UIC researchers developing tool to predict hidden mold risks in homes

Excess moisture rots wood and ruins drywall, threatening the structure of homes. It also poses significant health risks, as it can incite allergic reactions, exacerbate asthma, irritate the eyes and skin, and cause chronic respiratory issues.

In an effort to improve health in homes, Aslihan Karatas, assistant professor of civil, materials and environmental engineering, and her PhD student, Parisa Salehi, are developing a user-friendly, cost-effective predictive tool for community organizations and city health officials to identify and map houses at risk of hidden mold growth without the need for costly physical inspections.

"The focus of the research is understanding what causes mold to grow in houses and how we can predict the growth of mold in houses," said Karatas, director of the Built Environment and Infrastructure Laboratory at UIC.

While there are companies that can provide mold inspections, they can be expensive, and not every household can afford them.

"People don't know if they have this problem or not, which means there is no data and no evidence that the houses contain health problems," she said. "That's what we want to solve. How can we predict or develop a prediction model before going through a cumbersome process? And can we identify at-risk homes so that governments or nonprofit agencies can allocate their resources efficiently and effectively?"

To get the data needed to identify at-risk homes, the researchers partnered with community agencies to host informational meetings.

"We had a lot of meetings with community members to create a connection and trust," Salehi said. "It was a learning experience for me as we were working with different cultures, and I had to learn how to communicate our message and work properly."

The meetings led to more than 100 homes on Chicago's Southwest Side receiving free inspections.

"We found mold in 33 of the homes and were able to provide mold remediation with a professional mold inspection and remediation company," Karatas added. "We will use the data from these houses to further develop a prediction model"

The researchers also offered community members support in preventing mold from returning.

"We provided an education component to the tenants as we observed that many of the residents didn't know what mold is. After the remediation, we provided guidance on maintaining a healthy home environment, and some residents received humidifiers," she said. "This isn't a one-time solution. It's a sustainable solution."

With the data collected, the researchers are developing a predictive model to identify at-risk homes before they undergo expensive mold inspections.

"We are making it as user-friendly as possible so everyone can use it without needing extensive training," she said. "This is a very important mission we are taking on in engineering at UIC and with our partners. We are doing this in Chicago communities close to UIC, where there is a need for these tools and mold remediation."

"As a researcher, it's important for me to do something important for society. We do a lot of research and experimentation, but in the end, we want to apply it in practice. We want our research to be meaningful for people to use to improve the quality of life," Salehi added.

In addition to helping Chicago residents, UIC undergraduate students benefit by participating in research and gaining experience outside of the classroom.

"We will continue to work with undergraduate students as we develop the prediction model, where they will learn about data analysis and how to use AI to co-develop a tool for the community using their engineering skills," she said.

The research is supported by a grant of nearly $1 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Healthy Homes Technical Studies program. The interdisciplinary project includes researchers from UIC's College of Social Work and UIC's School of Public Health, as well as community partners Gamaliel of Metro Chicago, Xilin Association, Araceli Lucio, and the 25th Aldermanic Ward Office led by Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez.

- David Staudacher, College of Engineering