Clean UBC Okanagan’s Air through Wall-mount Air Filtering Devices

The pioneering project seeks to improve indoor air quality through the use of innovative wall-mounted Aerosol Removing Tapestry (ART) devices. These units effectively reduce harmful airborne particles and pathogens while improving energy efficiency. The project evaluates their performance, with potential applications in diverse settings such as classrooms, homes, and hospitals, extending beyond UBC Okanagan.

Aerosol Removing Tapestry (ART) devices installed on the back wall of a classroom at UBC Okanagan.

Dr. Sunny Li and graduate student Xudong Wang examine airflow through an ART device located in a sealed enclosed chamber. This is where UBC Okanagan's Airborne Disease Transmission Cluster does most of its research and development.

Cluster Research Coordinator Jake Winkler (left) and graduate student Xudong Wang hang the ART devices in a classroom on UBC Okanagan’s campus. This room will be the site of the Campus as a Living Lab project looking into the effectiveness of the filter device.

The backside of the ART device consists of several quiet computer fans. An optical particle counter can be seen on the right side of the photo, measuring the number of airborne particles in the room.

Ryan Gordon, a summer research assistant, hangs an ART device in the Pritchard Simulation Centre at Kelowna General Hospital. These low-cost air filtering devices will be mounted in high-priority areas across UBC Okanagan to reduce viral spread and air pollution.

Dr. Li and Wang analyze the particle concentration curves from a hand-held particle counter. By looking at the particle concentration in a room, the effectiveness of the ART device can be determined.

Project Team

Faculty lead: Sunny Li, Professor, School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Staff lead: Roger Bizzotto, Associate Director, Facilities Management

Co-lead: Jonathan Little, Professor, Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Health and Exercise Science

Co-lead: Jake Winkler, Research Coordinator, Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Health and Exercise Science

Co-lead: Martin Gibb, Manager of Engineering and Utilities Services, Facilities Management

Challenges of Indoor Air Quality in University Settings

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is a significant concern, as it is directly associated with negative health outcomes for individuals. Pathogenic microorganisms, smoke particulates, and chemical pollutants pose serious risks to health. University settings, such as UBC Okanagan, are particularly vulnerable to poor IAQ due to the high density of people and the considerable time spent in enclosed spaces. The need to improve IAQ through effective and energy-efficient technology is more critical than ever, especially as we continue to face the seasonal spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, RSV, influenza, and the common cold, as well as severe wildfire smoke pollution exacerbated by climate change.

Development of the Aerosol Removing Tapestry (ART)

Over the past two years, the Eminence Cluster for Excellence in Airborne Disease Transmission Research Cluster (ADTRC) has partnered with the BC-based company C-Polar Technologies, Interior Health and the Ministry of Health to develop an innovative air filtration device known as the Aerosol Removing Tapestry (ART). This device, cleverly disguised as a wall painting, utilizes C-Polar’s positively charged filter media and quite computer fans to reduce airborne particulate and aerobic bacteria.

Impact and Broader Implications of the CLL Air Quality Project

The CLL project will have measurable impacts on various air quality parameters, including particulate matter concentrations, viral and bacterial loads, smoke levels, and energy consumption. These metrics will be used to assess whether the introduction of a wall-mounted ART filter is an innovative and energy-efficient solution to improving the resilience of indoor environments, such as university campuses, against infection spread and smoke inhalation. Beyond the immediate health and environmental benefits for UBC Okanagan, the findings from this project have broader implications for all indoor settings. If successful, this work has the potential benefit IAQ management in diverse indoor environments, including residential homes and high-occupancy locations such as long-term care facilities.

Related Publications

_{Rogak, S. N., Rysanek, A., Lee, J. M., Dhulipala, S. V., Zimmerman, N., Wright, M., & Weimer, M. (2022). The effect of air purifiers and curtains on aerosol dispersion and removal in multi‐patient hospital rooms. Indoor air, 32(10), e13110.}

_{Zabihi, M., Li, R., & Brinkerhoff, J. (2024). Influence of indoor airflow on airborne disease transmission in a classroom. In Building Simulation (Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 355-370). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press.}

_{Christianson, C. D., Baylis, J. B., Komisar, V., & Brinkerhoff, J. (2023). Quantifying Ventilation Design, Room Layout, and Occupant Activity Parameters during Aerosol‐Generating Medical Procedures in Hospitals. Indoor Air, 2023(1), 6641824.}

Interview: Cleaner Indoor Air and Efficient Solutions – The Innovative Power of ART Devices

This project is a collaboration between UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering, the Faculty of Health and Social Development, and UBCO Facilities, in partnership with C-Polar Technologies. We interviewed the team, who shared their insights and discussed the innovative air filtration technology at the heart of the project.