RnProbe: A LoRa-Enabled IoT Edge Device for Integrated Radon Risk Management

Abstract

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can easily accumulate in indoor environments. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), radon gas is the second largest risk factor associated with lung cancer, after tobacco smoking. People spend at least half their life inside buildings, which are becoming increasingly more hermetic due to the pursuit of high energy efficiency - an increase in ventilation rates tends to increase heat losses. In this context, energy efficiency and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) concepts, if not studied in a balanced way, can move in opposite directions. The introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for continuous assessment of the IAQ can help to achieve an optimally integrated balance between them. This article focus on the specification and design of the RnProbe, an IoT Edge Device developed under the scope of the RnMonitor R&D project whose main objective was the specification and development of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS) for integrated Radon Risk Management in public buildings, such as schools, kindergartens, offices, and hospitals, that are restricted to regular occupancy schedules, so that policymakers and building managers can reduce public health risks associated with the exposure to this pollutant. The device collects, aggregates, and transmits up to the cloud, several indoor environmental parameters. When combined these measurements are used to perform specific mitigation actions in the building, to improve IAQ.