AQMesh News
The challenges and benefits of using small sensor technology for local air quality monitoring
In 2017 we wrote an article about the challenges and benefits of local air quality monitoring and it continues to be our most regularly read item on our website. However the ‘small sensor’ air quality monitoring world has moved on during the last three years and we have identified several new challenges and benefits relating …
Read more >>AQMesh used to monitor pollution from alternative cooking fuels in Kenya
Three AQMesh pods have been monitoring air quality in Kenya as part of a study to measure the impact of using biogas as an alternative cooking fuel. Funded by the UK Research Council and led by a partnership between the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and the Department of Chemistry, the project …
Read more >>AQMesh is recognised as the most accurate multi-parameter small sensor system for outdoor air quality monitoring in AIRLAB International Microsensors Challenge
The results of the 2019 AIRLAB Microsensors Challenge* were revealed in Paris on 21st January and AQMesh was awarded the highest score for accuracy of all multi-parameter products presented for monitoring of outdoor air quality. In this independent international comparison of small sensor air quality monitoring products, a range of manufacturers submitted three examples of …
Read more >>Technology underpins Breathe London SMART 50 award
The Breathe London project has been announced as the winner of a SMART 50 Award by Smart Cities Connect, within the Digital Transformation category. Created to better understand Londoners’ exposure to air pollution, Breathe London combines state-of-the-art technology with new data analytics, delivering real-time air quality data at a hyperlocal level in the city. The …
Read more >>Air pollution to be monitored at 22 schools in Newcastle, UK
A network of sensors has been set up in Newcastle in order to give policymakers a more accurate picture of the air being breathed by children. The project is a collaboration with Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council who have installed 22 air pollution sensors outside schools that are located close to major roads. The …
Read more >>Air pollution set to exceed limits at four out of five Breathe London sites
Last month Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDFE) together with Mayor Sadiq Khan are releasing the second wave of data from Breathe London, an ambitious collaborative project to measure and map air pollution across the capital.
Read more >>Two AQMesh pods operating across Spain for over 6 years
Whilst not the only AQMesh pods still in regular use since the product was commercially launched in 2013, two AQMesh pods are still in use in Spain and demonstrate the long life of this small sensor air quality monitoring system. Over the last six years, the two pods have been loaned by AQMesh distributor in …
Read more >>AQMesh can check if your employees are exposed to air pollutants as harmful as cigarette smoke
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that long-term exposure to poor air quality can have the same damaging effect as smoking 20 cigarettes a day, with air pollution shown to be more dangerous than passive smoking. Many employees are exposed to poor air quality on a regular basis …
Read more >>MPCA publishes local air quality data from AQMesh
Following project funding* in 2017, earlier this year MPCA successfully installed AQMesh pods across 44 sites in neighbourhoods around Minneapolis and St. Paul, primarily on lampposts in school parking lots, with at least one pod in each ZIP code.
Read more >>London’s air quality goes online with AQMesh
Detailed information on London’s (UK) air pollution is now being published on breathelondon.org, the website for a new collaborative project to paint a clearer picture of the city’s air quality. The readings are being provided by a network of AQMesh air quality monitoring pods supplied and installed by Air Monitors, part of the ACOEM Group. …
Read more >>AQMesh used by Glasgow schools aiming to reduce vehicle pollution
Schools near Glasgow have been monitoring air quality as part of a project aiming to reduce the levels of pollution emitted by vehicles as they drop off and collect children. The project is part of a ‘Beat the Street’ initiative that was granted £50,000 from a new £1million fund to increase walking, cycling and sustainable …
Read more >>AQMesh network will be used to manage Marseille tunnel ventilation
Following a successful evaluation phase in 2018, AQMesh small sensor air quality monitoring ‘pods’ have been selected for use in a project to control the ventilation of a road tunnel in the city of Marseille. Supported by the AtmoSud (AirPACA) local air quality monitoring network, the CETU (Tunnel Studies Centre) and AQMesh distributor Addair, eight …
Read more >>AQMesh used by Guardian journalists in the UK to highlight air quality risks in London
Supporting the aims of Clean Air Day today, 20th June 2019, the Guardian has published a short film demonstrating the changing levels of pollution that children are exposed to as they walk to school in London. The film can be viewed here. The Guardian Cities team worked closely with their colleagues in multimedia to create …
Read more >>Projet Borée : les micro-capteurs sont installés tunnel L2, Montolivet Sud
Suite à une phase d’évaluation et en raison de sa qualité de mesure, la solution AQMesh a été sélectionnée dans le cadre d’un projet d’asservissement de la ventilation d’un tunnel routier dans la ville de Marseille. Ce projet, porté par le réseau de surveillance de la qualité de l’air local AtmoSud et le CETU (Centre …
Read more >>Thames network to monitor air pollution from cruise ships
A new network of air pollution monitors has been installed to record emissions from cruise ships docking in Greenwich. The £80,000 network has been funded by the Port of London Authority (PLA) and installed in partnership with Breathe London and the borough councils covering both Greenwich and Tower Hamlets. The eight monitoring stations, all located …
Read more >>New modular options for AQMesh air quality monitoring systems
The AQMesh small sensor air quality monitoring system already offers flexibility of monitoring location – through independent power and communications – as well as high data quality and traceability. Now the platform is even more flexible ..
