Case Study

Pure Cities: Environmental monitoring for a more sustainable future in Belgium

Airscan
Sector:

Need

In recent decades, cities have experienced rapid growth, leading to a significant increase in environmental issues such as air pollution, noise, and extreme weather conditions. These problems not only affect citizens’ quality of life but also have a direct impact on public health, contributing to respiratory, cardiovascular, and other conditions linked to pollutant exposure. In this context, local authorities face the urgent need for accurate data on air quality and other environmental parameters to make informed decisions that protect public health.

Moreover, traditional urban management policies are not always equipped to effectively address these challenges due to the lack of real-time information on environmental conditions. It is crucial to have technological solutions that enable constant monitoring of environmental factors in real time, allowing early detection of pollution hotspots and rapid response. This approach makes it possible to design and implement tailored strategies to improve air quality, optimise traffic, reduce pollution, and promote healthier, more sustainable cities for their inhabitants.

Thanks to the Pure Cities project, Belgian cities have significantly improved air quality, protecting their residents’ health and fostering a more sustainable urban environment.
Proyecto Pure Cities Innovación tecnología y sostenibilidad urbana en Bélgica de la mano de Airscan y KunakProyecto Pure Cities Innovación tecnología y sostenibilidad urbana en Bélgica de la mano de Airscan y KunakProyecto Pure Cities Innovación tecnología y sostenibilidad urbana en Bélgica de la mano de Airscan y KunakProyecto Pure Cities Innovación tecnología y sostenibilidad urbana en Bélgica de la mano de Airscan y KunakProyecto Pure Cities Innovación tecnología y sostenibilidad urbana en Bélgica de la mano de Airscan y KunakProyecto Pure Cities Innovación tecnología y sostenibilidad urbana en Bélgica de la mano de Airscan y Kunak

Solution

Airscan, with the financial support of Belfius, deployed advanced Kunak AIR Lite air quality monitoring stations in various cities. These stations measure key pollutants such as gases, particles, wind speed and direction, temperature, relative humidity, and other environmental parameters. Thanks to their easy installation and real-time data capabilities, these stations allow urban management teams to identify pollution hotspots, monitor air quality in specific areas, and adapt public policies to enhance city life.

Cities participating in the Pure Cities project:

Woluwe-Saint-Pierre Harelbeke Bilzen
Wanze Ham Wervik
Lommel Pelt Watermael-Boitsfort
Halle Oostrozebeke Diepenbeek
Wielsbeke Antoing Braine-le-Château
Tournai Eghezée Ghent
Ruiselede Menen Auderghem
Zwevegem Avelgem Gerpinnes
Ghent Deerlijk Bertrix
Colfontaine Grimbergen Beveren
Charleroi Chaumont-Gistoux Jabbeke

If you are interested in adding your city to the list, apply here.

The Pure Cities project has shown that Kunak’s advanced environmental monitoring systems are a vital tool for creating healthier, more liveable cities. With their cutting-edge technology and precision, cities across Belgium have taken important steps towards reducing pollution and ensuring a better quality of life for their citizens.

Results

The deployment of Kunak devices with Airscan expertise for the Pure Cities project has provided highly accurate, detailed data on air quality and environmental conditions across participating cities. This information has been key to identifying pollution-prone areas, optimising urban traffic, and enhancing resource management in municipalities. Additionally, real-time access to environmental data has enabled quick response times and the adoption of corrective actions when pollution levels have spiked. The project has demonstrated the efficiency and reliability of Kunak technology in helping cities transition to healthier, more sustainable urban environments.

Benefits:

  • High-precision, real-time environmental data on air quality and other key parameters.
  • Enhanced urban planning through early identification of pollution sources.
  • Data-driven policy-making, enabling more effective and tailored interventions.
  • Reduced pollutant exposure for citizens, improving public health.
  • Increased public awareness regarding air quality issues.
  • More efficient urban resource management and smarter infrastructure development.

Here is a video on the deployment of the air quality monitoring network in Charleroi as part of the Pure Cities project.

Project details

Customer: Airscan

User: Airscan

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Sector:

Year: 2024

Parameters:

  • Main cities involved: Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège, and many more.
  • Measurement parameters:
    • NO2, CO, O3
    • PM10 and PM2.5 particles
    • Wind speed and direction
    • Temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, and other environmental parameters.

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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • OzoneReliable real-time data on O3
    Ozone

    Ozone

    Reliable information about ozone

    GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

    Specs

    • Electrochemical
    • R2 >0.9
    • Range: 0-2,000 ppb
    • Resolution: 1 ppb
    • 24 months of operating life
    See more
  • Carbon monoxideReliable real-time data on CO
    Carbon-monoxide

    Carbon monoxide

    Reliable information about carbon monoxide

    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
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
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

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
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

Reliable information about ozone

GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

Specs

  • Electrochemical
  • R2 >0.9
  • Range: 0-2,000 ppb
  • Resolution: 1 ppb
  • 24 months of operating life
See more
Carbon-monoxide

Carbon monoxide

Reliable information about carbon monoxide

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