Air pollution is a major health concern for Europeans
97
%
Of the urban population exposed to dangerous levels of particulate matter (PM)
238000
Premature deaths due to PM pollution exceeding WHO guideline level
1200
+
Children under the age of 18 die every year from exposure to air pollution
Flanders
Berlin
Sofia
Plovdiv
Athens
By leveraging citizen science, cities can tap into the greatest asset they have at their disposal - their citizens. Through measurement activities and co-creation, COMPAIR facilitates collaborative spirit and knowledge exchange within the urban fabric, leaving all stakeholders better off as a result.
Active in Athens, Berlin, Flanders and Sofia & Plovdiv, the COMPAIR community will share its results, data and methodologies so other groups from across the world can learn from our work and develop their own local air quality experiments.
We welcome feedback, tips and even encouragement from other community science initiatives so please feel free to drop us a line and say hello.
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Particulate matter is measured using two types of sensors. One is SODAQ AIR. It’s only slightly bigger than a bicycle bell so can be easily mounted on a bike to measure dynamic exposure to PM1, PM2.5, and PM10. It can also be used in a static mode from a fixed location.
Pilots using SODAQ AIR: Sofia, Berlin
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The other one is a Sensor.Community kit which can be assembled from scratch or purchased as a ready-made station. The main sensing device uses laser light scattering principle to measure the value of dust particles (PM2.5, PM10) suspended in the air.
Pilots using Sensor.Community Kit: Athens, Berlin, Plovdiv, Sofia
The COMPAIR project offers a cool new way to visualise and explore potential (urban) solutions quickly and effectively. Beyond visualisation, these projects are also offering a way for a range of people to work together to make more informed choices about what works best for them and their local areas.
- Independent Researcher, Leeds, UK
Its exciting to see the COMPAIR initiative work to build the confidence of people who are not normally enthused by science in using digital sensors to collect and analyse their own data. By supporting them to measure their behaviours and actions they will be empowered to make their own greener lifestyle choices.
- Regional Councillor, UK
How we measure pollution and traffic
Telraam is a palm-sized sensor that people attach to the inner window to monitor street traffic. Telram captures moving cars, cyclists, pedestrians, buses and trucks 24/7. Policy makers can use Telraam findings to evaluate the effectiveness of policy measures like schoolstreets.
Used in Berlin, Plovdiv, Sofia, Flanders.
