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

The "Clean UBC Okanagan’s Air" project aims to improve indoor air quality by using innovative wall-mounted air filters with C-Polar’s technology. These discreet units reduce harmful airborne particles and pathogens while enhancing energy efficiency. The project has potential applications in homes, hospitals, and classrooms beyond 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

Sunny Li, Professor - Mechanical Engineering (UBCO).

Jonathan Little, Professor – Faculty of Health and Social Development - School of Health and Exercise Science (UBCO).

Jake Winkler, Research Coordinator - Faculty of Health and Social Development - School of Health and Exercise Science (UBCO).

Martin Gibb – UBC Facilities (UBCO).

Roger Bizzotto – UBC Facilities (UBCO).

Project Description

Information on the development and unique aspects of the ART devices, including their design, function, and the technology used (e.g., positively charged filters, quiet computer fans).

Need: Explain the critical need for this research in the context of UBC Okanagan, the region, and potentially on a global scale.
Approach: Description of the ART technological solutions and innovations being implemented.
Impact: Expected outcomes and benefits of the project for UBC Okanagan and potential application beyond UBCO

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.

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.

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.

List of Related Publications

Rogak, Steven N et al. “The effect of air purifiers and curtains on aerosol dispersion and removal in multi-patient hospital rooms.” Indoor air vol. 32,10 (2022): e13110. doi:10.1111/ina.13110

Zabihi, M., Li, R. & Brinkerhoff, J. Influence of indoor airflow on airborne disease transmission in a classroom. Build. Simul. 17, 355–370 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-023-1097-y

Christianson CD, Baylis JB, Komisar V, Brinkerhoff J. Quantifying Ventilation Design, Room Layout, and Occupant Activity Parameters during Aerosol-Generating Medical Procedures in Hospitals. Indoor Air. 2023;2023(1):6641824.

Interview: Exploring Innovative Air Filtration Solutions with the Clean UBC Okanagan’s Air Project Team

This project is a collaboration between UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Health and Social Development, and UBC Facilities, in partnership with C-Polar Technologies. We interviewed the project team, including Sunny Li, Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Jonathan Little, Professor of Health and Exercise Science; Jake Winkler, Research Coordinator; Martin Gibb, and Roger Bizzotto from UBC Facilities. The team shared their insights and discussed the innovative air filtration technology behind the project.