Home / Case Studies / Respirar Fundo, the project revealing what air Portuguese schoolchildren breathe

Case Study

Respirar Fundo, the project revealing what air Portuguese schoolchildren breathe

Associação Bora Ambientar
Sector:

Need

Air quality monitoring project in Portuguese schools

Respirar Fundo was born out of a growing concern: most Portuguese schools lack data on the air their students breathe.

Driven by Bora Ambientar and co-funded by the European Union through the NOPLANETB–AMI programme, the project’s mission is to connect science, education, and local action.

During the 2025–2026 academic year, thanks to Ambergo Lda., the Kunak AIR Lite stations will travel to at least 13 schools to measure in real time the levels of particles and pollutant gases associated with traffic and other urban sources.

“Measuring is the first step towards change. Only by knowing the air we breathe can we make informed decisions.”
 — João Luís Azevedo, Associação Bora Ambientar

Solution

Two professional Kunak AIR Lite stations were installed, designed to provide accurate, traceable data with full autonomy thanks to battery and solar panel operation.
The units measure PM10, PM2.5, NO₂, and O₃, along with meteorological variables, and transmit data in real time to Kunak AIR Cloud, where CENSE analyses and makes the information publicly available.

In parallel, each school receives an educational weather station so that students can learn about and visualise the local air quality index directly from the classroom.

The itinerary began at Escola Passos Manuel (Lisbon), with a participatory event where teachers, students, and representatives from the Misericórdia Parish Council collaborated in installing the equipment.

More information

Results

The project has created a mobile observation network that provides unprecedented data on pollution in school environments.

Thanks to open access to the recorded values, communities can identify the moments and sources of greatest exposure, encouraging changes in mobility and urban planning.

Initial monitoring in Lisbon and Ponte de Lima has shown peaks in particle concentrations coinciding with school start and end times, offering municipalities a solid basis for designing corrective measures.

Benefits

  • Real data on pollution in school areas.
  • Increased awareness among students and teachers about the impact of mobility.
  • Integration of citizen science into education.
  • Cooperation between schools, municipalities, and research centres.
  • Public access to real-time data.
  • Autonomous operation with solar power.

Project details

Customer: Associação Bora Ambientar

User: Associação Bora Ambientar

Location: Portugal (Lisbon, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Póvoa de Varzim, Guimarães, Gaia, Ílhavo, Coimbra, Caldas da Rainha, Sintra, Sesimbra, and others)

Sector:

Year: 2025 - 2026

Parameters:

  • NO2
  • O3
  • PM10, PM2.5
  • Temperature, humidity, pressure and dew point
  • Wind speed and direction

Solutions

  • AIR LiteAir quality monitoring station
    air quality monitoring station

    AIR Lite

    The air quality station for hyperlocal monitoring.

    INDUSTRY GRADE DESIGN | HIGH ACCURACY

    Benefits

    • Rugged & compact design
    • Cartridges system
    • Fully autonomous
    • Built-in OLED display
    • Cost-effective
    See more
  • Nitrogen dioxideReliable real-time data on NO2
    Nitreogen_dioxide

    Nitrogen dioxide

    Reliable information about nitrogen dioxide

    GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

    Specs

    • Electrochemical
    • R2 >0.85
    • Range: 0-12,000 ppb (Type A) | 0-500 ppm (Type B)
    • Resolution: 1 ppb (Type A) | 0.01 ppm (Type B)
    • 24 months of operating life
    See more
  • Ozone

    Ozone

    See more
  • Particulate MatterReliable real-time data on suspended particles

    Particulate Matter

    Reliable information about particulate matter

    GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

    Specs

    • Optical particle counter
    • Up to R2 >0.9
    • Range: 0-1,000 | 0-2,000 | 0-10,000 ppb
    • Resolution: 1 μg/m3
    • 24 months of operating life
    See more
  • AIR CloudAir quality software
    Air quality software - Kunak AIR Cloud

    AIR Cloud

    Multipurpose air quality software for professionals

    REAL-TIME DATA | ALWAYS UPDATED

    Benefits

    • Secure and condifential
    • Air quality reporting
    • Advanced data analysis and visualisation
    • Reliable data guaranteed
    • Data sharing and integration
    See more
air quality monitoring station

AIR Lite

The air quality station for hyperlocal monitoring.

INDUSTRY GRADE DESIGN | HIGH ACCURACY

Benefits

  • Rugged & compact design
  • Cartridges system
  • Fully autonomous
  • Built-in OLED display
  • Cost-effective
See more
Nitreogen_dioxide

Nitrogen dioxide

Reliable information about nitrogen dioxide

GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

Specs

  • Electrochemical
  • R2 >0.85
  • Range: 0-12,000 ppb (Type A) | 0-500 ppm (Type B)
  • Resolution: 1 ppb (Type A) | 0.01 ppm (Type B)
  • 24 months of operating life
See more

Ozone

See more

Particulate Matter

Reliable information about particulate matter

GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

Specs

  • Optical particle counter
  • Up to R2 >0.9
  • Range: 0-1,000 | 0-2,000 | 0-10,000 ppb
  • Resolution: 1 μg/m3
  • 24 months of operating life
See more
Air quality software - Kunak AIR Cloud

AIR Cloud

Multipurpose air quality software for professionals

REAL-TIME DATA | ALWAYS UPDATED

Benefits

  • Secure and condifential
  • Air quality reporting
  • Advanced data analysis and visualisation
  • Reliable data guaranteed
  • Data sharing and integration
See more