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Google Street View car monitoring air quality

Since a few months you may encounter 2 Google Street View cars in the Amsterdam area to map the air quality at street level. Utrecht University (IRAS) is responsible for the technical and scientific support of the project and j.j. bos has supplied a number of (TSI) systems in the cars to measure the air quality.

The possibilities and impact of this data are huge: A mother of an asthmatic child takes the best route to the playground. Cyclists and athletes map out the healthiest route for the trip. Urban planners have the resources to develop smart solutions. And policymakers are able to make better decisions related to air quality.  Based on the generated data, ‘Google Air View’ has also been launched in Europe. In collaboration with Google, the Utrecht University has provided technical and scientific support for this project, which will ultimately also benefit the citizens.

“This provides a wealth of research data, so that we learn to understand better how air pollution is caused”

The Researchers have equipped the Google Street View cars in Amsterdam with advanced measuring equipment. The cars drive through the region until mid-2020 to map the air quality at street level. The results are then shared with scientists and policymakers and, in the long term, citizens will also have access to the measurement data, so that they also can see where the air is (less) clean.

Unprecedented resolution

“This collaboration is unique because it allows us to use current measurements at street level to map air pollution in an entire city or region in an unprecedented resolution”, says Roel Vermeulen, professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Exposome Analysis at the University of Utrecht. “The wealth of research data will help us better understand how air quality is affected and what improvements we can make in the future.”

Up to now, air quality in Amsterdam has been mapped with a limited number of measuring points. The rest of the pollution in the city was then calculated on the basis of models. The Google Air View car has tested the air for nitrogen oxides, fine dust, soot and ultra fine dust. Researchers from Utrecht of University then convert those measurements into an annual average concentration. “The ultra-fine particles are not yet measured as standard, so that is new information anyway.”

Exposome

In Utrecht, research into the relationship between air quality and health is incorporated in the Utrecht Exposome Hub. In this hub, researchers from Utrecht University, in collaboration with partners, are developing advanced technologies to map the influence of external factors on our health, such as air pollution.

j.j. bos b.v. offers various solutions to monitor air quality. We specialize in providing solutions to measure the amount of particulate matter in the air, either in Mass or Number concentration. Contact us to discuss the options.

Source: Website Univ. of Utrecht. Refer for more info also:

https://www.uu.nl/en/news/google-street-view-car-starts-measuring-air-quality-in-streets-of-copenhagen

https://www.uu.nl/en/news/we-can-use-the-cars-to-measure-urban-air-pollution-much-more-accurately

Picture: Bas Niemans luchtkwaliteit amsterdam