The Best Air Quality Monitors for Testing Your Air Indoors and Out – WIRED

Report on Air Quality Monitoring Technology and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary: Empowering Action for Health and Environment

This report assesses the IQAir AirVisual monitoring system, comprising indoor and outdoor units, and its contribution to achieving key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The technology provides real-time, hyperlocal air quality data, empowering individuals and communities to make informed decisions that support SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The system’s reliance on a crowdsourced data model also presents a case study for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), highlighting both the potential and the challenges of citizen science initiatives in environmental monitoring.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The monitoring system directly supports SDG Target 3.9, which aims to substantially reduce illnesses and deaths from air pollution. By providing simultaneous indoor and outdoor air quality readings, the technology enhances individual agency in managing health risks.

• Real-Time Health Alerts: The IQAir AirVisual Pro’s display offers an intuitive, color-coded visual representation of air quality levels, from green (good) to purple (hazardous). This immediate feedback enables users to take protective measures, such as closing windows during pollution events.
• Exposure Reduction: The system proved effective in identifying localized pollution sources. For instance, it registered a PM 2.5 level of 160 from a neighbor’s fire pit, prompting immediate action to prevent indoor air contamination.
• Enhanced Accuracy: Utilizing a dedicated outdoor monitor in conjunction with an indoor unit provides significantly more accurate and actionable data compared to relying on regional monitoring stations, allowing for a precise understanding of personal exposure.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The technology contributes to SDG Target 11.6, which focuses on reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, particularly concerning air quality. The crowdsourced data network creates a valuable resource for urban environmental management.

1. Hyperlocal Urban Data: Individual outdoor monitors contribute to a global, publicly accessible air quality map. This citizen-generated data provides granular insights into pollution patterns within urban environments that can supplement official monitoring networks.
2. Informing Urban Dwellers: The ability to see a side-by-side comparison of indoor versus outdoor air quality is particularly crucial for residents of densely populated areas, helping to manage the unique air quality challenges of city living.

Technical Capabilities and Data Parameters

The IQAir Outdoor monitor is equipped with sensors to track key environmental indicators critical for health and climate assessment, aligning with the data needs for SDGs 3 and 13 (Climate Action).

Monitored Environmental Indicators:

• Particulate Matter (PM 2.5)
• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Barometric Pressure

System Features:

• App Integration: Data is accessible via an intuitive mobile application.
• Data Source: Contributes to a crowdsourced Air Quality Index (AQI) map.
• Designation: The unit is designed exclusively for outdoor use.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – A Citizen Science Model

The IQAir platform operates on a partnership model, leveraging citizen-owned devices to build a global dataset. However, this approach requires stringent protocols to ensure data integrity, which presents challenges for participants.

Data Contribution and Validation Process:

1. Registration: Users must formally register to become a data contributor to the public map.
2. Installation and Verification: Submission requires photographic evidence of the monitor’s installation, which must adhere to specific guidelines to ensure proper ventilation and data accuracy. Mounting hardware is provided for pole or wall installation.
3. Data Correlation Review: IQAir reviews submitted data to ensure it correlates with surrounding stations and that the device placement ensures unobstructed airflow.

Identified Challenges in Partnership Execution:

• Strict Installation Requirements: The mandate for specific mounting heights (minimum 5 feet) and placement (e.g., not on a windowsill) can be a barrier for users in certain living situations, such as apartment buildings where drilling is not permitted.
• Submission Rejection: Failure to meet the strict criteria for placement and data correlation results in the rejection of the user’s contribution to the public data network, potentially limiting the geographic diversity of the crowdsourced map.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article directly connects to SDG 3 by focusing on monitoring air quality, which is a critical determinant of health. The use of the IQAir monitor to detect harmful pollutants like PM 2.5 allows individuals to take immediate protective measures. For instance, the author notes, “When my neighbors use their fire pit, both my PurpleAir Zen and my IQAir Outdoor registered a PM 2.5 of 160, letting me know to shut my kitchen window.” This action is a direct response to a health threat, aiming to reduce exposure to pollution and prevent respiratory and other illnesses.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article’s context is an urban or residential environment (“outside my building,” “neighbors use their fire pit”). SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The discussion revolves around tools that measure local air quality, which is a key aspect of the urban environment. By providing “side-by-side readings of indoor and outdoor” air quality, the technology discussed helps residents understand and manage their immediate environmental conditions, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable urban life.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  This goal is relevant through the article’s discussion of data sharing and technology. The mention of “PurpleAir’s plug-and-play crowdsourced air quality map” and IQAir’s own “registration process for accepting data from your Outdoor monitor” highlights the role of technology and collaborative platforms. These systems rely on partnerships between a company (IQAir, PurpleAir) and users (the public) to generate a comprehensive, real-time dataset on air quality, which is a powerful tool for public awareness and policy-making.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.9: Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.

   The entire purpose of the air quality monitor described in the article is to identify and quantify air pollution, specifically “PM 2.5” and “CO₂“. By providing “real-time indoor monitoring,” the device empowers users to reduce their exposure to such pollution, directly contributing to the goal of reducing illnesses caused by poor air quality.

2. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality.

   The article is a case study in “paying special attention to air quality” at a micro-level. The IQAir monitor provides granular data on the environmental quality of a specific location within a city. The ability to distinguish between indoor and outdoor air quality and see real-time data helps address the adverse environmental impacts of urban living.

3. Target 17.18: Increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by geographic location.

   The technology described directly addresses this target. The monitor provides “real-time” data for a specific geographic point. The article discusses IQAir’s data submission process, which includes requirements to ensure data quality (“The data reported from your monitor doesn’t correlate with surrounding stations… Make sure the environment is well ventilated”). This, along with the mention of a “crowdsourced AQI map,” exemplifies efforts to increase the availability of reliable, geo-located environmental data.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Targets 3.9 and 11.6: Measurement of PM 2.5 levels.

  The article explicitly states that the monitor has sensors that “can pick up PM 2.5.” It even provides a specific data point: “a PM 2.5 of 160.” This measurement is a direct and crucial indicator for assessing air quality. It is the primary component of the official SDG indicator 11.6.2 (Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5) in cities) and is used to estimate the health burden for indicator 3.9.1 (Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution).

• Indicator for Target 17.18: Availability of real-time, publicly accessible, geo-located air quality data.

  While not a formal UN indicator, this is strongly implied by the article’s content. The existence of a “crowdsourced AQI map” and the monitor’s ability to provide “real-time indoor monitoring along with data from the closest outdoor air quality station” serve as a practical measure of progress. The article’s discussion of submitting data to a wider network is a clear example of contributing to a publicly accessible data pool, which is the essence of this indicator.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wired.com