The Problem The University of Chicago Center in Delhi contacted Smart Air during the summer of 2016 to design and install a purification system in their 17,000 square foot office located in central Delhi. Despite it’s great location, the U Chicago Center had a problem of high particulate matter inside the building. Like love, air […]
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San Francisco’s Air Pollution
A friend of mine just sent me this map of air pollution in San Francisco from the San Francisco Chronicle. Using the latest PM2.5 data, I created a map for China using the same scale: Based on that scale, China’s best city (which is Haikou, according to the World Health Organization database) would still be double the […]
Extra Data: Can HEPAs be washed or vacuumed?
Particle Capture Tests For the particle capture tests, CK used a Met One GT-531 particle counter. This particle counter is best for HEPA outlet tests because it measures down to 0.3 micron particles—the hardest particles to capture. CK noted 0.3 micron and 2.5 micron particle counts with and without the HEPA. Importantly, this particle counter […]
How Is Nepal’s Air?
A user on Quora asked recently how bad Nepal’s air pollution is. Nepal has glorious mountains and shining temples. But how is the air? I checked the World Health Organization’s global PM2.5 database. According to that database, Kathmandu’s PM2.5 particulate pollution averaged 49 micrograms/m3 in 2013: That’s just about double the WHO’s […]
Is Asbestos a Problem in India?
What is Asbestos? Asbestos is a mineral that makes a great fiber. People use that fiber in lots of building materials, like insulation, paints, electric wiring, wall boards, and floor tiles. Asbestos might be all around us. Should I Be Concerned? When any of these materials break apart, the asbestos can […]
Is Asbestos a Problem in China?
This commonly used material may be more dangerous than formaldehyde So why do so few people talk about it in China? One day a few years ago, a Chinese friend of mine asked me about jiaquan (甲醛). “Huh?” I had to look it up. Turns out it means “formaldehyde.” At that point, I started to […]
You thought rain washes away pollution?
I’ve wondered whether rain decreases pollution for a long time because I’ve noticed two things: 1. Sometimes after it rains in Beijing, the sky is gloriously blue. When that happens, many people like me say, “Wow, the rain really washed away the pollution!” 2. But then sometimes it rains and rains, and the sky still […]
Smart Air Indoor Air Quality Audit in 3E Space
Air Quality Audit Report Date of audit: 27/05/2017 Audit conducted by: Yap Choon Khin Paddy Robertson Air quality monitor: Dyloc DC1700 Pro AirVisual Node Audit location: Beijing Jiaodaokou, Xinhua New Culture Building, 5th floor Air quality measurement outside premises: 115 µg/m3 Corresponding Air Quality Index (outdoors)[1]: 182 Air quality inside premises: 70 µg/m3 Corresponding Air […]
How much pollution do we breathe every day?
When people ask me how they should protect themselves from air pollution, I’ll say you need a purifier for indoors and a mask for outdoors. Many people have both (great!) but which one is benefiting your health more? Do you really need both? The answer to this comes down to how much air pollution we’re breathing […]
Are Purifiers Useless If My Window is Open?
Are Purifiers Useless If My Window is Open? Tests show that keeping the doors and windows closed will keep particulate levels at 50% less than outdoor air on average. But some people really want to keep their windows open. For some people, it’s an old wive’s tale that windows must be kept open. For others, […]