AQESHOW - Abstract

Abstract Information :

Local and national authorities are responsible for managing and reducing ambient air pollution to reduce its impact on human health, and meet the legislative requirements of EU Directives. Ambient air quality (AQ) assessments currently depend on low resolution data generated from a small number of discretely positioned expensive continuous reference monitors. These high quality measurements are often supplemented by indicative spot monitoring of average concentrations, or estimates from predictive atmospheric models. Advances in the development of modern low cost sensors mean that many devices measuring atmospheric pollution can be incorporated into a single compact unit. Such systems are revolutionising the AQ monitoring market with the prospect of delivering spatially dense data, in real time, through the implementation of large networks for use in compliance reporting, managing AQ in “intelligent” buildings and aircraft to minimise energy usage, and citizen science projects. The Mayor of London, in partnership with C40 Cities and the Greater London Authority, is implementing a pilot study to create a sophisticated air monitoring system for the capital using consortium expertise from the Environmental Defense Fund, Air Monitors Ltd., Google Earth Outreach, Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants, University of Cambridge, National Physical Laboratory, and King’s College London. An important barrier to wider acceptance and exploitation of this novel technology is the lack of a standard to determine sensor system suitability. This is beginning to be addressed through the development of a technical protocol by the Comité European de Normalization (CEN) TC264 WG42 together with a laboratory and field testing measurement infrastructure.