EarthSense, the air quality expert, has today announced that it is working with noise and vibration consultancy, KP Acoustics, who will use Zephyr® monitors to measure dust levels at construction sites.
KP Acoustics works with some of the best-known construction companies, architects and property management companies in the world and is using EarthSense’s award-winning Zephyr® air quality monitor as part of its noise, vibration, and dust monitoring service. The Zephyr® will identify dust concentrations, also known as particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), to ensure construction companies are complying with guidelines set out by the Environmental Agency and local planning authorities as part of environmental permits.
KP Acoustics will deploy and maintain Zephyr® monitors around its clients’ construction sites to ensure that the surrounding community, such as residents living nearby, schools, hospitals, and workplaces are not exposed to high levels of dust generated by activity related to construction and demolition.
KP Acoustics has integrated Zephyr® measurements into its own noise, vibration, and dust management platform, via an Application Programming Interface (API). The consultancy firm will use threshold alerts within the platform to provide early warnings to site managers that construction related activities may be causing nuisance in the local community. Using these alerts, construction workers can minimise particulate matter levels, their environmental impact, and its impact on the community by choosing alternative methods of work, implementing a dust management plan, or stopping construction works temporarily.
Zephyr® data will also be available as part of summary reports collated by KP Acoustics which will be sent to its clients and local governments. The reports will identify whether or not construction sites have remained compliant and operational by meeting the requirements of the environmental permit.
EarthSense Managing Director, Tom Hall said: “According to the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, construction sites are responsible for around 14.5 per cent of PM2.5 emissions and 8 per cent of PM10 emissions that come from dust, on-site machinery, and diesel-powered vehicles. The fact that KP Acoustics has already sold 27 Zephyr® air quality monitors to a number of construction companies means that we’re helping this sector understand the impact of its actions and helping to minimise its impact on human and environmental health.”
Using an active sampling mechanism that draws in local air every 10 seconds, EarthSense’s Zephyr® air quality monitor provides insight into real time concentrations of air pollutants including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10). Air quality measurements are either transmitted to the MyAir® web application via GSM or Wi-Fi can be integrated with third party platforms via API.
Hall continues: “We should be monitoring emissions from construction related activity, such as demolition or use of diesel vehicles, as it can create an environment that affects the health of nearby communities. This is due to dust exposure which, when at high levels, can contribute to or worsen symptoms of various health problems such as asthma or COPD.”
Richard Booth, Head of Environmental Monitoring, KP Acoustics, said: “The Zephyr® instruments are a firm favourite with both the team and our clients. The remote device control enables more proactive and responsive monitoring. Coupled with a superb team of partners at EarthSense, these devices are the most reliable on the market by a long way.
Booth continues: “Not only that, but they support our internal efforts to be environmentally friendly and reduce our carbon footprint. With a very low energy consumption and the ability to use solar panels, the Zephyrs can run almost indefinitely without any negative impact to the environment. Both small and discrete, we also see few issues with theft and damage to the units on sites.”