Real-time subway station air quality management and energy savings using 'Giga IoT Air Map'

KT announced that it has completed the construction of facilities for the Green Subway pilot project with the Seoul Metropolitan Transit Corporation and has begun full-scale operation.

Last December, KT and Seoul Metro signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a safe and clean Green Subway demonstration project and joint research on future public transportation technology.

Over the course of two months, KT and Seoul Metro installed air quality management services, intelligent CCTVs, safety systems for women's restrooms, and energy usage analysis systems at major stations on Subway Line 5. First, KT's air quality management solution (GiGA IoT Air Map), which can manage air quality in real time, was applied to three stations: Gwanghwamun, Wangsimni, and Janghanpyeong.

The Giga IoT Air Map installs IoT air quality sensors inside and outside subway stations to collect data on fine dust and ultrafine dust concentrations, temperature and humidity, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and noise every minute. Air quality data can be checked in real time through the integrated control system of the Seoul Metropolitan Transit Corporation's Health and Environment Department.

The corporation expects to benefit from energy savings as it operates air conditioning systems based on the air quality conditions of subway stations. The energy saved through the Giga IoT Air Map will be used for the cooling and heating of the stations. The corporation is currently reviewing plans to expand the Giga IoT Air Map to other stations.

KT and Seoul Metro have installed a 24-hour monitoring system (GiGAeyes) based on intelligent CCTV and IoT sensors at three locations—Gwanghwamun Station, Cheonho Station, and Godeok Depot—to ensure the safe use of the subway by citizens. In addition, Safe Mate, equipped with KT’s scream detection technology, was installed in all women’s restrooms at 10 stations including Gwanghwamun, Wangsimni, and Yeongdeungpo-gu Office so that women can use the restrooms with peace of mind.

GigaEyes is utilized to enhance safety and security at subway stations through intelligent technologies such as checking for passenger abnormalities, assessing congestion, and facial recognition. In the case of train depots, it is used to detect external intrusions in real time, day and night.

Safe Mate, installed in women's restrooms, triggers a flashing light at the entrance and transmits the emergency situation to the station staff's smartphone when a scream is detected. The corporation considers this a useful service during the early morning and late-night hours when there are few passengers and is pursuing cooperation with the Crime Prevention Center for a faster response.

Energy efficiency solutions have also been applied. KT’s Giga Energy Manager has been installed at 14 substations supplying power to Line 5 subway stations to collect power usage data every five minutes. KT plans to utilize big data analysis technology to derive measures to reduce energy costs, and based on past cases, it is projected that energy costs can be reduced by approximately 5% annually.

Direct current (DC) power monitoring systems for train starting have been installed at the two train depots in Godeok and Banghwa. Through this, the plan is to find ways to reduce energy costs by separately measuring the amount of electricity used in stations and trains for the first time in the country. In addition, the company expects to prevent problems such as power outages and operational delays caused by overload through the remote temperature monitoring service of DC distribution panels.

Kim Tae-ho, President of Seoul Metro, said, “We expect the Green Subway, jointly promoted with KT, to be of great help in providing citizens with more pleasant transportation services,” adding, “We will make further efforts to create a safe and clean subway by actively utilizing big data and other resources.”

KT President and Head of Business Planning Koo Hyun-mo stated, “KT’s innovative technology must ultimately become a service for people,” adding, “I hope that the innovative technologies and solutions possessed by KT will serve as a foundation to further elevate the level of transportation services in Seoul.”