Read more >>How clean is your local air?
Few people know how clean the air is where they live, work, exercise or where their children go to school. Although air quality can be shown to vary significantly over short distances, air pollution is generally measured using a small number of large, expensive and high quality monitoring stations. The equipment used in these stations …
Read more >>AQMesh thrives through another harsh Winter
North Americans will be well aware of the particularly harsh weather in the early months of 2019, but AQMesh has taken conditions in its stride. The AQMesh stated operating range of -20°C to + 40°C is backed up by long-term operation across a wide range of climates. AQMesh pods used by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency …
Read more >>AQMesh used in smart cities to share air quality data with the public
In an inter-connected world, air quality is increasingly becoming another measurement made available to the public, but how reliable is the data? Common air pollutants such as NO2 and PM2.5 mix at different rates depending on their source and local weather conditions, particularly wind speed, leaving large local variations in pollution levels. Urban air quality …
Read more >>AQMesh measures influence of cruise ship emissions on local air quality
AQMesh has been used in a project at the Port of Kiel, Germany, to measure emissions of nitrous oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM) around its cruise ship terminal.
Read more >>Latest AQMesh co-location studies show capability of small sensor systems
Recent co-location comparison trials against certified reference equipment continue to prove AQMesh performance and reliability for localised air quality monitoring. Trials in the USA, UK and Western Europe this year have delivered high correlation coefficients ..
Read more >>Urban Observatory monitors Newcastle with new generation of environmental sensors
The UK’s first Urban Observatory, led by Newcastle University, has been designed to provide a digital view of how cities work. AQMesh air quality monitoring equipment is being deployed across Newcastle and Gateshead ..
Read more >>AQMesh shows high accuracy local ozone readings across global locations
AQMesh has been measuring ozone (O3) using small sensors since 2011 and the readings from the latest generation electrochemical sensor, using AQMesh v4.2.3 processing, as compared to co-located certified reference readings, consistently show an R2 of over 0.9 with an accuracy ±10ppb (20µg/m3).
Read more >>Car-free Cardiff achieves 69% air quality improvement
On Sunday 13th May 2018, Cardiff Council organised a car-free day in the city’s central area. As a result of this event air quality monitoring data showed an average 69% drop in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – one of the pollutants of greatest public health concern. Seeking a better understanding of the relationship between air quality …
Read more >>AQMesh introduces new CO2 and H2S monitoring capability
AQMesh is now able to offer CO2 and H2S within its range of gas options for local air pollution monitoring. The NDIR CO2 sensor, which can be offered within a single AQMesh pod alongside five other gases out of NO, NO2, O3, CO, SO2 or H2S, as well as PM1, PM2.5, PM10, temperature, pressure and …
Read more >>AQMesh to be used in new ‘hyperlocal’ air quality network for London
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched a new, street-by-street monitoring system that will help to improve that capital’s air quality. From July 2018, and operating for a year, London will benefit from what is being described as the world’s most sophisticated air quality monitoring system.
Read more >>Traffic pollution in office buildings drives innovative indoor-outdoor air quality management
Extensive research has shown that indoor air quality is often worse than outdoors. Closed system buildings trap harmful particles inside, and external air intakes can bring in more polluted air from outside.
