LOW-COST HYPERLOCAL AIR QUALITY MONITORING TOOLKIT

Air pollution is a significant global issue, particularly in developing countries, where it poses a severe threat to both the environment and public health. Responsible for approximately one in nine deaths worldwide, it imposes significant economic burdens that account for 6.1% of the global GDP annually. In particular, air pollution is a serious problem in the Asia-Pacific region, where an estimated 92% of the population is exposed to hazardous air quality levels. 

Air pollution can come from man-made vs. natural sources, local vs. regional sources, as primary sources that are emitted directly from a source or formed from chemical reactions in the air. Studies have shown that air pollution levels can vary by up to eight times within a single city block. As such, the dynamic nature of air quality, which fluctuates over time and space, means that air pollution issues are unique based on the context within a city. 

Traditional air quality monitoring equipment, usually referred to as “reference” or “regulatory” sensors, may not be able to provide the granularity needed to understand hyperlocal variations in air quality. In this context, low-cost sensors are a plausible solution for hyperlocal air quality monitoring. Although such sensors cannot replace traditional reference sensors, they can complement the reference sensors and provide a general indicator of air quality levels. 

However, key challenges remain in deploying such low-cost solutions, especially in secondary and tertiary cities. These include:

• Funding constraints. Although low-cost sensors are less costly as compared to traditional reference sensors, the existing market rate for these sensors (i.e. $200 to $3000 per sensor) may still not be affordable for resource-constrained cities. In addition, a low-cost sensor network would typically require around 10 sensors or more to carry out hyperlocal air quality monitoring over a specific area of interest e.g. within a traffic zone. Significant vendor support is also needed for the setup, operation, maintenance, and data analyses of the sensor network, which adds recurrent costs on top of hardware costs. 
• Lack of technical knowledge to effectively deploy existing low-cost solutions. While there are many lower-cost air quality monitoring solutions available in the market, users would typically need some level of technical knowledge or inputs from an air quality expert on how to design and deploy them effectively, as well as how to calibrate them against reference air quality monitors and interpret the data generated. A user may be interested in deploying the solution but lack the expertise and resources to select the right solution providers and work with them in customising the solution for their needs (e.g. make informed decisions on an appropriate type, number, and placement of equipment for effective monitoring). Although resources on air quality monitoring are available online, the content is often tailored to expert practitioners, is usually not available in local languages, and can also be inconsistent or outdated.

The lack of hyperlocal air quality monitoring data presents a critical issue particularly in secondary and tertiary cities, as such data is essential for local policymakers to establish a baseline, benchmark their air quality against international guidelines to assess health and environmental impact, identify pollution sources and affected areas, and implement effective interventions. Hence, UNDP is looking for a low-cost air quality monitoring solution that can be easily deployed without the need of technical expertise, and that can help raise awareness among local city governments and other stakeholders about the impact of air pollution and provide the necessary data to inform policymaking.

PROBLEM STATEMENT 

How might we develop an affordable, accurate, easy-to-setup, and easy-to-use air quality monitoring toolkit enabling secondary and tertiary cities to self-monitor hyperlocal air quality without needing prior technical expertise?

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

UNDP is looking to develop a low-cost air quality monitoring toolkit that should act as a comprehensive DIY package designed to enable secondary and tertiary cities with limited resources and minimal technical knowledge to independently set up their own low-cost air quality monitoring networks. Through providing the solution at an affordable cost, UNDP aims to increase access to hyperlocal air quality data, build local capabilities in air quality monitoring, and raise awareness about the impact of air pollution to support informed decision-making and implementation of targeted interventions. 

