Consumer-grade IAQ sensors: Limitations of standards and ventilation measurements

Published

April 1, 2022

Author(s)

Dustin Poppendieck

Abstract

Consumer-grade indoor air quality sensors have experienced a rapidly growing market due in part to greater consumer awareness related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Laboratory testing and verification of these sensor types is still maturing. In the next year ASTM will release two new standards test methods for evaluating indoor consumer-grade PM2.5 and CO2 sensors. Widespread adoption of these standards will improve marketplace equity, but remaining technical issues mean that consumers and regulatory agencies should not blindly accept sensor readings. In addition, consumers are increasingly using CO2 sensors to gain knowledge about ventilation of indoor environments like classrooms as a result of pandemic related concerns. Using CO2concentrations as a human emission surrogate can be insightful, but also challenging to do accurately given the wide range of building layouts and HVAC systems that can influence results. This talk will address some of the issues related to verification of consumer-grade indoor air quality sensors and their use in ventilation evaluations.

Citation

Air Sensors International Conference

Pub Weblink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp1sGrzASM4

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Citation

Poppendieck, D. (2022), Consumer-grade IAQ sensors: Limitations of standards and ventilation measurements, Air Sensors International Conference, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=932025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp1sGrzASM4 (Accessed October 9, 2025)