Read more >>MPCA AQMesh small sensor AQ network takes shape in Minneapolis – St. Paul
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has purchased fifty AQMesh pods to measure key air pollution gases and particulate matter across fifty different zip code areas. These small sensor air quality monitoring systems measure NO, NO2, O3, CO, SO2, PM1, PM2.5, PM10, temperature, pressure and relative humidity and will be installed – one per zip code …
Read more >>Smart cities risk reputation with poor air quality data
The team at AQMesh continue to receive many enquiries from smart city initiatives and are concerned that integrators risk undermining entire projects by distributing meaningless or misleading air quality information. “Many of the people I speak to are used to dealing with sensors that are easy to ‘plug and play’ and expect to be able …
Read more >>AQMesh monitors the impact of new Oxford shopping centre on local air quality
Oxford City Council has been managing two AQMesh pods, supplied by Air Monitors Ltd, in order to monitor the impact the new Westgate centre is having on local air quality.
Read more >>AQMesh shown to achieve highest correlation coefficients in new ACS paper
A new paper published by the American Chemical Society (ACS Sensors) reviews the use of amperometric electrochemical gas sensors for monitoring inorganic gases that affect urban air quality. Written by John Saffell and Ronan Baron of Alphasense, the paper gives a full explanation of how the sensors work, how they have developed and a review …
Read more >>German AQMesh distributor Envilyse visits Austria for annual ambient air conference
In October, the AQMesh distributor in Germany – Envilyse – was personally invited to Austria to take part in an annual conference for the ambient air community.
Read more >>Upplands Motor in Stockholm compares air quality indoor and outdoor
Two AQMesh pods were used to measure NO, NO2, O3 and CO during May and June 2017 at the largest combined Volvo, Ford and Renault car dealer in Stockholm, Sweden, located on the highway between Stockholm city centre and Arlanda airport. The objective was to measure the air quality outside and inside the combined showroom and workshop, demonstrating the importance of measuring common traffic-related pollutants indoors as well as outdoors. The project was also to assess the suitability of AQMesh for this application, including ease of installation and relocation.
Read more >>AQMesh selected for 2017 Parliamentary Review
AQMesh was selected to be included in the 2017 Parliamentary Review as an industry leader within the environmental technology sector. The Parliamentary Review is an annual publication which is released to coincide with the beginning of the new Parliamentary year, acting as a guide to cross-sector best practice for the UK’s leading policy makers. The AQMesh …
Read more >>AQMesh used to measure local air quality at Surrey school
Cleves School in Weybridge, Surrey (UK) has used AQMesh to measure pollution at the primary school’s entrance. The project, led by Dr. Edward Salter over the school’s summer term, aimed to understand exposure of the children (aged 7-11) to dangerous pollutant gases, with particular interest in the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). …
Read more >>Professor Rod Jones’ presentation on large scale deployment of sensors
At the IAPSC in May 2017, Professor Rod Jones of the University of Cambridge presented his case study on large scale deployment of sensors, which included showing how AQMesh can be used to discriminate between local sources of pollution and regional sources of pollution. The study also found how modelling captures the magnitude of an …
Read more >>AQMesh measures SO2 and PM from Nicaragua volcano
AQMesh is currently in use in Nicaragua, monitoring air quality in communities living near Masaya volcano. The six AQMesh pods have been used to show variations in volcanogenic SO2 and PM levels at different times and at different locations across the area.
