of approximately 0 was calculated for the indoor measurements at both locations while a p-value of 2.51*10^-19 was calculated for the outdoor measurements. These p-values indicate strong statistical significance and differences in the data sets. It was also observed that PM 2.5 levels spiked around April 5- April 8 and declined significantly after April 9 where levels stayed in the single digits.
Project Poster: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fu5x3gebduw5mgg/Air%20Quality%20Poster%20Presentation.pdf?dl=0
References
Abbaszadeh, S., Zagreus, L., Lehrer, D., & Huizenga, C. (2006). Occupant satisfaction with indoor environmental quality in green buildings. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9rf7p4bs
Fischer, Adam, "Quantitative Analysis of Traffic Related Air Pollution Along the Atlanta BeltLine East Side Trail." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2018. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/iph_theses/614
Peel, J. L., Metzger, K. B., Klein, M., Flanders, W. D., Mulholland, J. A., & Tolbert, P. E. (2007). Ambient air pollution and cardiovascular emergency department visits in potentially sensitive groups. American Journal of Epidemiology, 165(6), 625-633. https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/165/6/625/63845
Wargocki, P., Wyon, D. P., & Fanger, P. O. (2000). Productivity is affected by the air quality in offices. In Proceedings of Healthy Buildings (Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 635-40). https://greeninitiatives.cn/img/white_papers/1461554977217_Productivity_and_Air_Quality.pdf
Wu, X., Nethery, R. C., Sabath, B. N., Braun, D., Dominici, F. (2020). Exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality in the United States. MedRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.05.20054502
Team Members
| Name | Major | Years Active |
|---|---|---|
| Caroline Miley | Environmental Engineering | 2020-Present |
| Madalene Henggeler | 2020-Present | |
| Camila Sanchez | 2020-Present | |
| Ella Stewart | Earth and Atmospheric Sciences | 2020 |
| Kaylyn Sinisgalli | Environmental Engineering | 2020 |
| Nicole Romer | Environmental Engineering | 2020 |
| Teisha Griffin | Biology | 2020 |