QAI for IAQ: The Warning Sign of Orange Snow

When Saharan dust storms sweep across Spain, painting the cities and skies amber and leaving the Spanish Pyrenees coated in orange snow, the spectacle may seem surreal – even beautiful. But beneath this haunting beauty lies a serious public health concern. These calima episodes can carry high concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 particles, which, combined with rising temperatures, significantly degrade outdoor air quality.

And the danger doesn’t stay outside. Dust finds its way into buildings, silently worsening IAQ – indoor air quality – and threatening those who assume they're safe behind closed windows. This is where QAI – quality air intelligence – becomes critical: unlike the weather, we can control the air we breathe indoors and make our spaces learn to breathe with us, adapting filtration and ventilation in real time to protect our health.

High-efficiency filtration systems (HEPA, activated carbon), demand-controlled mechanical ventilation (please – with heat recovery!), and air purification technologies that actively clean and refresh the air are no longer optional features; they are our first line of defense.

We must go from passive air to intelligent air. Through sensors that track CO₂, radon, particulate matter, humidity, and VOCs, we begin to understand how buildings "breathe." When powered by AI, these systems don't just react – they anticipate, predict, adapt, and learn, responding to occupancy, external pollution, and building usage. For schools, homes, offices or hospitals, this isn't about luxury or comfort – it's about creating cognitive indoor environments that actively protect health and well-being.

For too long, we've ignored IAQ, complacently dismissing the invisible. But now the signs are clear – and visible. Orange snow is not a miracle of nature; it’s a warning sign. And it's no longer rare: calima, DANA, wildfires, and other climate-driven threats are becoming more frequent. In this new era, the only clean air we may have is the air we manage. That’s why we need QAI for IAQ.

About Marta San Román. Marta San Román has over 30 years of international experience in innovation, applications engineering, product management, marketing strategy, communications, sales, and business development in mature and emerging markets for diverse industries and organizations, including Fortune 100/500 and large cooperatives, in sectors related to electronics, HVACR, solar thermal, energy efficiency, etc. Marta has a BS in Physics and is currently the Director General of AFEC, the association of HVAC equipment manufacturers in Spain, where she can develop her passion for sustainability and energy efficiency for comfort, indoor air quality, and environmental health in a decarbonized society.