EDIAQI's Seville Pilot Sets New CO2 Standard: UNE 171380:2024

Panel Discussion about new CO2 standard at the College of Industrial Engineers, Madrid, Spain

Samuel Domínguez Amarillo and Miguel Ángel Campano Laborada, researchers from the EDIAQI project, have significantly contributed to the development of the UNE 171380:2024 standard – Continuous Measurement of CO2 Indoors to Improve the Health and Well-Being of Occupants.

https://www.une.org/encuentra-tu-norma/busca-tu-norma/norma/?c=N0072394

This standard was officially unveiled on Thursday, January 25th, 2024, at the headquarters of the College of Industrial Engineers in Madrid.

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

The aim of this standard is to establish a continuous measurement system with data recording and public information on the absolute concentration of CO2 for indoor spaces, including recommended guideline values or thresholds. It is designed for collective use buildings, including both new constructions and existing ones, and it enhances existing standards related to indoor air quality and CO2 sampling.

Panel Discussion about new CO2 standard seated photo at the College of Industrial Engineers, Madrid, Spain

As an optional and complementary standard to current building regulations (CTE-RITE), it strives to probabilistically ensure a sufficiently low relative risk level indoors regarding respiratory disease transmission.

This standardisation process outlines how measurement is conducted, transmitted, and conveyed to users, thereby rendering technical information accessible to the public, facilitating comparisons, and improving the visibility and understanding of air quality for the general population. The standard includes a dynamic ‘traffic light’ threshold system based on current regulations and the relative risk of contagion, tailored to the specific conditions of each location and adapting to various circumstances.

The event featured experts in ventilation, aerosols, and measurements, including Professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, José Luis Jiménez, Rafael Postigo (Project Manager at UNE), and CSIC researcher Margarita del Val. They offered a comprehensive perspective on the importance of protecting air quality and its consequences.

Note: This article, authored by Professor Jessica Fernández-Agüera from the University of Sevilla and EDIAQI project partner, has been published on her behalf.