IoT Air Sensors: Hype or Health Essential?

Today, we see in the market numerous companies offering multi-sensors for indoor air quality with a trendy aesthetic design and connectivity to smart phone, wi-fi etc.

In their marketing communication, the manufacturers seem to focus, first of all, on a wide range of measured parameters, from conventional up to quite exotic. Such an extensive range of parameters may perhaps impress the “ordinary consumers”, meanwhile it rather causes sceptical smiles among the specialists in the field of ventilation and indoor air quality, especially when it comes to the private residential sector.

The conventional values such as relative humidity and CO2 concentration can be used for modulating the airflow in a dwelling, a principle known as demand-controlled ventilation, but what to do with the rest of parameters, knowing that there is no unambiguous link between the measured values and the required ventilation control algorithm?

Therefore, a legitimate question arises: are these devices a useful thing helping to ensure a healthy air in the buildings, or just another trendy gadget? The answer, in my opinion, depends a lot on the targeted user segment. Let’s look at them one by one.

Residential buildings

In the “average” individual house or an apartment the CO2 level…