Combatting Indoor Air Pollution from Downtown Cities
By Allison Winter
Environmental News Network
It is safe to assume that most people we know, including ourselves, have air conditioning. However, something we don't think about more often than not is the way air conditioning pollutes environment through circulating air. Moreover, think of buildings. Imagine that every flat has air conditioning, they all circulate air. Now, there is a building next to it. It will intake the pollution.
This is a lot more striking when you actually live in a building, like I do.
Now, a team of researchers from Concordia University thought of an environment friendly way to deal with this kind of pollution. They set up an experiment in the university lab that consisted of placing models of all kinds of buildings next to one that was polluting. They measured the amount of pollution absorbed by the buildings and looked for the place where the concentration of toxins was the highest.
According to the results, the level of pollution depended on the height of the buildings, and how far apart they were - which is actually very logical, but now there is a scientific proof.
Anyway, their plan was to place intake vents upwind of the polluter, to the wall that is more sheltered. Also, they should not be placed on roofs where they are not protected. Of course, the spaces between buildings should also be increased.
The plan will be of most use to people who start building stuff in the future, and should help in reducing pollution on the long run, but it will not make any immediate changes.
I feel that this is a very important issue that should be looked into, as a great number of people lives in cities and they are subjected to air pollution at all times. Also, once people start taking care of themselves, the environment will become less polluted.
By Allison Winter
Environmental News Network
This is a lot more striking when you actually live in a building, like I do.
Now, a team of researchers from Concordia University thought of an environment friendly way to deal with this kind of pollution. They set up an experiment in the university lab that consisted of placing models of all kinds of buildings next to one that was polluting. They measured the amount of pollution absorbed by the buildings and looked for the place where the concentration of toxins was the highest.
According to the results, the level of pollution depended on the height of the buildings, and how far apart they were - which is actually very logical, but now there is a scientific proof.
Anyway, their plan was to place intake vents upwind of the polluter, to the wall that is more sheltered. Also, they should not be placed on roofs where they are not protected. Of course, the spaces between buildings should also be increased.
The plan will be of most use to people who start building stuff in the future, and should help in reducing pollution on the long run, but it will not make any immediate changes.
I feel that this is a very important issue that should be looked into, as a great number of people lives in cities and they are subjected to air pollution at all times. Also, once people start taking care of themselves, the environment will become less polluted.
I agree with you that this is definitely a very important issue that should be looked into! I'm so glad that there are students studying this stuff at Concordia University. You mentioned that they found out the amount of pollution depended on the height of the buildings. What were their results? Was it the shorter or the higher buildings that would have more pollutants? Clearly, if they were closer together, the pollutants may pass right through from one to the other, especially as people have their windows open during the day...which is when the factors are working. I think this could be very useful even for buildings that are already standing. Statistics could be used to present to city governments to provide funding to place these vents in the buildings of high risk. Great article!
ReplyDeleteA quick fact: Did you know that when we cook, we are exposed to air pollution too?
I agree with you and I think this is a problem that has not been brought to our attention. Something should be done but I believe with population rising, i forces us to actually bring buildings closer together. Perhaps other ways of battling this problem should be sought since it isn't ideal in this day and age,
ReplyDelete