Making Air Quality Visible: How Birmingham Schools Are Leading Change

Air pollution remains the single biggest environmental risk to public health, contributing to respiratory illness, heart disease and premature deaths.

The links between poor air quality and ill health are underpinned by significant scientific research but a major challenge still exists around better explaining to the general public why air pollution is a hazard and who is most at risk from harm.

Educating the next generation

Wider engagement with social networks, including community groups and schools, are currently underway to embed air quality into everyday conversation. In relation to schools, these initiatives aim to raise awareness of poor air quality within early education, showing positive impact for children, parents and key stakeholders across the educational system. 

Educating the next generation of communities builds a wave of awareness that sticks as the target audience grows, and that is why EarthSense has been working with Birmingham City Council to develop a suite of products that engage schools and simplify the complex subject of air quality.

The behaviour change project targets schools across the Birmingham City Council region, arming them with information to make decisions that can bring about improved air quality and thus, improved health outcomes in the community. 

Zephyr® Lite

Birmingham deploys Zephyr Lite to drive long-term change

Phase 2 of Birmingham City Council’s Schools Air Quality Monitoring Programme has now installed over 100 of EarthSense’s new Zephyr® Lite sensors across schools city-wide. This marks a significant step in raising awareness and empowering local communities to take action on air pollution.

Since launching in February 2025, over 150 schools have accepted a free air quality sensor, installed and maintained by EarthSense, to help them understand real-time air quality conditions and identify pollution patterns. This builds on Phase 1, which began in January 2022 and saw 68 schools fitted with sensors.

The longer-term objective of the project is to install 300 sensors, with the team at EarthSense anticipating all 300 schools in Birmingham will sign up for their free Zephyr®.

Participating schools gain access to a data platform that not only displays their own real-time pollution data but also includes insights from other schools across Birmingham. This allows staff, pupils, and parents to identify local trends and daily patterns, understand root causes, and compare their results with those of other areas. The platform supports deeper analysis and helps schools make data-driven decisions. 

The EarthSense Zephyr Lite sensors can be installed near school entrances, playgrounds or community centres to raise awareness of air quality levels through its colour-coded AQI LED band. Real-time visibility empowers parents, staff, and local residents to take protective actions during periods of high pollution and supports educational outreach around air quality and its wider health impacts.

With continued school participation, real-time data and city-wide collaboration, Birmingham is using the Zephyr® Lite sensors to build the awareness, evidence and momentum needed to drive long-term change.