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Assessing the Impacts of Residential Mechanical Ventilation Systems on Indoor/Outdoor Particulate Matter and Adult Asthma Outcomes in Chicago, IL
INSUNG KANG, Kari Abromitis, Yicheng Zeng, Parham Azimi, Anne Evens, Anna McCreery, Rachel Scheu, Amanda Gramigna, Timothy Crowder, Griselda Baca, Brent Stephens, Illinois Institute of Technology
Abstract Number: 573
Working Group: Health-Related Aerosols
Abstract
The Breathe Easy Project is a three-year longitudinal, randomized, crossover study of installing residential mechanical ventilation systems to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and asthma-related health outcomes in 40 existing homes with at least one adult asthmatic in Chicago, IL USA. This work presents preliminary results on the impacts of mechanical ventilation systems on indoor and outdoor pollutant concentrations, including particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5: 0.3-2.5 µm and PM10: 0.3-10 µm in aerodynamic diameter, estimated using optical particle counters), and adult asthma outcomes. The homes were divided into three groups receiving one of three types of ventilation systems: 1) continuous exhaust-only ventilation systems (13 homes); 2) intermittent central-fan-integrated-supply (CFIS) ventilation systems (15 homes); and 3) continuous balanced supply and exhaust ventilation systems with energy recovery ventilators (ERV) (12 homes). Field measurements included four weeklong periods of IAQ and indoor environmental data collection for approximately one year during the pre-intervention period, followed by another four visits after the intervention (resulting in 8 total visits per home, except for 20 homes that did not receive their final visit due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders). Baseline health and demographic surveys and monthly asthma control surveys were completed by 51 participants. Preliminary results indicate that the average indoor concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 (not calibrated) decreased by 64% and 58%, respectively, after the introduction of the ventilation systems, while the average outdoor concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 decreased by 45% and 47%, respectively. Homes with continuous balanced ventilation systems had the largest average indoor reductions (PM2.5: 78%, PM10: 76%), followed by intermittent CFIS ventilation systems (PM2.5: 60%, PM10: 54%) and then by continuous exhaust-only ventilation systems (PM2.5: 57%, PM10: 44%). Further analysis related to health effects and calibration is still ongoing.