AAAR 36th Annual Conference October 16 - October 20, 2017 Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in Low-Income Residential Homes of Colorado during Wildfire Seasons
PRATEEK SHRESTHA, Shelly Miller, University of Colorado Boulder
Abstract Number: 16 Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods
Abstract In this study we are assessing home tightness and indoor air quality in low-income communities in the Denver-Boulder area of Colorado during the 2016 and 2017 fire seasons. Through a combination of direct air sample measurements, questionnaires and air exchange rate measurements, we are investigating the level of protection offered by small-scale residential building shell structures against elevated outdoor pollutant levels during the events of wildfires. Home ventilation rates are measured using multi-point depressurization blower door tests and gas-phase air pollution measurements are taken using low-cost instruments developed at the University of Colorado Boulder. PM 2.5 is measured using low-cost optical particle counters: the Dylos 1700 Air Monitors. Both indoor and outdoor measurements are taken and compared in five homes at a time for three to five days in the areas affected by wildfire plumes. In addition to air quality monitoring using instrumentation, participants of the study are also asked to fill out a time activity diary to keep track of human activities such as cooking and opening windows that might affect the indoor air pollutant levels. Outcomes of this study will provide guidance on weatherization activities that reduce air exchange rates in homes while still providing a healthy indoor environment.