Field Applications with Air Quality Monitoring: From Social Equity to CO2 Infrastructure

Urban air quality monitoring presents unique challenges due to complex emission patterns and operational difficulties. Our work and research combine multiple approaches to address these challenges, focusing particularly on three areas: improving quality of life for vulnerable population groups in cities, managing a sensor network on a construction-site, and leakage monitoring of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions.

Through the DivAirCity project, implemented across five European cities, we developed an integrated monitoring framework that combines quantitative air quality measurements with social equity considerations, specifically addressing the disproportionate impact of pollution on vulnerable communities. Our monitoring framework combines quantitative air quality measurements with social equity considerations, requiring careful attention to sensor placement, data quality assurance, and long-term reliability.

As part of the Green Construction Site of the Future project, we gained valuable experience in deploying and maintaining sensor networks in challenging and dynamic construction environments. Over a two-year period, we successfully operated a continuous monitoring system, investigating dust mitigation strategies and PM2.5 dispersion patterns from source points. This implementation provided valuable insights into the practical challenges of maintaining long-term sensor networks in harsh urban environments.

For our environmental monitoring project MONICO, we demonstrate and evaluate the integration of low-cost sensors, satellite observations, inverse modelling, and drone measurements for quantifying fugitive emissions in the CO₂ infrastructure. Through controlled release experiments, we validated and tested methodologies for selecting and deploying sensor networks around point sources, while addressing challenges in weather influence and data reliability.

Together, these projects contribute to the practical aspects of operating sensor networks across different contexts, contributing to environmentally conscious cities and establishing best practices for effective monitoring strategies.