Read more >>New AQMesh co-location comparisons show very strong correlation values
Recent co-location comparison trials using the latest AQMesh processing (v4.2.3) have further proven AQMesh performance with impressive R2 values in excess of O.8 and 0.9 for NO2 in Benelux, Slovakia and Spain. Particulate matter (PM2.5) was also monitored throughout the Slovakia trial and delivered an R2 value of 0.98. Correlation values for NO continue to …
Read more >>AQMesh complements air quality modelling, reference equipment and indicative data sources
Leading small sensor air quality monitor, AQMesh, has recently been shown to work alongside passive samplers and air quality models, as well as complementing reference station networks. A recent study shows AQMesh calibration against diffusion tubes and two 2017 conferences have highlighted the potential of such systems used in an air quality network. At the …
Read more >>AQMesh can also be scaled using diffusion tubes
The AQMesh team has carried out a test which shows that calibration (scaling) of AQMesh against one, or ideally several, diffusion tubes, is a viable option when no local reference station is available. When three AQMesh pods and four NO2 diffusion tubes were co-located against a reference station, the diffusion tube readings were so consistent …
Read more >>Assess employee air pollution exposure with AQMesh
On 9th April The Sunday Times reported that employers have been told they are legally obliged to protect their staff from diesel fumes — and could be sued if workers develop cancer later in life. Read the full article here. Employers who want to assess risk to employees can use AQMesh to take round-the-clock readings of …
Read more >>Easy integration of air quality data for smart cities with AQMesh
Smart city projects pursue the vision of instrumenting a city with a large number of measurement ‘nodes’ and distributing this information to a range of stakeholders. But at that point different priorities emerge: IT teams are attracted by how readily data can be integrated and communicated whilst air quality professionals focus on how meaningful the air quality readings are. …
Read more >>AQMesh in BBC air quality feature
AQMesh showed its versatility in the BBC’s Inside Out feature on air quality (West region). The programme aired on 6th March but is available on iPlayer at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08h4m30 until 5th April. AQMesh pods were used on the back of a bicycle and inside a taxi, to show the NO2 and particulate matter exposure experienced by …
Read more >>Value for money air quality sensors for smart cities
Smart city projects increasingly seek to include air quality measurements. If city authorities and the public are being asked to act based on air quality readings they must be credible. Whilst cheap sensors may offer easily integrated readings, they offer poor value for money if the information they produce cannot be trusted by the public, …
Read more >>AQMesh demonstrates legitimacy of small sensors for air quality in Cambridge
Research shows that increasing the number of measurement points improves the spatial resolution of urban air quality models. At the RSC AAMG event on ‘Air Quality Monitoring: Evolving Issues and New Technologies’ Professor Rod Jones of the University of Cambridge presented a paper showing very encouraging results. “Because we know that all the pods read …
Read more >>Crushed AQMesh pod still working perfectly
An AQMesh pod used in the recent Citi-Sense project in Norway was returned to us at the end of the project, and we were surprised at the condition. Despite the damage, this robust little pod was still working perfectly, with data still being received. AQMesh pods are able to measure up to 6 gases, including NO2 …
Read more >>AQMesh performance proven in independent study of air quality sensor systems
The Assessment of Air Quality Microsensors verses reference methods: The EuNetAir joint exercise has recently been published, and shows an R2 against for reference for AQMesh of >0.8 for NO2. Read the full study here. EuNetAir is the European Network on New Sensing Technologies for Air Pollution Control and Environmental Sustainability, working towards European-wide air …
Read more >>AQMesh solar unit gives flexible air quality monitoring
January, for many of us, is a surprising time to focus on solar energy but a new solar power unit designed specifically to power the AQMesh air quality monitoring system can power a full-specification pod throughout any western European winter. Lithium batteries established AQMesh as the first reliable ‘small sensor’ air quality monitoring device that …
Read more >>AQMesh featured on BBC Newsnight
Last Monday, 17th October, BBC’s Newsnight focussed on outdoor air quality issues, with particular reference to the ongoing Client Earth court case against the government for delay in compliance with air quality regulations. In the episode, David Grossman cycles along the A3 with an AQMesh pod attached to his bike, capturing air pollution readings in …
Read more >>Watch the webinar: Introduction to AQMesh
Watch our webinar from today about AQMesh, covering topics including: What is AQMesh? Which ambient air pollutants does it measure – and how? What applications is it used for? Q&A
Read more >>Introduction to AQMesh webinar: Wednesday 26th October
The AQMesh team will be delivering an Introduction to AQMesh webinar on 26th October 2016 at 4.30pm (GMT daylight time). Topics covered include: What is AQMesh? Which ambient air pollutants does it measure – and how? What applications is it used for? Q&A You can join the webinar from you computer, tablet or smartphone using the …
Read more >>The challenges and benefits of local air quality monitoring
A new generation of air quality monitors is now being offered to provide localised, real-time air quality readings – but the potential benefit is only just starting to be realised. It is generally accepted that whilst measurements from air quality reference stations are highly accurate, they are not sufficiently location-specific. Key pollutants – such as …
Read more >>Real-world monitoring of air quality using low cost air quality sensors
The emergence of sensors capable of measuring the gases and particles that make up air pollution, especially in cities and industrial areas, has driven many academic studies which evaluate the sensors and compare performance against reference methodology. Such projects provide valuable and thorough assessment, but they currently work slower than the pace of low cost …
Read more >>AQMesh: a new option for flexible air quality monitoring
AQMesh has an impressive collection of global users and performance results measuring ambient air quality in applications ranging from traffic planning and urban hotspots to industrial fence line monitoring, building ventilation management, or environmental lobbying. This pole-mounted unit comes with an independent power supply and communications, so offering the possibility of measuring air quality exactly …
Read more >>Only 10 reasons to buy AQMesh?
