Interactive display of air quality information on behalf of Kent and Medway Partnership
Case study - Design and delivery of an interactive, public-facing, air quality website for Kent and Medway Partnership
“Ricardo worked well with the Kent and Medway management team to produce a polished website under time constraints. The website disseminates air quality data, the latest air pollution information, sustainability resources, air quality reports and allows the public to sign-up to air pollution forecast emails." Karin Grey, KMAQMN Contract Manager, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Kent and Medway’s air quality partnership exists to help Medway Council and Kent’s 12 District and Borough councils, meet their legal duties to monitor and take action against poor air quality. The main aims of the partnership are to:
- coordinate air quality monitoring in the Kent and Medway region
- deliver efficient and effective air pollution monitoring
- provide an air pollution information and public health advice service relating to air quality.
The partnership collectively run the Kent and Medway Air Quality Monitoring Network (KMAQMN), consisting of automatic real time and passive ambient air monitoring stations with the objective of providing quality assured data that can be used to assess compliance with national air quality objectives and provide information on air quality to the public.
Challenge
When a need was identified to update the existing partnership website, Ricardo was selected to deliver improved air pollution information services for the region, supporting KMAQMN’s key commitment of providing publicly available information on air quality.
Approach
In 2021, Ricardo developed a refreshed bespoke Partnership website that disseminates near real-time air quality measurements and alerts, information on archived historical data and provides unrivalled access to local air pollution for stakeholders in the Kent and Medway region.
As part of ongoing work, Ricardo’s air quality team provides year-round expert telemetry to the networks’ monitoring stations. Our in-house data management system, MODUS, enables our experts to crucially check data validity prior to being publicly displayed on the KentAir.org website. Using a combination of both automated and manual checks, the team is able to provide the public with reliable, accurate air quality data, supporting communities to make better informed decisions regarding protecting their respiratory health.
In delivery of the KMAQMN, Ricardo provides market leading, fully accredited, quality control audits and data management services together with insightful data analysis, and information dissemination services. Our state-of-the-art data management system MODUS, coupled with best-in-class technical expertise, is underpinned by a wide range of proven software tools making it possible to deliver the latest air quality monitoring data to both network members and the public in near real time. In addition to real time monitoring, Ricardo also collates and disseminates KMAQMN nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube results through the public-facing KentAir website.
Results
Ricardo’s delivery of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and innovative data visualisation services provides the Kent and Medway Partnership with a reliable, accurate platform that serves its needs for disseminating meaningful real time data that is accessible by the public and stakeholders at all times. The service provided by Ricardo is continually developed to incorporate the latest advancements in website technology including interactive data analysis and visualisation.
The Kent and Medway air quality website collates measurement data across the Kent and Medway geographical region providing a comprehensive overview of local ambient air quality. This helps local authority decision makers to implement policies and actions that can improve air quality in a holistic manor utilising all of the available evidence.
The website itself disseminates the latest air quality information and alerts, sustainability resources, insightful air quality reports, and allows the public to sign-up to air pollution forecasts. Care for Air Kent & Medway is an additional educational resource that provides detailed information on air quality, the pollutants monitored, emissions information and straightforward advice on how people can make a difference to their own health through reduced pollutant exposure, and by improving overall local air quality.