Human occupancy and activity affect indoor air pollution in offices.

A study using air quality and radar motion sensors in two office spaces found that fine particles (PM1 and PM2.5) tracked outdoor conditions while coarser PM10, TVOCs and CO2 were closely linked to indoor occupancy and measured kinetic energy, with reported correlations up to about r = 0.8.

This study examined how people and their movements influence indoor air quality in real-world office settings. Researchers combined low-cost air quality monitors with radar motion sensors to measure occupancy and kinetic energy. Two representative spaces were monitored: an open-office area and a meeting room. The work responds to growing interest in IAQ because people spend most of their time indoors and indoor pollution is linked to a substantial health burden, as reported by the WHO. Key findings: - The study used paired air quality and radar motion sensors in two office spaces (open office and meeting room). - PM1 and PM2.5 concentrations were found to be highly correlated with outdoor conditions. - PM10 showed stronger links to indoor occupancy, with correlations reported up to r = 0.65. - Human activity quantified as kinetic energy (KE) correlated with PM10 up to r = 0.74, and with TVOCs and CO2 with correlations reported up to r = 0.83. - The influence of additional occupants varied with room characteristics and usage, and the analysis separated outdoor infiltration from indoor emissions to better characterise sources. Summary: The study provides a simple methodology that combines motion sensing and air monitoring to help disentangle outdoor infiltration and indoor emissions in offices, showing that human presence and activity can be major drivers of some indoor pollutants. Undetermined at this time