Monitoring of Ventilation, Portable Air Cleaner Operation, and Particulate Matter in California Classrooms: A Pilot Study

Wenhao Chen (), Zhong-Min Wang, Kyle Peerless, Elon Ullman, Mark J. Mendell, David Putney, Jeff Wagner and Kazukiyo Kumagai
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Wenhao Chen: Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, Center for Laboratory Sciences, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Zhong-Min Wang: Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, Center for Laboratory Sciences, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Kyle Peerless: Occupational Health Branch, Center for Healthy Communities, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Elon Ullman: Occupational Health Branch, Center for Healthy Communities, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Mark J. Mendell: Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, Center for Laboratory Sciences, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
David Putney: Business, Facilities & Operations Division, Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose, CA 95131, USA
Jeff Wagner: Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, Center for Laboratory Sciences, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA
Kazukiyo Kumagai: Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, Center for Laboratory Sciences, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA 94804, USA

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: Interest in improving ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) in California schools has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents a field protocol for simultaneous monitoring of usage patterns of in-room portable air cleaners (PACs), indoor and outdoor concentrations and composition of particulate matter (PM), and CO 2 as an indicator of outdoor air ventilation rates (VRs). This protocol was implemented for a 7-week pilot study in four occupied California classrooms in 2022. Monitoring results showed that VRs and indoor PM were generally well maintained in the classrooms studied. One classroom had much higher overall VRs, as well as higher average indoor PM2.5 concentrations compared to similar classrooms, suggesting a possible strong impact of window/door opening behavior on both VRs and indoor PM. The actual use patterns of PACs in these classrooms varied significantly. No clear correlations were observed between PAC use patterns and indoor PM2.5 concentrations in this pilot study, possibly due to low outdoor PM2.5 concentrations and already efficient central filtration (i.e., MERV 13 filters in central ventilation systems). Information gathered through such field monitoring can help schools to understand the actual classroom ventilation and IAQ conditions and best allocate resources to classrooms that need further IAQ improvements.

Keywords: school IAQ; CO 2 monitoring; low-cost PM sensor; passive aerosol samplers; PAC power usage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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