Enabling Affordable, Accessible & Accurate Air Quality Monitoring

Air pollution is a significant threat to public health, impacting well-being and daily life. From everyday discomforts to serious long-term illnesses, the effects of poor air quality are far-reaching. A 2019 World Health Organization report indicated that 99% of the global population lived in areas exceeding WHO air quality guidelines, and this situation remains largely unchanged. This is the driving force behind the development of the AirGradient-UNDP Air Quality Toolkit: to provide communities with practical resources to understand and address this critical issue.

While air quality data is often readily available in major cities, allowing for public health responses and individual precautions, this access is not universal. Many communities, particularly in developing countries and underserved regions, face comparable or even greater pollution risks without the ability to effectively measure and monitor air quality. Research from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) highlights this disparity, showing that regions like Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which experience the highest health burden from air pollution, have the least access to open air quality data and receive less funding to address the problem. This lack of data hinders effective action, emphasizing the urgent need for affordable, scalable monitoring solutions to bridge this gap and enable informed responses.

To address this challenge, AirGradient, in partnership with the UNDP Global Centre in Singapore, is developing the Low-Cost Hyperlocal Air Quality Monitoring Toolkit, an affordable, and accessible solution for expanding air quality monitoring capabilities in communities worldwide. Selected as part of the Open Innovation Platform Challenge organised by the UNDP Global Centre, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, and the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore, this initiative aims to overcome the limitations of traditional air quality monitoring networks, which can be expensive, complex, and difficult to scale. The toolkit is designed to be particularly useful for municipalities and NGOs interested in establishing their own air quality monitoring networks for data-driven decision making.

“Our goal is to democratize access to clean air. The AirGradient-UNDP Air Quality Toolkit is designed to put the power of air quality monitoring directly into the hands of communities, regardless of their resources, so they can drive meaningful change,” states Achim Haug, Founder & CEO of AirGradient.

The Low-Cost Hyperlocal Air Quality Monitoring Toolkit is intended to be a comprehensive, all-in-one, affordable monitoring package that will streamline the process of setting up and managing air quality monitoring networks. The toolkit aims to guide users through network setup and also serve as a central resource for ongoing management.

With a focus on affordability and accessibility, the toolkit is designed to enable governments, NGOs, and communities to establish and manage their own air quality monitoring initiatives. It follows a structured, phased approach:

Section 1: Planning: This section guides users in defining their monitoring goals, selecting appropriate locations, identifying pollutants of interest, and choosing suitable hardware.

Section 2: Set Up: This section provides step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring monitors, ensuring data collection and integration with an online dashboard.

Section 3: Operations: This section covers data analysis, community engagement strategies, and maintenance procedures to support the long-term operation of the network.

Each section is divided into chapters, providing a structured process from initial toolkit access to long-term network operation. In addition to written documentation, the toolkit will include instructional videos and integration with the AirGradient data platform. This integration will offer features like ongoing calibration support to ensure data accuracy and facilitate network management. The aim is to provide accessible guidance for planning, setup, and ongoing operations within a single platform.

Designed for broad applicability, the toolkit is intended to support projects of different scales – from monitoring specific locations to deploying larger networks. Users can expand their monitoring as needed, utilizing collected data for informed action. A key feature is the option to integrate reference stations and different monitor types, aiming to enhance cost-effectiveness and data accuracy. Calibration methods based on state-of-the-art scientific knowledge will also be incorporated to improve data reliability.

The toolkit has potential applications across various sectors. Governments can utilize localized pollution data for public health policies and environmental regulations. Researchers can access data from previously under-monitored areas, supporting studies on pollution exposure. And for local organizations and communities, the toolkit can be used to support advocacy efforts, providing data for proposals, urban planning discussions, policy shaping, and community mobilization for cleaner air.

Beyond data collection, the Low-Cost Hyperlocal Air Quality Monitoring Toolkit contributes to a broader network of air quality monitoring. By integrating data from diverse regions, it can contribute to more comprehensive pollution analysis, supporting informed decision-making and healthier communities globally.

According to Khairunnisa Binte Yahya, Air Pollution Expert in UNDP, “By empowering communities with the affordable and easy-to-use Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Toolkit, UNDP aims to raise citizen awareness, foster community engagement, and advocate for proactive action towards cleaner air and healthier environments”.

We are seeking feedback during the development process. Interested parties are invited to reach out to explore opportunities to test the toolkit and provide input.

For more information about the toolkit, or to inquire about piloting opportunities, please contact us: https://www.airgradient.com/support/