AirScape
At Camden Clean Air we set out to increase the number of air quality sensors around the Borough.
In Partnership with AirScape!
We have installed 225 air quality sensors across the Borough of Camden. These sensors are approximately 200 metres apart, therefore providing hyper-local air quality data. This is the densest network in the world and will fundamentally transform how we monitor and manage air pollution to improve health and well-being in urban spaces.
Why?
We believed there was space for an increase in real-time and low-cost sensors so that residents could access a hyper-local understanding of the air quality. The data will contribute to impactful decision-making for all stakeholders interested in improving air quality in the Borough, from councils, individuals and communities to schools, offices, hospitals, retail and hospitality businesses. Examples of uses of the data are enabling the public to map less polluted routes from A-to-B, feeding into local traffic management policy, and providing NHS Trusts and schools with information to help raise awareness of air pollution and protect vulnerable communities. The future possibilities of how the data can be used are vast.
How?
Camden Clean Air partnered with air quality specialists AirScape to install 225 advanced AirNode sensors across the Borough. The network will provide at least 100x more spatial resolution and refresh 60x more regularly than the network of existing air quality reference stations in Camden, capturing and reporting hyper-local air quality data every minute to map the issue in real-time. By working with Camden council, we have been able to install these sensors mostly on lighting columns. Some have also been put on the sides of buildings and schools. These sensors monitor NO2, PM2.5, PM10, and O3.
When?
The entire network has now been installed and the sensors have been collecting data for the past few months. We held a community launch at the British Library in April to share the BETA version of the AirScape platform with people from Camden who had been interested in the network. This consisted of residents, business owners, school teachers, pupils, and the local council. We encouraged these community members to use the platform while still in its BETA phase and provide their feedback. We are currently working through community feedback ahead of the public launch in June. We will then be confident that it has been tried and tested by the Camden community.