Campus Environmental Monitoring System
Project Summary:
The Campus Environmental Monitoring Station (CEMS) brings a state-of-the-art weather and air quality tracking system to the Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Mountain Campus. Spearheaded by a graduate student leader in partnership with the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, this initiative installs a high-precision Pulsar 800 weather station and an Orion AQM Plus air quality monitor atop the LEED Platinum-certified International Pavilion. The solar-powered equipment records real-time, campus-specific microclimate data—including solar radiation, wind dynamics, greenhouse gases, and particulate matter. This dataset is integrated into a public Campus Dashboard and directly incorporated into environmental science coursework, fully transforming the campus into an interactive living laboratory. Furthermore, these precise meteorological and atmospheric insights empower university planners to optimize facility heating and cooling, guide future renewable energy installations, and protect student health during regional wildfire events
Project Lead:
Joseph Thomas, Stephanie Arcusa, Anona Miller
Project Advisor:
Dr. Deborah Huntzinger
Date:
2020-03-30
Funding Amount:
$25,867.47
Department:
School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability