Monitoring Indoor Air Quality with Pollutant Detection

S.C.O.R.E. → Safety → Security

Overview

Indoor air quality can significantly impact health, especially for vulnerable individuals. This capability allows homeowners to monitor air pollutants, ensuring a safer and healthier living environment.

Benefits

• Improved health outcomes by identifying harmful air pollutants
• Proactive measures can be taken to ventilate or purify the air
• Peace of mind for families, especially those with allergies or respiratory issues

Intent

The purpose of this capability is to continuously monitor air quality within the home, detecting levels of harmful pollutants. It aims to trigger alerts and actions that can mitigate exposure to these pollutants, enhancing overall safety.

Preconditions

• Home Assistant must be installed and configured.
• Air quality sensors must be integrated (e.g., ESPHome compatible devices).
• Stable internet connection for remote monitoring and notifications.
• Home Assistant installed and configured.
• Integration available and authenticated: Zigbee2MQTT.
• Device installed and reachable: Smoke Detector and Alarm Trigger.

Actors

• Homeowner checking air quality data
• Family members alerted to air quality issues
• Elderly parent receiving notifications for health safety

Trigger

An air quality sensor detects elevated levels of pollutants in the home environment.

Workflow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[Air Quality Sensor Trigger] -->|detects pollutants| B{{Pollutant levels high?}}
    B -->|Yes| C[Send Alert to Homeowner]
    C --> D[Activate Air Purifier]
    B -->|No| E[Continue Monitoring]

Workflow Description

1. Sensor Activation

The air quality sensor is activated and begins monitoring the indoor air for pollutants.

2. Data Collection

The sensor collects data on pollutant levels, including PM2.5, VOCs, and CO2 concentrations.

3. Threshold Evaluation

The system evaluates whether the detected pollutant levels exceed predefined thresholds.

4. Notification Dispatch

If pollutant levels are high, notifications are sent to the homeowner and family members.

5. Mitigation Action

The system can automatically activate air purifiers or suggest ventilation actions to improve air quality.

Postconditions

After the monitoring and alerting process, the homeowner is informed about air quality and can take necessary actions to improve it, ensuring a healthier home environment.

Optional Enhancements

• Integrate with smart HVAC systems for automatic adjustments based on air quality
• Add historical data tracking for user insights over time
• Enable voice alerts through smart speakers for immediate awareness

Recommended Components

Source Examples

• 2026.1: Home is where the dashboard is ?? – Home Assistant (homeassistant)