Brighton & Hove Expands Air Quality Monitoring Network with EarthSense Technology
EarthSense, a leading firm in air quality technologies, has successfully launched a comprehensive network of Zephyr® air monitoring devices across Sussex. This initiative aims to provide one of the most extensive real-time air quality measurement systems in the UK specifically for Brighton & Hove City Council.
Pioneering Sensor Deployment Across Sussex
A total of fifty Zephyr® sensors have been strategically positioned throughout Sussex; 40 are located within Brighton & Hove while others are installed in surrounding areas such as Horsham and Newhaven. These state-of-the-art monitors track various pollutants including hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O3), as well as particulate matter categorized into PM1, PM2.5, and PM10. Additionally, they gather ambient data on temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity.
Real-Time Data Availability for Residents
The gathered information is made publicly available via the Brighton & Hove and Sussex Real-Time Air Quality Portal website. Residents can now access live updates on air quality metrics around the clock. The launch saw an impressive surge in site traffic—marking it as one of the most frequented platforms among local authority websites this year.
Raising Public Awareness Through Continuous Access
This online portal serves to educate residents about how emissions from vehicles, gas boilers, along with smoke from open fireplaces or log burners contribute to local air pollution levels. It is part of a broader strategy implemented by Brighton & Hove City Council aimed at improving urban air quality while simultaneously addressing issues related to solid fuel combustion within six defined Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and five Smoke Control Areas (SCAs).
A Comprehensive Approach Towards Cleaner Air
The newly established sensor network enhances existing measures at assessing both air quality and net-zero ambitions by incorporating standards compliance assessments alongside other methods like automatic monitors and diffusion tubes combined with detailed dispersion modeling tailored for specific neighborhoods.
The Health Implications of Fine Particulate Pollution
The use of solid fuels is a notable source generating fine particulates known as PM2.5—an alarming pollutant linked to over 5% mortality rates among individuals aged above 30 in Brighton & Hove; it also poses severe threats for those suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Councilor Tim Rowkins who oversees Net Zero initiatives expressed enthusiasm regarding this new monitoring system: “This advancement marks a significant milestone towards gaining deeper insights into pollution patterns across different times and locations,” he stated. “Addressing particulate emissions—particularly those emerging from wood-burning appliances—is becoming increasingly urgent due to their growing popularity.” He added that “the public health repercussions necessitate immediate collective action at all levels.”
Greg Lewis**, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at EarthSense highlighted: “Brighton & Hove City Council’s commitment towards employing our pioneering Zephyr® sensors demonstrates their proactive stance on monitoring local air quality effectively.” He noted that ”the seriousness tied to fine particulate pollution cannot be overstated; providing accurate data empowers residents regarding health-related decisions.”
This nationwide initiative funded through DEFRA’s air quality grant coupled with support from the council’s Carbon Neutral Fund ensures these advanced sensors cover multiple environmental contexts:
- Parks alongside South Downs National Park;
- Contrasting readings between hill slopes versus valley bottoms;
- Schools situated both centrally within communities or peripherally affected by school street strategies;
- Main roads including A27/A23 highways plus secondary routes like A roads through strategic placements near construction zones;
- No less than twelve designated AQMAs tailored exclusively addressing hotspots like six sites encompassing various neighborhoods in Brighton/Hove along with adjacent Newhaven regions.;
