Gwangmyeong City Uses AI to Tackle Fine Dust... All-Out Effort for Zero Air Quality Blind Spots

First in the Nation: AI Ventilation System Introduced
Remarkable 85.9% Reduction in Ultrafine Dust (PM2.5)
City Directly Manages 300 Small-Scale Facilities in Legal Blind Spots
100% Citizen Satisfaction... Building a Health and Welfare Safety Net

Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies into its administrative processes to eliminate “blind spots” in air quality for citizens. The city is making every effort to secure residents’ right to health through hands-on administration that takes direct responsibility even for small-scale facilities not subject to mandatory legal oversight.

On April 24, Gwangmyeong City announced that it will implement its “Zero Blind Spots in Indoor Air Quality Management” policy, which ensures thorough oversight of all small-scale facilities, including those not covered by legal management requirements.

AI Ventilation System Installation (Avengers Regional Child Center). Provided by Gwangmyeong City

AI Ensures Clean Air Independently... Reduced PM2.5 by 85.9%

Since May 2025, Gwangmyeong City has been a national leader among local governments by introducing the “AI Ventilation and Purification System,” implementing data-driven, science-based administration.

This system analyzes real-time data from indoor IoT sensors and outdoor national monitoring networks. The AI independently determines the optimal ventilation timing and controls the system automatically.

As a result of installing this system at five facilities for vulnerable groups in fine dust management zones, the concentration of ultrafine dust (PM2.5) dropped from an average of 22.0 ㎍/㎥ before installation to 2.82 ㎍/㎥ after installation, an 85.9% reduction.

The concentration of fine dust (PM10) also fell from 45.72 ㎍/㎥ to 10.32 ㎍/㎥, a 73.3% decrease.

In particular, by minimizing heat loss through heat exchangers when introducing outside air, the system reduces heating and cooling energy use and cuts carbon emissions, thereby fulfilling the values of “environmental, social, and governance (ESG) administration.”

Citizens using these facilities stated, “It is much more reassuring to see the improvement in air quality reflected in the numbers.”

AI Ventilation System Installation (Yerim Daycare Center). Provided by Gwangmyeong City

“Children Can Play Freely”… The Secret to a 100% Satisfaction Score

Furthermore, the city is not stopping at simply distributing devices—it is focusing on fundamentally improving the environments of facilities with poor conditions.

Through the “Clean Breathing Spaces Project,” the city has provided support such as installing eco-friendly wallpaper and flooring, applying eco-friendly paint, and installing kitchen hoods and dehumidifiers at facilities including Hanjin Piaget Daycare Center, Dongyang Apartment Senior Center, and Saehope Community Children’s Center, fundamentally enhancing indoor environments.

Last year, the city completed the transfer of customized management methods for each of the 37 facilities that exceeded indoor air quality standards. The city analyzed the sources of pollution and proposed specific management measures.

As a result of this on-site, hands-on support, a 2025 maintenance project satisfaction survey recorded a perfect score of 100 points in all categories, including overall project satisfaction and perceived effectiveness. This serves as proof of the city administration’s reliability.

Indoor Air Quality Measurement (Gwangmyeong Disabled Vocational Adaptation Training Center Program Room). Provided by Gwangmyeong City

Precise Management of Six Pollutants... Intensive Support for 300 Small-Scale Facilities

Gwangmyeong City’s policy is particularly meaningful in that the city directly manages 300 small-scale facilities in blind spots, including 146 daycare centers smaller than 430㎡ and 115 nursing homes under 1,000㎡, all of which are not legally required to be managed.

This year, the city will conduct precise measurements of six pollutants at 120 facilities used by vulnerable groups: fine dust (PM10), ultrafine dust (PM2.5), carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, total airborne bacteria (bacteria that adhere to dust or water vapor and float in the air), and mold, all of which can cause respiratory illnesses.

The measured data is not merely used for monitoring. It is also used to provide each facility with tailored guidance on how to maintain clean air based on its specific characteristics.

Notably, for two newly built apartment complexes with over 100 households each, completed at the beginning of this year, the city thoroughly checked whether pre-occupancy air quality measurement results were publicly disclosed and conducted its own contamination inspections, actively addressing residents’ concerns about “sick building syndrome.”

Choi Hyemin, Acting Mayor (Deputy Mayor) of Gwangmyeong City, stated, “Managing indoor air quality is an invisible form of welfare directly linked to citizens’ right to health. We will continue to actively introduce cutting-edge technologies such as AI to ensure that all citizens can breathe clean air with peace of mind 365 days a year.”

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