Project measuring Carlow's air quality launched by council

A landmark project measuring Carlow's air quality has been launched. 

The initiative will form part of Carlow County Council’s activities to create a carbon reduction plan over the coming year and identify areas where emissions can be reduced. 

Ireland's largest independent provider of telecoms infrastructure, Cellnex Ireland, has been awarded the contract to deploy a series of air quality sensors around the county.

The project - among the first of its kind for Irish local authorities - is seeking to establish a baseline of data when it comes to emissions and air quality. 

By gathering and evaluating this climate-related data, measures can be put in place that will allow for the further reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at a local authority level and also influence behavioural change from local residents. 

The sensors will monitor data from a number of sources which contribute to excess greenhouse gas emissions, including cars idling outside schools and businesses, the burning of prohibited fuels and airborne particulates that cause damage to human health.

Cllr Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, said, "This project will allow us to better understand not just the quality of the air around Carlow, but also the types of behaviours which are contributing to the generation of harmful greenhouse gasses.

"All of us have the ability to make small changes to reduce our carbon footprint, and even actions we take for granted can have an impact on generating emissions which are bad for our health and planet. This project is going to provide information to elected officials and the Council executive which will inform policy for Carlow into the future.”

Sales Director with Cellnex Ireland, Paul Delaney, said, "Technology such as LoRaWAN can play a key role in better understanding what needs to be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of air around us.

"By monitoring key data in real time, this project will allow Carlow County Council to identify some causes of spikes in excess greenhouse gas emissions, and develop appropriate policy or guidelines to combat it. We hope that the outcomes from this project can be applied to local authorities around the country as they advance their climate change plans.”