This study was designed to verify the effectiveness of smart gardens by improving indoor air quality (IAQ) through the installation of an indoor garden with sensor-based Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology that identifies pollutants such as particulate matter. In addition, the study aims to introduce indoor gardens for customized indoor air cleaning using the data and IoT technology. New apartments completed in 2016 were selected and divided into four households with indoor gardens installed and four households without indoor gardens. Real-time data and data on PM2.5, CO2, temperature, and humidity were collected through an IoT-based IAQ monitoring system. In addition, in order to examine the effects on the health of occupants, the results were analyzed based on epidemiological data, prevalence data, current maintenance, and recommendation criteria, and were presented and evaluated as indices. The indices were classified into a comfort index, which reflects the temperature and humidity, an IAQ index, which reflects PM2.5 and CO2, and an IAQ composite index. The IAQ index was divided into five grades from “good” to “hazardous”. Using a scale of 1 to 100 points, it was determined as follows: “good (0–20)”, “moderate (21–40)”, “unhealthy for sensitive group (41–60)”, “bad (61–80)”, “hazardous (81–100)”. It showed an increase in the “good” section after installing the indoor garden, and the “bad” section decreased. Additionally, the comfort index was classified into five grades from “very comfortable” to “very uncomfortable”. In the comfort index, the “uncomfortable” section decreased, and the “comfortable” section increased after the indoor garden was installed.
Background and objective: Plants are a natural and environmentally friendly way to improve indoor air quality. To evaluate indoor air quality, it is important to continuously measure and identify the influencing factors. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration in indoor spaces with indoor garden installations.Methods: Factors influencing the concentration of indoor, airborne PM<sub>2.5</sub> were monitored based on Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Ten households in South Korea were surveyed and categorized into Groups A (households without an indoor garden) and B (households with an indoor garden). An IoT-based device was used to monitor the indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration and several environmental factors, including the outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> (µg⋅m<sup>-3</sup>) and carbon dioxide (mL⋅m<sup>-3</sup>) concentrations, temperature (°C), and relative humidity (%). Further, the seasonal (spring, summer, fall, and winter) and temporal (dawn, morning, afternoon, and evening) variations in indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration were monitored.Results: The indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration decreased from 17.7 µg⋅m<sup>-3</sup> to 16.7 µg⋅m<sup>-3</sup>, and from 15.5 µg⋅m<sup>-3</sup> to 12.5 µg⋅m<sup>-3</sup> in Groups A and B, respectively. A regression analysis showed that the indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration was not significantly affected by the installation of the indoor garden (living rooms: <i>p</i> = .1577; kitchen: <i>p</i> = .4974); however, was influenced by the outdoor air conditions, as well as seasonal and temporal factors. Additionally, a subgrouping model demonstrated a statistical relationship between indoor garden installation and the environmental factors.Conclusion: These findings can assist in establishing guidelines for indoor air quality management.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.