Lab Safety Officer Jack Bracken, from Environment, Health & Safety, submitted a question he received during the recent Saddleridge and Getty wildfires.
Even though the Air Quality Index (AQI) was listed as moderate, research faculty could smell smoke and wondered about the indoor air quality in their labs.
Why does it smell strongly of smoke in my lab and building but not outside?
In this case, it may be that the outdoor air quality at ground level differs from that on the roof where the system pulls supply air for the building. it could be that at those higher elevations, especially atop tall buildings like Gonda and the Neuroscience Research Building (NRB), there is smoke in the air that one cannot smell as strongly at ground level. Beyond that, there is no scientific reason that we can think of why a lab would smell like smoke but outside air at ground level would not.
Air quality near campus is continuously monitored during a wildfire smoke event, using AQI data from multiple sources, including EPA Air Now and multiple local Purple Air sensors located in surrounding neighborhoods. UCLA recently purchased several air quality sensors that will be installed around campus so that we can quickly obtain relevant AQI data for both outdoor and indoor spaces on campus. During a wildfire smoke event, information about air quality and other concerns is posted at Bruins Safe Online. If you have concerns about indoor air quality during a smoke event, please call the Facilities Management Trouble Call Center at 310-825-9236 so we can dispatch a team to look into it.
Thank you,
Kelly Schmader
Assistant Vice Chancellor
Facilities Management
Michael Beck
Administrative VIce Chancellor
UCLA Administration
Have a question for the Administration Leadership Team? Email it to adminvc@ucla.edu
Check out the new UC report on Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality
Read Dr. Kleerup's recommended precautions to take to limit smoke exposure
