Seocho-gu, Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor Rental

Full-scale operation this year to emphasize the importance of ventilation and encourage voluntary management... Positive response from residents with about 50 rentals per month

Real-time monitoring of six items including (ultra) fine dust, VOC, CO2, humidity, etc., compatible with smartphones

The district provides notification services for appropriate ventilation timing... Creating a healthy indoor environment by making ventilation a daily habit at home

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “I tried renting an indoor air quality monitor because it was said to display levels of VOC, CO2, and other substances that are difficult to remove with home air purifiers, and I realized that these substances are abundant in our daily lives. Now, ventilating frequently has become a habit.” (Mr. Kim from Seocho-dong)

Recently, as indoor living has increased due to fine dust and COVID-19, and interest in environmental harmful substances has grown, Seocho-gu has rolled up its sleeves to create a comfortable indoor breathing environment.

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) operates a ‘Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor (photo) Rental Service’ that allows residents to measure air quality themselves at home and create clean spaces.

This service, which has been in full operation this year, has received great response from residents, with about 50 rentals per month.

The reason the district operates this rental service is to inform residents of the importance of ventilation through measuring indoor air quality at home and to encourage voluntary management of indoor air quality. Although many households operate air purifiers, it is difficult to remove gaseous substances such as VOC and CO2, so ventilation is essential to minimize pollutants.

The district’s indoor air quality monitor is a product certified as Grade 1 by the Ministry of Environment for fine dust measurement. It can monitor six items every minute, including (ultra) fine dust, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentration, temperature, and humidity. It is also linked to smartphones, allowing residents to check indoor air quality in real time even from outside.

In particular, the six measurement items are displayed with four colors and values?very bad (red), bad (orange), normal (green), and good (blue)?making self-measurement easy. Additionally, if indoor air quality is ‘bad’ or worse, an alert service encourages operating air purifiers or making ventilation a daily habit.

Before renting the indoor air quality monitor, the district provides residents with an educational leaflet on air quality management methods. The leaflet includes instructions on how to use the monitor as well as ▲ventilation methods when fine dust levels are high ▲indoor air quality management tips for different spaces such as bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens.

Anyone residing in Seocho-gu can apply. After making a reservation at the district office’s Climate Environment Division or one of the five toy libraries in Seocho-gu’s districts, residents can visit to pick up the device. The rental period is 14 days, and the service is free of charge.

The district smartly manages air quality in public institutions and other multi-use facilities. Since 2020, it has operated the nation’s first IoT-based indoor air quality management service, the ‘Green Seocho Project,’ measuring and managing air quality in real time at over 360 locations including national and public daycare centers, libraries, senior centers, and cultural and sports facilities. Moreover, the district regularly disinfects these spaces, measuring hygiene factors such as airborne bacteria, formaldehyde, and mold, ensuring that vulnerable groups like seniors and children can use the spaces safely.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “This rental service will help alleviate residents’ concerns about environmental harmful substances at home and raise awareness of air quality. We will continue to strive to build an environmental safety net to protect residents’ health.”

Gwanak-gu Supports Installation of Flood Damage Prevention Facilities in Apartment Complexes

Applications for support for installation of flood damage prevention facilities in apartment complexes open until February 28

Up to 10 million KRW for installation of water barriers and rainwater inlets, and up to 1 million KRW for purchase and fabrication of pumps and sandboxes

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is supporting the installation of ‘flood damage prevention facilities’ in apartment complexes to prevent flood damage and safety accidents caused by heavy rain.

The facilities, including water barriers, rainwater inlets, pumps, and sandboxes, will be installed in flood-prone areas such as underground parking lots to prepare for heavy summer rains.

The district plans to invest a budget of 50 million KRW this year and recruit 144 apartment complexes in the area for subsidy support.

The support covers up to 50% of the total installation cost, with a maximum of 10 million KRW for flood damage prevention facility installation and up to 1 million KRW for pump and sandbox fabrication and purchase.

Applications can be submitted by the apartment complex residents’ representatives or management entities by February 28 by visiting or mailing the application and related documents to the Housing Division of Gwanak-gu Office.

After on-site inspections and evaluations, the final support recipients will be selected in April. For more details, check the announcement on the Gwanak-gu website (News & Notices → Public Notices) or contact the Housing Division of Gwanak-gu Office by phone.

A district official said, “This support for installing flood damage prevention facilities will prevent safety accidents caused by heavy rain and create a pleasant apartment complex environment. We will continue to do our best to make Gwanak a safe city with various policies prioritizing the safety of residents’ lives and property.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.