FreshAir Launches Smoking Detection Solution for Education Environments

Sensor solutions company FreshAir recently announced the launch of the FreshAir1 Smoking Detection System, according to a news release. The technology monitors for and detects tobacco and marijuana smoke, and it is geared toward use in school and university buildings—as well as dormitories—to help enforce non-smoking polices and protect infrastructure and other property.

The FreshAir sensors detect specific molecules in tobacco and marijuana smoke as opposed to use of light or radiation. Further, “the molecularly imprinted polymer that forms the sensor resets following smoking detection, thus enabling continued monitoring without additional upkeep,” the news release reports. The devices are tamper-proof and use a cloud-based monitoring platform to help deter standard efforts to avoid smoke detection.

FreshAir Smoking Detection System
Image courtesy of FreshAir

The devices plug into standard outlets and are held in place with tamper-proof screws. The detection is WiFi-enabled, and each device connects to building networks to communicate continuously with the central monitoring platform. Each device can monitor up to 500 square feet of space.

When the device detects smoke, it sends an alert via email, desktop, or push notifications to a mobile device. The alerts include a timestamped report and the monitored location where it was detected, providing evidence to enforce building smoking policies. The accompanying mobile app and online portal include information like alert history, device information, and space to log additional information as needed, according to the press release.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Quattrocchi Kwok Architects Opens New Office in Denver

    Education planning and design firm Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) recently announced that it has opened a new office in Denver, Colo., the firm’s third overall. QKA is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif., and runs an East Bay Area office in Oakland.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Compton High School

    Compton High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Compton High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.