Research: Air pollution monitoring and modelling

Research summary

• November 2019 - ongoing

The project aims to build a network of more than 1,000 air monitoring stations across Greater Manchester to provide real-time, high resolution data about pollution levels.

The array of sensors will be the biggest such network in the world. Data will be available to:

• transport authorities and operators develop smarter networks to reduce pollution in the worst affected areas

• health authorities and services better manage demand for treatment for illnesses caused by air pollution

• individual residents reduce their pollution exposure

Greater Manchester is working towards zero carbon emissions by 2038, and we hope the network will be used to provide data to inform key policy decisions.

Air monitoring assessments have been performed using a small number of fixed monitoring stations where gathered data is extrapolated and modelled to build estimated exposure maps.

Incorporating this information within a wider network that generates more data and more precise local measurements will significantly improve modelling and research capabilities.

In July 2021 there were more than 100 monitoring units set up across Manchester. The aim is to expand that to more than 1,000 across Greater Manchester.

Manchester Met is using the network in undergraduate and masters’ level teaching, as well as in its research projects.

Research output

• Academic papers, reports and other research outputs will be linked from here when they are published.