The solution toolkit should meet the following criteria: 

• Standardised set of sensors. Include a standard set of sensors for a wide range of hyperlocal air quality monitoring uses with sufficient granularity (e.g. traffic zone, neighbourhood, identification of pollution hotspots, etc). 
• Automated calibration. Able to be automatically and remotely updated and calibrated (with or without a reference sensor), enabling easy deployment and maintenance. 
• Sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy. Able to monitor the air pollutants PM2.5, PM10, and nitrogen dioxide in a wide range of outdoor/ambient environmental conditions such as low to very high temperatures and relative humidity (RH) levels, and in clean to very polluted environments. Data should be able to be measured every 5 minutes, with the Particulate Matter (PM) sensors having a resolution of at least ±1.0 micrograms per cubic meter, and the nitrogen dioxide sensor having a resolution of at least ±1.0 ppb3 . The solution should demonstrate stability, accuracy, precision, and data completeness from past projects in line with internationally established or accepted testing protocols such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) air sensor performance targets and testing protocols4 . 
• Data accessibility and export functionality. Able to export easily understandable data for users to download in an accessible format such as .xls or .csv that will enable easy access and analysis on most computers. Allow online data transmission to emails or open source data platforms, with potential for future integration to open source data management platforms such as OpenAQ. 
• Comprehensive and user-friendly onboarding materials. Include easy-to-understand material (e.g. manuals, videos) that should cover but is not limited to: a) how and where to set up the solution, b) how to operate, calibrate, and perform basic maintenance, and c) how to download and interpret data. The materials should easily be understood by a person with no prior technical knowledge and should be available in English with at least three other language options(to be decided by UNDP) for the pilot test, if possible (e.g. via auto-generated subtitles on YouTube for videos). 
• Additional educational materials (optional). Supplementary content can also be provided for users, including but not limited to: a) introduction to air quality monitoring, b) visualisation and interpretation of data compared against international health guidelines, and c) application of data for the development of air quality management and pollution mitigation policies. 
• Criteria air pollutant5 detection (optional). Able to measure the levels of additional criteria air pollutants such as ozone, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. 
• Sustainable materials (optional). Made of environmentally friendly and sustainable materials which generate less carbon emissions.

OVERALL PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS 

• Low cost. The solution toolkit in total should be as low-cost as possible such that it is suitable for procurement by resource-constrained cities. 
• Quick and easy setup. The toolkit should be quick and easy to set up, such that users without prior technical knowledge can self-serve to deploy the solution easily. 
• Lightweight and portable. The solution should be lightweight, compact, and portable for ease of deployment and setup in various outdoor locations (e.g. on lampposts). 
• Easy to maintain. The solution should require minimal maintenance, and any consumable parts should be easily sourced and replaceable at a low cost. 
• Sustainable energy source. Ideally battery or solar-operated, as the solution will need to be able to be installed in different outdoor infrastructure settings, such as places without a power source or high-voltage connectivity. 
• Fidelity of onboarding and educational materials. The materials should be clear and functional, with concise guiding instructions. High production quality or resolution is not needed for videos (e.g. could be uploaded to video-sharing sites like YouTube). 
• Open source. All onboarding and educational materials must be licensed under a Creative Commons license to ensure they are freely accessible and usable.

There are no restrictions on the geographical location of the problem solvers who may choose to apply to this challenge. However, the prototype must be demonstrated in a city of UNDP’s choice. The solver is also expected to provide two to three months of backend technical support for hardware and software technical issues during the testing/pilot stage, with a minimal response time of three to five days.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU 

• SGD50,000 of prize money for the winner of this challenge (see Award Model) 
• Access to IMDA’s PIXEL corporate innovation hub and complimentary innovation consultancies (e.g. Design Thinking, Digital Storytelling) for the prototype development, where applicable 
• Co-innovate with UNDP, MSE and subject matter experts in developing the solution, and potential to scale the successful solution for deployment in cities worldwide 

AWARD MODEL 

The prize money will be awarded based on milestones and deliverables as specified by the UNDP based on the agreement between UNDP and the solver. Prize money will be inclusive of any applicable taxes and duties that any of the parties may incur. *Note that a finalist who is selected to undertake the prototype development process will be required to: • Enter into an agreement6 with UNDP which will include more detailed conditions pertaining to the prototype development and the pilot trial.