Air quality IoT sensor
If we had to choose, I think we would all prefer fresh air to city haze. But unless the sky is darkened by pollution, it’s not easy to know the quality of the air around you. At least that’s how it used to be. Today, the Air quality iot sensor, combined with an easy-to-access digital dashboard online and on smartphone apps, provides a clearer picture of global air quality.
With the World Health Organization raising the “safe level,” governments and communities are eager to determine pollution concentrations. It is estimated that 10 million deaths per year are linked to poor air quality, and technologies that can help reduce this number are becoming attractive.
Can air quality IoT sensor arrays improve urban air quality?
There is evidence that having a denser network of IoT air quality sensors can accelerate the rate of positive change. Since 2019, Jakarta, Lisbon, London, and Warsaw, cities that are well-equipped to monitor pollution, have seen a 16% improvement in overall air quality. In contrast, cities with lower sensor coverage have seen only a 5% rise.
For example, the project in the Polish capital lasts until the end of 2023 and monitors concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, PM10, and the most harmful particles such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Citizens can benefit from alerts when conditions worsen. City officials can use the data to better understand the main sources of pollution and take action as needed.
Intelligent System Devices
Traditional fixed air quality instruments have long been installed in towns and cities, but these measuring stations, while very accurate, can be expensive and have limited coverage. On the other hand, commercial IoT solutions are more affordable and can be installed more widely in urban environments. In addition, sensors can be used in conjunction with other devices.
As part of its Lighting Master Plan, the European city of Barcelona deployed a smart lighting system with built-in air quality sensors. Like the setup in Poland, the network can transmit data to city agencies and the public. In Miami, smart park benches have been equipped to monitor air quality and temperature, among other environmental attributes.
The charity Environmental Defense Fund has installed sensors on Google’s Street View cars, which allow air quality measurements to be captured alongside map data. So far, the technology has been tested in cities such as London, Houston and Auckland. Using location coordinates that are registered at the same time, big data tools can be used to extract information.
Measurement and management
IoT sensors have proven to be a useful partner in “nudging” behavioral science practices. Providing practical insights to improve urban life. For example, if commuters receive alerts during peak congestion times, they can be encouraged to travel at less busy times.
In the energy sector, power producers can reduce fossil fuel use by engaging customers when renewable energy is readily available. Similarly, air quality data from dense arrays of Air quality IoT sensors promises benefits. Once something is measured and the data is readily available, it can be managed.
