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Webinar Series - Air Quality Sensing powered by Citizen Science
Webinar I 08 April 2020 I 15:00-16:00 (CET) The Urban Pathways Project is involved in several sustainable urban mobility projects in developing countries, which have a great potential in terms of improving air quality and reducing noise in urban areas. Measuring the specific effects of the demonstration activities on these variables will be invaluable in quantifying the impact of the projects’ activities and thus the potential impact that replication and scaling-up of those measures could have at the local and national level, and ultimately at the global scale. |
an Initiative of Urban Pathways
A project implemented by: Wuppertal Instute, UN Habitat In partnership with Open Seneca |
Air Quality Sensing powered by Citizen ScienceWebinar Series
Introduction
Air pollution affects all regions of the world. However, populations in low-income cities are the most impacted. According to the latest air quality database, 97% of cities in low- and middle- income countries with more than 100,000 inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality guidelines. However, in high-income countries, that percentage decreases to 49%. The associated health impacts of this reality are scary. As air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, increases for the people who live in them[1]. However, most cities in developing countries have poor or inexistent air quality monitoring systems. This has been due mostly to the high prices and sofistication of air quality monitoring devices.
Low-cost and easy-to-use measuring devices for air quality determinants and noise, such us the one produced by open-seneca, have become available. Understanding the limitations of this type of devices in comparison to high-end exemplars regarding data accuracy and coverage, they could become an powerful way of collecting data and involving the local population while doing it.
The Urban Pathways Project is involved in several sustainable urban mobility projects in developing countries, which have a great potential in terms of improving air quality and reducing noise in urban areas. Measuring the specific effects of the demonstration activities on these variables will be invaluable in quantifying the impact of the projects’ activities and thus the potential impact that replication and scaling-up of those measures could have at the local and national level, and ultimately at the global scale.
In this context, a partnership with open-seneca, a UK-based organisation, whose goal is to transfer knowledge on how to build open-source sensor hardware to raise awareness and initiate a behavioural change among local communities has been established. Open-seneca uses affordable, off-the-shelf particulate matter sensors, geo location, and wireless transmission modules for their devices. The collected data is displayed on dynamic maps on their online platform for identification of pollution hotspots. The sensor design is co-creation-based and tailored to local requirements to achieve a globally compatible and locally appropriate sensor.
At the same time, makerspaces have been identified in UP cities as potential local partners that could carry out the assembly workshops on-site based on the knowledge transfer received from open-seneca. Makerspaces are small-scale workshops that provide widespread access to modern means for invention / digital fabrication. Activities range from technological empowerment to peer-to-peer project-based technical training to local problem-solving to small-scale high-tech business incubation to grass-roots research.
The training concept
Open-seneca provided a virtual seminar to previously identified local makerspaces, universities or research centres in UP cities that have the skills and interest to build AQ measuring devices and that would be willing to replicate the workshops on site. After the training on how to build AQ sensors, UP cities are invited to participate in a second webinar that showcases the possible uses of the devices based on the experiences of different cities.
Objectives
The webinars
Moderator: María Rosa Muñoz, Wuppertal Institute
Target audience: FabLabs, makerspaces, research centers working on air quality monitoring and interested in learning and contributing to the design of the device from casing and mounting to improvements to the printed circuit board and electronics
Video recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnHr0UmGHSk&feature=emb_logo
Open-seneca presentation: http://bit.ly/2PGf1Yj
Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8003823831049221901
Agenda
The collection of data via mobile AQ sensors in Buenos Aires
Matías Acosta
UNDP Argentina
The use of AQ sensors to measure the impact of short-term urban interventions
Juan Manuel Guzmán
Ciudad Emergente, Santiago de Chile
The Citizen Science AQ programme of Medellín (tbc)
Gabriel Velazquez
Medellín’s Early Warning System
Target audience: urban practitioners and policy makers working in the sustainable urban mobility, air quality monitoring, and impact assessment fields.
