Roll out CO2 sensors to slow spread of Covid-19 – NuWave Sensors

This article was originally published in issue 38 of Passive House Plus magazine. Want immediate access to all back issues and exclusive extra content? Click here to subscribe for as little as €10, or click here to receive the next issue free of charge

This is a trend that been warmly welcomed by NuWave Sensors, the Dublin and Mayo-based developer of smart air quality sensors. “We know now that poorly ventilated indoor spaces are associated with spread of Covid-19, and a CO2 monitor is a simple, low cost and effective way of monitoring how well a room is ventilated,” Lisa Ainsworth, co-founder and CEO of NuWave Sensors, told Passive House Plus.

“While the guidelines from the department are not clear as to whether CO2 monitors in schools will have data loggers, our CaDi CI-100 CO2 sensor has a data logging feature, so users can easily monitor trends in indoor CO2 levels over time. This can also help to identify whether any potential incidents of Covid-19 spread are associated with periods of poor ventilation.”

As reported in this issue of Passive House Plus (see News), a number of European jurisdictions have now made the display of CO2 monitors mandatory in indoor spaces that are used by the public, including restaurants and bars. Many of these sensors feature a ‘traffic light’ system that highlights when CO2 levels rise above a particular set point, thus encouraging staff to open windows and doors, or boost ventilation rates.

The CaDi CI-100 is a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) based CO2 monitor that is stable and maintenance free with a measurement range from 0 – 5,000 parts per million. It connects to Wi-Fi and can be monitored using the free smartphone app or web-based dashboard. Users can have multiple devices connected to the same app and multiple users can download and login to the app using the same account. The device provides alerts and recommendations in real time if CO2 levels rise too high.

The CaDi monitor is suitable for monitoring an open plan space of up to 325 m2 (3,500 ft2), or one monitor per enclosed space – in a school this would typically mean one monitor is required for each classroom or regularly occupied space. The CaDi also features humidity and temperature sensors, and users can view detailed graphs to analyse CO2 levels by day, week and month.

For more see www.nuwavesensors.com.