room. They can help inform behavior patterns
so that teachers, for instance, might understand
when to open windows and doors and how long
they need to stay open.
That’s what makes building a CO
2
device such
an interesting application. It’s not just about
gathering data but it’s about detecting patterns
of CO
2
levels indoors, and using messages that
help people respond by improving the ventilation
— and the health of the people — in the room.
Is CO
2
Slowing You Down?
Higher CO
2
levels are known to impair cognition,
another reason for keeping track of it indoors.
Because we humans can’t detect carbon dioxide
(CO
2
) or its more deadly cousin carbon monoxide
(CO), we aren’t often aware of its effects on us.
If you’ve ever been in a closed conference room
after lunch and felt sleepy, it’s not digestion that
makes you feel that way. It’s the rising CO
2
level
in the room.
While federal guidelines use 5000ppm as the
threshold of harm, researchers have found that
CO
2
levels far below that can affect our thinking.
A 2012 study from Lawrence Berkeley Labs found
that decision-making suffers at just 1000ppm and
dives at 2500ppm (Figure
W
).
V
CO
2
readings in one
classroom on a Monday.
W
Impact of CO
2
on decision-making. Usha Satish,
Mark J. Mendell, et al. 2012. doi.org/10.1289/
ehp.1104789
U
CO
2
readings in seven
classrooms on a
Monday.
35
make.co
T
Real-time dashboard using Grafana and MQTT.
Learn more about CO
2
monitors
and get the parts list to build your own
at makezine.com/go/co2-monitor
M78_024-35_CO2Monitor_F1.indd 35M78_024-35_CO2Monitor_F1.indd 35 7/13/21 9:50 AM7/13/21 9:50 AM
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