As we approach the time of year again when the air quality in Bangkok deteriorates a bit, please find some updates and publicly accessible information.
At the end of last school year, ISB installed a state-of-the-art calibrated air quality monitor on campus. Since the time the system was installed, we are showing a substantially lower AQI than downtown areas during higher polluted days. The monitor is located on the roof next to the 25m pool. This monitor is provided by a leading company that works extensively with schools in China, where air quality is an ongoing concern. The monitor checks PM2.5, PM10, Humidity and Temperature. Two other schools in Thailand, ELC Sukhumvit and Harrow, have since installed this system as well.
Our vendor has created a live display page that calculates the AQI and Heat Index in real time, based on US EPA and NOAA standards. You can access the data here https://views.measureofquality.com/isb It is also displaced on the bottom of our school website, www.isb.ac.th
There are many different websites, apps, and links that provide air quality readings around Thailand. Unfortunately, none of these sites provide a reading close to ISB, and all only provide hourly updates. Therefore, the ISB monitor will be the official reading for all school activities and guidelines.
We have set up the system to send out email alerts to ISB staff, when the AQI or Heat Index, reach our threshold limits, based on the current policies as listed below.
Please remember, the live data is updated every minute and environmental readings can fluctuate from minute to minute. We do store all the data points so we can look back at the historical information if need be.
We have also purchased an AirVisual Pro desktop unit to allow for further comparison to other locations using this same device. Unfortunately, it has limitations on where it can be installed and what data it can provide. It is located just outside the Safety and Security office and provides a live display monitor. This data is available on the AirVisual app, but isn’t used to determine outdoor restrictions, it is merely for comparison with other similar units on the app.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
Contact:
Mark Hevland, Director of Risk Management
markh@isb.ac.th