How qlair’s Air Monitoring Can Slow Disease Spread
In an interview with qlair, Head of Marketing Harry Watson discusses the relevance of AI-driven clean air monitoring in healthcare facilities in view of COVID-19 to reduce disease spread.
What is qlair?
As countries ease into normalcy and reopen offices, indoor air quality becomes more crucial than ever to discourage disease spread. qlair is a leading platform based in North Carolina that uses Artificial Intelligence for clean air management.
Mr Watson told CleanTech News that “We monitor different pollutants and its concentrations in the air and gather the data before drawing a diagnostic report.”
qlair is known for providing end-to-end solutions beyond diagnostic reports. Mr Watson said that “We will also conduct investigations to identify the root cause before connecting them with relevant partners to address the problem.”
Indoor ventilation systems are universal
The ventilation systems in buildings are often universal, meaning that if indoor air were to be contaminated, the entire building would be too.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within buildings and structures. Indoor pollution sources release gases or particles into the air, causing lower IAQ levels. Some sources include tobacco products, excess moisture and outdoor pollution.
Inadequate ventilation can also increase indoor pollutant levels, while high temperature and humidity levels can increase concentrations of some pollutants
Mr Watson said that “The World Health Organisation (WHO) has deemed that 90% of the world’s population breathes unsafe air. Air pollution is considered to be one of the top 5 environmental danger by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”
“Pollutants like fine dust, particulate matter or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from tobacco all pose danger to human health.”
Indoor air quality becomes more crucial as it plays a role in disease spread
When asked about the importance of indoor air quality, Mr Watson said that “For example if a chemical leak goes undetected, it will go into the ambient air, enter the ventilation systems and disperse throughout the building.”
“With the COVID-19 situation, many healthcare facilities are looking to create negative pressure rooms to isolate air. It is a technique where you ensure no contaminants are transferring between rooms. qlair can detect that through our systems and alert when necessary.”
Relative humidity levels also play a role in disease spread. Mr Watson said that “COVID-19 is a lipid-enveloped virus, and these virus types inherently survive better at lower indoor humidity levels below 30%. We recommend that the levels are kept between 45-60%.”
“HEPA filtration, air ionisation and surface cleaning can also help reduce indoor air pollution.”
qlair’s promising technology could be the answer to safe air-travel as indoor air quality is kept safe in aircraft and airport facilities. In offices where people spend most of their day, it is also crucial that commercial buildings maintain clean indoor air for public health.
To learn more about how the spread of airborne infectious disease can be reduced, click here.