Dr. Kirk R. Smith's research team is comparing fuel efficiency of a popular wood-burning stove (the plancha) in western Guatemala to an open fire. This stove has been shown previously to substantially reduce levels of indoor air pollution, but consumed more fuel and took longer than an open fire. Modification of the combustion chamber brought it up to the overall thermal efficiency of an open fire and used less wood fuel. In selecting a stove for the study, many were found to be faulty, highlighting the need to assess long-term sustainability of improved stoves. Stoves that reduce fuel use as well as household pollution hold great promise for poor populations in many parts of Latin America and other developing countries.

Chronic Respiratory Effects of Early Childhood Exposure to Respirable Particulate Matter (CRECER) Website