In an effort to decrease pollution from coal-burning heaters in Mongolian houses (called gers), BYU engineers have developed a $400 system that allows Mongolian families to retrofit and insulate their homes so they can use electric heaters instead of coal. Because most gers (also known as yurts), are insulated only with layers of felt on a wood base, it would take about six electric heaters to keep them warm in Mongolia's -40 degree winters. BYU engineering Capstone students built a ger on BYU's campus in Provo, Utah, to study the problem and suggest alternatives including insulating the ger with layers of radiant barrier (with gaps designed to allow warm air to bounce back into the structure rather than escaping), and identifying and fixing other locations where heat loss occurs (including floors, doorways and the rooftop window). In testing in early 2019, the students found that a retrofit, which could be completed in a day, reduced heat loss enough that one heater kept a ger toasty warm (82 degres) overnight (an observation that was followed by a lesson on how to adjust the heater's thermostat). Deseret International Charities, which funded and supported the Capstone project, is testing the solution by retrofitting 120 gers this fall with hopes of bringing the idea to thousands of Mongolian families in the future. The project could have immediate impact for families as, with coal stoves, pollutants are trapped inside the homes causing significant health problems, particularly for children. The BYU team found that the level of PM 2.5 particulate inside a ger was 400 micrograms per cubic meter; the World Health Organization standard is 25 micrograms. "For every family we convince (to retrofit their ger), we immediately impact their lives for good and improve their quality of life," says BYU Capstone team member Dylan Sellers. "It's enough if one family adopts this. To have tens of thousands of homes retrofitted is the dream."
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