Ten questions concerning low-cost indoor air quality sensors: Perspectives from research and practice

作者：Thomas Parkinson, Seema Bhangar, Wanyu R. Chan, Wenhao Chen, Brian Gilligan, Tobias Kramer, Jiayu Li, Clayton Miller, Larissa Oaks, Maninder Thind, Dusan Licina · 发表于：Building and Environment · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1016/j.buildenv.2026.114737 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting、Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure、Building Energy and Comfort Optimization

• A roadmap linking sensing to decisions, workflows, and accountable outcomes • Evidence-based view of what low-cost IAQ sensors can reliably measure • Placement and timing guidance for decision-relevant, representative data • Data pipelines and communication strategies to improve actionability and trust • Opportunities for scaling monitoring and expanding to new applications Low-cost indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors are increasingly being used in homes and commercial and public buildings, driven by growing concerns about the impact of air on health, cognitive performance, and occupant wellbeing. These sensors offer a potentially transformative opportunity to increase spatial and temporal coverage of IAQ monitoring at a fraction of the cost of conventional reference instruments. However, their widespread use raises questions around accuracy, calibration, placement, data handling and interpretation, and integration into existing standards and workflows. This paper presents ten critical questions concerning the use of low-cost IAQ sensors in buildings, drawing on the latest empirical research, field deployments, and emerging practice. It discusses potential frameworks for deployment and evaluation, examines current sensor capabilities for measuring common pollutants, identifies methodological gaps in validation and uncertainty quantification, and outlines the extent to which existing IAQ standards can accommodate sensor-based evidence. The paper also explores how monitoring nee...