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Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

nytimes.com

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Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#151

Post by bagacrap »

Mistletoe wrote: post #5

I own a CO2 monitor and it is shocking how high it can get in a house with two people just existing. 800 ppm or more. Outside air is 410. In a car with air on recirculate, it was getting to >1220 ppm, a level that impairs decision making and lowers brain function. I try to drive with air on fresh from now on. I don’t doubt the air in our conference room with 20 people gets super high in CO2 as the meeting goes on, an…

If you're in a heavily trafficked road, particulate matter from other vehicles' exhaust is a far worse threat than elevated co2. Always recirculate on the highway, especially if you sit on it for multiple hours a day for you commute.

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#152

Post by graeme »

berberous wrote: post #100
batmanthehorse wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Awair Glow is a very user friendly/cheap one: https://getawair.com/pages/awair-glow It has an app (and an API) and monitors CO2, humidity, temp, and VOCs. I like it a lot. For me, it mostly serves as a reminder to open the door for a few minutes before bed and let some fresh air in.

I'd love a good looking consumer device like this, especially if it synced with Apple Health and/or Homekit or otherwise allowed data export, but all (Netatomo, Awair, Uhoo, etc) seem to get very poor reviews on Amazon, often claiming they are inaccurate. Has anyone seen a good comparison of whats out there with a suggestion for the best?

Dhh recommends awair highly. Convinced me to get one, he tested a lot.

Hasn't arrived yet so I can't comment directly

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MRqh8oLY7Ik

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#153

Post by graeme »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #73
brixon wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't need fresh on all the time, but for long trips I will switch to fresh for at least five minutes each hour. You just want to cycle the air in the cabin for less re-breathed air.

My tests with my meter don't imply that is correct. Almost immediately on recirculate the PPM goes up and stays there.

This is almost certainly correct. An unventilated space as small as a car will increase within 30-60 seconds, based on my testing of small indoor rooms.

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#154

Post by graeme »

newswriter99 wrote: post #110

I live in a badly-ventilated room in a converted loft with no windows and constantly worry about this sort of thing. Other than buying oxygen-producing plants (which tend to die on me when my back is turned) I'm not sure how to alleviate the situation.

The only solution is moving. Your place probably violates housing code from the sounds of it.

But if you want to be sure, you can get a decent co2 monitor for less than $100. I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-Autopilot-Desktop-Monitor-L...

People on this thread mention co2 monitors can't be so cheap, but I'm under the impression this is actually measuring co2 and not o2/vocs. Can anyone confirm?

You're likely living there as your economic circumstances compel it. I would say that if the sensor shows a high co2 number, you should carefully consider all options you have in your life and see if there is any way out of this situation.

If the studies are correct about high co2's effect on cognition, sleep etc then this home environment is likely contributing to keeping you in whatever situation you struggle to escape from.

(If $90 is too much, you can perhaps borrow one from someone local)

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#155

Post by graeme »

pastor_elm wrote: post #139

One of the reasons I refuse to workout in a gym. Would love to see what the numbers are for a rush hour subway car in NYC. Can imagine it's a great way to juice your brain before the start of a workday.

Any idea what typical gym numbers are? I would have guessed they aren't as bad as office buildings, as they are large spaces and generally have ventilation systems. I'll bring my co2 monitor when I try the new gym in my neighbourhood though.

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#157

Post by laythea »

Klathmon wrote: post #19
Mistletoe wrote: post #5

I own a CO2 monitor and it is shocking how high it can get in a house with two people just existing. 800 ppm or more. Outside air is 410. In a car with air on recirculate, it was getting to >1220 ppm, a level that impairs decision making and lowers brain function. I try to drive with air on fresh from now on. I don’t doubt the air in our conference room with 20 people gets super high in CO2 as the meeting goes on, an…

I picked up a CO2 monitor a while ago myself, and the biggest surprise was having it on in the morning in our bedroom with the doors closed. It was easily over 1000ppm IIRC. Ever since then I've made sure to set my AC system to run the "house fan" for 15 minutes or so every hour at night just to circulate the air in the house, and while the numbers went down significantly, anecdotally I swear that I wake up easier in…

"...high CO2 concentrations in the helmet can be really dangerous to an unconscious person's brain function"

Yes but no helmet is even worse for an unconscious person's brain function :)

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#158

Post by graeme »

I have two of these. They seem pretty accurate, and respond quickly to breathing on them, window opening, etc https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-Autopilot-Desktop-Monitor-L...

Can anyone confirm if they are actually measuring co2 directly? Some people in this thread say actual co2 sensors are more expensive than this.

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#159

Post by eeZah7Ux »

sevensor wrote: post #20
blattimwind wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

School classrooms (20-30 people, 1-2 hours, closed windows, no ventilation) are probably worse than any conference room.

Apparently there was a fad for building schools with no windows. There's a 70s era middle school in the (U.S.) town where I live; it won a design award for its total lack of fenestration. It was supposed to reduce distraction or something.

In many countries forcing people to stay in a room with no windows would be illegal, and for good reason.

Re: Is Conference Room Air Making Us Dumber?

#160

Post by fma »

gugagore wrote: post #6
Mistletoe wrote: post #5

I own a CO2 monitor and it is shocking how high it can get in a house with two people just existing. 800 ppm or more. Outside air is 410. In a car with air on recirculate, it was getting to >1220 ppm, a level that impairs decision making and lowers brain function. I try to drive with air on fresh from now on. I don’t doubt the air in our conference room with 20 people gets super high in CO2 as the meeting goes on, an…

Could you recommend a CO2 monitor? How did you decide to purchase the model that you own?

I have a foobot.

https://www.amazon.com/Foobot-Quality-Monitor-Homeowners-Ren...

I believe you can hook it up to IFTTT and turn on the AC etc if levels are high. You can get real time stats, historical reporting...If you don't want to keep looking at your mobile device it will light up if the air quality is bad.

It also has a VOC monitor, which is rare. I have a new construction house and the VOC was pretty much deadly.

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