Home Air Quality An Interesting, Even ‘Stunning’ Lesson in Indoor Air Quality

An Interesting, Even ‘Stunning’ Lesson in Indoor Air Quality

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Glenn Hasek

Since Covid-19 hit us all, I have been hearing from a lot of makers of air filtration/purification equipment. Sometimes the technology is unique to that supplier. Other times it is pretty much the same as others on the market. One thing is for sure: indoor air quality (IAQ) and air filtration/purification will remain hot topics for a long time to come.

I heard from one maker of air quality systems in the past few weeks and the company had an interesting story to share. Wynd, led by Ray Wu, CEO, conducted a study of the air quality of 28 hotels on the Las Vegas strip. (See my article.) Using Wynd’s Indoor Air Quality Tracker, researchers crowdsourced tens of thousands of data points to measure and benchmark IAQ. Taking measurements of fine dust within the lobbies or common areas of these facilities, Wynd cross referenced the data with the EPA’s Air Quality Index to compare and benchmark the hotels’ IAQ levels on a scale from good to hazardous. The results of the study were stunning.

The case study showed there are significant differences between hotels’ IAQ levels, at least when it comes to fine air particulates such as dust, with the worst hotel being 80 times worse than the best one. These differences exist even though the hotels are close to one another. The hotel with the worst air quality had a concentration of dust worse than the average air quality day in Beijing or New Delhi.

While Wynd did not point out the names of the hotels with the worst air quality, it did say that The Aria Resort, Park MGM, and Wynn Las Vegas were the top three hotels in terms of cleanest air. At the time of the study, their average air quality was just as good or better than outside air on a non-polluted day.

One Hotel in ‘Very Unhealthy Range’

Wynd’s study results show five hotels fell into the moderate level of concern, which the EPA describes as “air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some guests, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.” One establishment fell into the unhealthy range, and another in the very unhealthy range, defined by the EPA as “an increased health risk for everyone.”

What I found unique about Wynd’s system is its pairing up of air quality monitoring (sensors) with air filtration/purification, while at the same time making it easy to access IAQ data using an app or building management software.

Wynd did not indicate what air filtration/purification systems are currently in place at the 28 Vegas hotels. What is clear is that the operators of many of those Vegas hotels probably have little idea how well their HVAC or air filtration/purification systems are removing not only particulate matter but other air pollutants as well: smoke, dander, pollen, viral aerosol, smog, paint fumes, bacteria, etc. If a property is not doing a good job utilizing air filtration/purification technology, it is probably not doing a good job killing Covid-19, and it is probably paying more for energy because it needs to bring in more outside air.

“Air is invisible, and the subtleties of air quality between different spaces or buildings can be hard to discern with human senses, and difficult to keep track or to compare,” Wynd’s Wu told me. “However, with low-cost, accurate and distributed sensors, one can start building a picture of which places are healthy and which places need improvement.”

Who knows, maybe the day will come when every hotel will be rated for its IAQ, and that information will be publicly available. For travelers, hotel owners and hotel workers, that is a goal worth striving for. Your thoughts? Do you really know the quality of the air in your property? I would love to hear from you. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

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