Introduction
Air pollution affects all regions of the world. However, populations in low-income cities are the most impacted. According to the latest air quality database, 97% of cities in low- and middle- income countries with more than 100,000 inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality guidelines. However, in high-income countries, that percentage decreases to 49%. The associated health impacts of this reality are scary. As air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, increases for the people who live in them[1]. However, most cities in developing countries have poor or inexistent air quality monitoring systems. This has been due mostly to the high prices and sofistication of air quality monitoring devices.
Low-cost and easy-to-use measuring devices for air quality determinants and noise, such us the one produced by open-seneca, have become available. Understanding the limitations of this type of devices in comparison to high-end exemplars regarding data accuracy and coverage, they could become an powerful way of collecting data and involving the local population while doing it.
The Urban Pathways Project is involved in several sustainable urban mobility projects in developing countries, which have a great potential in terms of improving air quality and reducing noise in urban areas. Measuring the specific effects of the demonstration activities on these variables will be invaluable in quantifying the impact of the projects’ activities and thus the potential impact that replication and scaling-up of those measures could have at the local and national level, and ultimately at the global scale.
In this context, a partnership with open-seneca, a UK-based organisation, whose goal is to transfer knowledge on how to build open-source sensor hardware to raise awareness and initiate a behavioural change among local communities has been established. Open-seneca uses affordable, off-the-shelf particulate matter sensors, geo location, and wireless transmission modules for their devices. The collected data is displayed on dynamic maps on their online platform for identification of pollution hotspots. The sensor design is co-creation-based and tailored to local requirements to achieve a globally compatible and locally appropriate sensor.
At the same time, makerspaces have been identified in UP cities as potential local partners that could carry out the assembly workshops on-site based on the knowledge transfer received from open-seneca. Makerspaces are small-scale workshops that provide widespread access to modern means for invention / digital fabrication. Activities range from technological empowerment to peer-to-peer project-based technical training to local problem-solving to small-scale high-tech business incubation to grass-roots research.
The training concept
Open-seneca provided a virtual seminar to previously identified local makerspaces, universities or research centres in UP cities that have the skills and interest to build AQ measuring devices and that would be willing to replicate the workshops on site. After the training on how to build AQ sensors, UP cities are invited to participate in a second webinar that showcases the possible uses of the devices based on the experiences of different cities.
Objectives
- Create capacities on-site
- Raise awareness and empower the community on topics related to air pollution and the environment
- Contribute to the decision making process related to air pollution reduction
The webinars
- Thursday, February 27th 2020 at 14:00 (CET): How to assemble low-cost, open-source and easy-to-use Air Quality Sensors?
Moderator: María Rosa Muñoz, Wuppertal Institute
Target audience: FabLabs, makerspaces, research centers working on air quality monitoring and interested in learning and contributing to the design of the device from casing and mounting to improvements to the printed circuit board and electronics
Video recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnHr0UmGHSk&feature=emb_logo
Open-seneca presentation: http://bit.ly/2PGf1Yj
- Wednesday, April 8th 2020 from 15:00 to 16:00: How can low-cost, open-source and easy-to-use Air Quality Sensors be used to support sustainable urban development policies?
Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8003823831049221901
Agenda
The collection of data via mobile AQ sensors in Buenos Aires
Matías Acosta
UNDP Argentina
The use of AQ sensors to measure the impact of short-term urban interventions
Juan Manuel Guzmán
Ciudad Emergente, Santiago de Chile
The Citizen Science AQ programme of Medellín (tbc)
Gabriel Velazquez
Medellín’s Early Warning System
Target audience: urban practitioners and policy makers working in the sustainable urban mobility, air quality monitoring, and impact assessment fields.
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PART I
How to assemble low-cost, open-source, easy-to-use air quality sensors? Video recording Open-seneca presentation 
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PART II
How can low-cost, open-source, easy-to-use air quality sensors be used to support sustainable urban development? Video recording Presentation 1 Presentation 2 
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