That’s what we thought, but here’s another one: it was designed as a practical monitoring tool. AQMesh’s relatively tiny size means that on top of its proven accuracy, users can benefit from its neat ergonomics and complete practicality. But why else would you buy AQMesh? No other commercially available outdoor air quality monitor can demonstrate …
Read more >>AQMesh co-location comparison trial in Colorado, USA
During the months of October 2015 through to February 2016, two AQMesh pods were co-located against reference in Boulder, Colorado (USA), focusing on NO, NO2, O3 and CO measurement. The trial resulted in impressively high correlation between AQMesh units and reference equipment, in some cases delivering R2 values higher than 0.98 (NO) and 0.87 (NO2). …
Read more >>AQMesh used in Transport Scotland’s Collaborative Sensor Rotation Programme
Transport Scotland recently piloted the installation of low cost air quality sensors at several locations near the trunk road network. AQMesh pods were deployed at these various roadside locations to monitor the levels of pollutants. At the same time, traffic data was collected to allow comparison between traffic volume, speed and classification. Analysing the traffic data indicated good …
Read more >>AQMesh scaled against reference demonstrates accuracy in new location – Barcelona, Spain
Through partnership with IDAEA-CSIC two AQMesh pods were co-located with a reference station and scaled locally in Barcelona (ref. Advanced user mode), providing R2 of 0.97 for NO and 0.89 for NO2. One pod was then moved to a second reference point within the city to establish repeatability of results using the scaling factors derived …
Read more >>AQMesh performance demonstrated in new co-location comparison trials
AQMesh performance has been developed and refined through a series of global co-location comparison trials, with the results now available in the AQMesh website’s new performance section. By co-locating AQMesh pods next to an air quality monitoring reference station and carrying out analysis, R2 values can be identified. R2 values range between 0.0 and 1.0, with the highest …
Read more >>AQMesh / ref co-location comparison results from Leicester (UK)
Urban background co-location (AQMesh and reference) of a single AQMesh pod gives R2 of 0.95 for NO and 0.81 for NO2 after local scaling (ref. Advanced user mode). Based on 4 weeks of data in the UK in January 2015. The next stage in this University of Leicester project is to co-locate all their 11 …
Read more >>AQMesh tracks pollution hot-spots
Read the case study. Situated in the south west of Wales (UK), in a largely rural area bordering the Brecon Beacons, Carmarthenshire’s air quality is predominantly good. However, there are areas of concern where major roads pass through some of the County’s larger towns, including Llanelli, Carmarthen and Llandeilo, where air quality is dominated by the …
Read more >>AQMesh on Channel 4’s Dispatches – Dirty Secrets: What’s Really In Our Air?
At 8pm on Monday 22nd February, Channel 4 Dispatches revealed that air pollution could be much more dangerous than previously believed. The Dirty Secrets: What’s Really In Our Air? programme features AQMesh pods being used in tests to prove high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at road traffic hot spots – and even from your gas …
Read more >>AQMesh partner Cambridge University releases low cost AQ sensors video and article
“Stable enough to be installed as long-term static detectors around a city, and sensitive enough to detect small changes in air quality on a street-by-street basis” says Professor Rod Jones of the University of Cambridge. See what else he has to say about the vision and development behind AQMesh here.
Read more >>AQMesh / ref co-location comparison results from Germany
Heavy traffic site in a North German city. Co-location of two AQMesh pods with reference gives R2 of 0.96 for NO and 0.74 for NO2 after local scaling (ref. Advanced user mode) and pod to pod R2 of >0.97 for both NO & NO2. Based on 10 days of data from Germany in February 2015. …
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