Ontario’s wildfire season is no longer only a concern for communities close to the fire line. Smoke can travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, affecting air quality far from its source and finding its way inside offices, schools, warehouses and other commercial buildings.
During a recent regional smoke event, O’Dell HVAC Group wanted to look beyond the outdoor air-quality alert and ask a practical question: what was actually happening inside our Waterloo office? To find out, we measured particulate levels in three different spaces—with results that clearly demonstrated the value of responsive air cleaning with smartIAQ.
How smartIAQ Works and Why the Indoor Air Quality Procedure Matters During Smoke Events
The smartIAQ system installed at O’Dell operates independently of the central HVAC system, continuously monitoring indoor air conditions and adjusting cleaned airflow based on real-time demand. When particulate levels increase, the system automatically increases air-cleaning capacity; when conditions improve, output is reduced. This demand-driven approach provides targeted air cleaning only when needed while optimizing energy use.
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 provides multiple pathways for achieving acceptable indoor air quality. The Ventilation Rate Procedure (VRP) relies on outdoor air dilution based on factors such as occupancy and floor area. The Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP) takes a different approach by identifying contaminants of concern, establishing acceptable limits, and accounting for verified air-cleaning effectiveness.
smartIAQ incorporates the required testing, certifications, and documented air-cleaning performance necessary to support an IAQP-based design approach. This allows properly engineered buildings to account for verified particulate removal and air-cleaning effectiveness when demonstrating compliance with ASHRAE 62.1. Utilizing the IAQP often results in a significant reduction in outdoor air required to meet ASHRAE compliance.
Wildfire smoke highlights the limitations of relying exclusively on outdoor air as the primary solution for indoor air quality. During smoke events, outdoor air may contain elevated particulate levels, making increased ventilation counterproductive.
An IAQP-based design with smartIAQ provides a more resilient approach by:
- Reducing dependence on outdoor air when outdoor particulate levels are elevated.
- Using real-time sensing to identify changing indoor conditions and adjust cleaning performance.
- Managing contaminants directly through verified air-cleaning effectiveness rather than relying only on dilution.
- Providing continuous verification of the air quality occupants are actually breathing.
By combining IAQP with smartIAQ’s certified air-cleaning technology and demand-driven controls, buildings can maintain healthier indoor environments and respond more effectively to changing outdoor air conditions.
Waterloo Office Results
On July 15, 2026, particulate levels were monitored in three areas within O’Dell to evaluate the impact of active air cleaning on indoor air quality. The evaluation focused on PM2.5, one of ASHRAE’s identified contaminants of concern and a primary pollutant associated with wildfire smoke events.
PM2.5 refers to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or smaller. Due to their extremely small size, these particles can remain suspended in the air for extended periods and can penetrate deep into the respiratory system.
The three areas tested were the boardroom, parts room, and lunchroom. The boardroom and parts room did not have dedicated smartIAQ systems installed, while the lunchroom was equipped with an operating smartIAQ unit. During the monitoring period, elevated particulate levels were observed throughout the facility, providing an opportunity to compare spaces with and without active air cleaning.
| Space | Air-cleaning condition | Mean PM2.5 | Mean overall PM |
| Boardroom | No smartIAQ installed | 160.7 µg/m³ | 162.8 µg/m³ |
| Parts room | No smartIAQ installed | 160.3 µg/m³ | 161.4 µg/m³ |
| Lunchroom | smartIAQ operating | 55.5 µg/m³ | 56.1 µg/m³ |
The lunchroom’s mean PM2.5 concentration was approximately 65% lower than the average of the two untreated rooms.
smartIAQ also measures a variety of other particle sizes and a similar difference appeared across all of them.
| Particle size | Boardroom | Parts room | Lunchroom: smartIAQ | Approx. reduction |
| PM1 | 139.4 µg/m³ | 142.9 µg/m³ | 48.6 µg/m³ | 66% |
| PM2.5 | 160.7 µg/m³ | 160.3 µg/m³ | 55.5 µg/m³ | 65% |
| PM4 | 172.7 µg/m³ | 169.0 µg/m³ | 59.2 µg/m³ | 65% |
| PM10 | 178.6 µg/m³ | 173.2 µg/m³ | 61.0 µg/m³ | 65% |
What the results show
The smartIAQ system responded automatically to changing indoor conditions without requiring occupants or facility staff to activate a special wildfire or smoke mode. Integrated sensors detected elevated particulate levels and automatically increased air-cleaning output to address the changing conditions.
Smart IAQ has a variety of installation methods to help with employing their technology:
| Configuration | Application |
| GridSet | Lay-in ceiling-grid unit for zone-level cleaning without external ductwork. |
| Distributed | Standalone solution serving one room or multiple zones, independent of the central HVAC system; suitable above a drop ceiling, in a plenum return or in an open-ceiling space. |
| Centralized | Side-stream installation connected to an existing air-handling unit for broader, system-level integration. |
An IAQP-based approach supported by smartIAQ provides a validated pathway for controlling particulate contaminants while optimizing ventilation requirements. Through certified air-cleaning performance, continuous monitoring, and automatic demand response, smartIAQ allows buildings to maintain indoor air quality during challenging outdoor conditions, including wildfire smoke events.
