Case Study

Advanced integration for traffic and air quality monitoring in Castel D’Ario (Italy)

Municipality of Castel D’Ario
Sector:

Need

Castel D’Ario, a strategic municipality located at the border between Lombardy and Veneto, faces significant challenges related to traffic management and environmental protection. Its position as a key road junction results in intense vehicle flows, demanding effective systems to ensure road safety and monitor irregular movements. At the same time, local residents are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of emissions, a worry heightened by the proposed construction of one of Europe’s largest automotive waste landfills near the municipality.

This scenario requires an integrated solution capable not only of effective traffic surveillance but also of precise, real-time monitoring of air pollutants associated with urban mobility. Reliable, correlated data is crucial to understanding the true impact of vehicle emissions and validating municipal measures aimed at reducing environmental footprints and improving citizens’ quality of life.

The integrated deployment of licence plate recognition and environmental monitoring technologies in Castel D’Ario has enabled the municipality to accurately correlate vehicle traffic with air quality, facilitating informed decisions that improve public health and optimise environmental management.
Advanced integration for traffic and air quality monitoring in Castel D’Ario - KunakAdvanced integration for traffic and air quality monitoring in Castel D’Ario - KunakAdvanced integration for traffic and air quality monitoring in Castel D’Ario - Kunak

Solution

To address these needs, the municipal vehicle licence plate recognition system was expanded with cameras (released by Tecnosens) equipped with integrated contextual systems, enhancing traffic monitoring and serving as a video surveillance system for critical zones.

Simultaneously, a network of air quality monitoring stations was designed and supplied by our Italian partner Tecnosens using Kunak AIR Lite devices, specialised in measuring particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10) and gases directly linked to vehicle emissions, such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The stations also record key meteorological parameters including temperature, humidity, dew point, and atmospheric pressure.

Both systems were integrated into a single cloud-based platform, enabling municipal managers to access combined and correlated data, facilitating a comprehensive analysis of how traffic dynamics affect air quality within the municipality.

The Castel D’Ario project exemplifies the value of an integrated approach to managing traffic and monitoring air quality in sensitive urban environments. Kunak’s technology, combined with advanced licence plate recognition and cloud analytics, provides local authorities with a robust tool to understand and make informed decisions to mitigate the environmental impact of traffic.

This initiative not only safeguards citizens’ wellbeing but also lays the groundwork for data-driven, sustainable management essential for addressing current and future environmental challenges.

Results

Initial days following installation revealed a clear increase in concentrations of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide during peak traffic times, confirming the direct link between mobility and gaseous pollution.

Conversely, no significant correlation was observed between particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) and vehicle flow, indicating that additional factors may influence these concentrations and that extended monitoring will be necessary for a more conclusive analysis.

Key benefits

  • Real-time monitoring enabling immediate detection of variations in gaseous pollutants.
  • Direct correlation of traffic and air quality data for accurate analysis.
  • Improved municipal decision-making for traffic management and environmental policies.
  • Ability to validate and adjust emission reduction measures.
  • Integrated platform simplifying access to information and optimising resources.
  • Enhanced transparency and communication with the local community.
  • Support for sustainable mobility strategies and environmental control.

Project details

Customer: Municipality of Castel D’Ario

User: Municipality of Castel D’Ario

Location: Castel D’Ario, Italy

Sector:

Year: 2025

Parameters:

  • NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and NO (nitric oxide)
  • PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 particles
  • Temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure

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
  • 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
  • Nitric oxideReliable real-time data on NO
    Nitric_oxide_cartucho

    Nitric oxide

    Reliable information about nitric oxide

    GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

    Specs

    • Electrochemical
    • R2 >0.9
    • Range: 0-5,000 ppb
    • Resolution: 1 ppb
    • 24 months of operating life
    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 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
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
Nitric_oxide_cartucho

Nitric oxide

Reliable information about nitric oxide

GASPLUG TECHNOLOGY | PATENTED DESIGN

Specs

  • Electrochemical
  • R2 >0.9
  • Range: 0-5,000 ppb
  • Resolution: 1 ppb
  • 24 months of operating life
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