KT announced that starting in August, it will conduct a pilot application of an 'air quality management solution' in 10 schools near fine dust vulnerable areas in collaboration with the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education.

Through this agreement, KT and the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education will install KT's IoT air quality measurement devices in school playgrounds, classrooms, gymnasiums, and other facilities, collecting and analyzing seven types of indoor and outdoor air quality conditions—fine dust, ultrafine dust, temperature, humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide (CO2), and noise—24 hours a day, 365 days a year in real-time. The measured data can be easily monitored through smartphones, computers, and dedicated monitors.

For example, if the air quality outside the classroom is good, outdoor physical activities are conducted as scheduled and classroom ventilation is recommended. However, if the fine dust measurement in the playground shows 'poor' levels, outdoor activities and classroom ventilation are suspended according to the 'school observation network fine dust response practical manual,' and air purifiers are operated to help protect students' health and improve learning ability.

The school-dedicated 'smart air quality management solution' jointly developed by KT and K-Weather analyzes seven air quality factors and displays them as a 'comprehensive learning efficiency index,' automatically operating air purifiers to maintain optimal air conditions according to the index.

Additionally, it provides useful information to protect students from fine dust, such as outdoor activity availability and duration based on air conditions and ventilation possibilities. The company plans to expand support areas to include fine dust cause analysis and reduction measures through future big data analysis.

Furthermore, KT plans to form a practical task force with the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education to implement ▶preparation of school-dedicated customized fine dust response manuals, ▶fine dust response education and hazard awareness improvement activities targeting students, parents, and faculty, ▶establishment of surrounding harmful environment databases per school and identification of hindering factors, and ▶establishment of gymnasium air quality maintenance and management standards.

Kim Jun-geun, head of KT's GiGA IoT business division, stated, "We have built a 'smart air quality management solution' to protect students' health from the threat of air pollution such as fine dust and ease parents' concerns," adding, "In the future, we will analyze air quality conditions per school and identify hindering factors, automatically operating air purifiers according to real-time indoor and outdoor air quality conditions, and work towards creating pleasant school environments through ICT technology."