Trinity College Dublin is to receive air quality information from sensors installed on 22 buildings and 102 DPD Ireland delivery vans operating in the capital.
DPD installed sensors in its depots as well as libraries, schools and a firestation as part of a collaboration with Pollutrack and Dublin City Council.
In Trinity, a sensor has been installed in New Square to capture particulate matter (PM) 2.5 levels in real-time and transmit the data every 12 seconds via GSM to a database developed by Pollutrack.
Trinity says PM2.5 is generated by the burning of fossil fuels and can be harmful if it enters the lungs or blood stream, especially for people with asthma.
John Gallagher, assistant professor in environmental systems modelling at Trinity, says: “The extensive monitoring network will feed into a city-wide dataset that can improve how we map air quality in Dublin, and more importantly help us target pollution hotspots and design informed solutions across the city.”
Aside from Trinity, the information will also be shared for free with other leading universities, local authorities, the Asthma Society of Ireland and the public as part of an initiative to support awareness around Dublin's air quality.
DPD Ireland chief executive Des Travers says: “If we put the right information in the right hands, we hope to make a positive influence on people’s lives in Dublin. Our vans are gathering incredible data about Dublin’s air quality, which we will give to universities and city authorities.”
Anybody can use the Air Diag portal to see how much PM is in the air in their street.
