London borough to install ‘world’s densest’ air sensor network

The London borough of Camden has announced plans to install what it’s claimed will be the world’s densest air quality sensor network, as efforts to improve the UK capital’s toxic air ramp up.

The network will be made up of 250 sensors that will provide at least 100 times more spatial resolution and refresh 60 times more regularly than existing monitoring stations in the borough, according to AirLabs, the engineering firm behind the project.

It is hoped the data generated can be used in multiple ways, such as enabling the public to map less polluted routes; feeding into local traffic management policy; and delivering air quality information for healthcare providers and schools.

Camden Cllr Adam Harrison said: “Camden’s citizens have made clear that more must be done to tackle the air quality health crisis, and Camden Council has committed to the meeting the World Health Organization air quality standards as well as stepping up our pollution monitoring and efforts to raise public awareness about the health risks from exposure to air pollution.

“This project will form an important part of our work to protect public health by building a more detailed understanding of the sources of air pollution throughout Camden and the actions we can all take to reduce pollution and our exposure to it.”

In May, it emerged that some Camden residents were being exposed to illegal concentrations of toxic pollution.

Council data revealed four places in the borough where concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were above the legal limit in 2020 despite the sizeable drop in traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dense network

The dense network of sensor devices has been strategically designed to cover the entire borough, including areas under-represented by the existing monitoring network and those most vulnerable to air pollution – schools, transport hubs, healthcare facilities and busy traffic intersections.

The devices will be installed on lampposts, buildings and other suitable infrastructure and take measurements every minute, enabling detection of the smallest of changes.

Each unit will measure a wide range of air pollutants including airborne particulate matter and toxic gases such as NO2, CO2 and ozone (O3), as well as temperature and humidity, giving the full picture of air quality in an area.

Marc Ottolini, CEO of AirLabs, said: “Our ultra-dense network of sensors will provide unprecedented ultra-high-definition visibility of local air pollution.

“There’s no time to wait in tackling the air pollution crisis – we all contribute to air pollution, and we all suffer the health impacts that it causes.

“This network will serve as a blueprint for boroughs across London and cities around the world, using the power of data to inform meaningful action and protect populations from the invisible threat of air pollution.”

Air pollution accounts for approximately 4,100 premature deaths in London every year.

Image: AirLabs