Evotech supporting partners Airly in the installation of air quality monitors at local schools

Evotech Air Quality is delighted to support Airly, on the installation of its outdoor air quality sensors at local schools in Milton Keynes, that will provide them with real-time ambient air quality data.

In a bid to improve safety and air quality Milton Keynes Council is running a six month pilot scheme to close streets around the schools at drop-off and pick-up times. Evotech’s engineers installed the Airly outdoor air monitors prior to the recent street closures to provide air quality data whilst the streets were still busy with traffic. This historical data will later be used to compare air quality with data sets taken whilst the street closures were in place and closed to traffic. 

John Lumb, Director at Evotech Air Quality says, “We’re delighted to support Airly on this important project that ensures local schools in Milton Keynes have access to reliable air quality data. This is one of a number of schools projects up and down the country that Evotech and Airly are working together on, providing the data schools and local councils need to improve air quality around schools. We believe children have the right to breathe clean air, at home, at school and at play.”

Milton Keynes Council said it hoped the scheme would discourage car journeys and encourage walking or cycling to help reduce congestion and air pollution. 

As one of the schools didn’t have a power supply close to the proposed site of the air quality sensor, the team installed a small solar PV panel on the roof which will provide enough power to run the sensor 24/7. 

Children are more susceptible to air pollution both outdoors and inside the classroom as their lungs are not fully developed and they breathe more rapidly than adults. Air pollution can cause both short term and long term health problems and trigger asthma attacks.