Within the framework of the Defra air quality funding, Southampton City Council set out to measure and analyse key pollutants, focusing on NO₂ and particulate matter (PM), and to collaborate with the schools to embed the platform into learning sessions.
Indoor air quality had not been a prior area of focus, and the core question was to determine whether outdoor air pollution was the main driver of indoor conditions or whether other internal factors were having a greater impact.
To address this challenge, Southampton City Council deployed MICA WELL sensors to enable continuous and proactive indoor air quality monitoring.
The implementation covered eight schools, strategically selecting a variety of indoor environments such as classrooms facing main roads, school halls, and corridors to capture representative data across different conditions.
- MICA WELL devices installed in multiple school areas to measure key pollutants (NO₂ and PM).
- My inBiot platform used to visualise and analyse data, enabling comparisons between indoor and outdoor pollutant levels.
- Integration of the platform into educational activities, allowing students to explore real-time environmental data and understand the impact of air quality on health and learning environments.
This solution provided both technical insight and educational value, building awareness around the relationship between outdoor and indoor air quality in school settings.
- Increased awareness among teachers and staff about the dynamics of indoor air quality and its relationship with outdoor pollution sources.
- Improved ventilation management, with real-time data helping schools decide when to open or close windows to maintain healthier air levels.
- Direct correlation observed between outdoor activities (such as local burning smelt in the playground) and spikes in PM concentrations, allowing quick and informed responses.
- Enhanced student engagement, with pupils and staff showing strong interest in the monitor’s colour changes, and its data shared during Care for Creation fortnight to support the school’s Green Flag initiatives and raise environmental awareness.
- Actionable insights for school maintenance teams and city officials to better understand pollutant infiltration patterns and building behaviour.
- Stronger environmental culture across participating schools, empowering the educational community to take data-driven decisions towards healthier and more sustainable learning spaces.
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appareils (
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API licences
My inBiot Business licences
Custom Business Intelligence dashboard
Température, Humidité, CO2, COVT, PM2,5, PM10, PM4,0, PM1,0, Formaldéhyde, Ozone, NO2, CO
Southampton, England, UK
2025
“At Freemantle School, we’ve been using the air monitor to observe how air quality changes throughout the day in our school hall. It has helped us make simple yet effective decisions, such as identifying the best times to open windows to improve ventilation. On one occasion, when we noticed a burning smell from the playground, we checked the data and saw an increase in PM levels, so we immediately closed the windows to protect our students. Although we haven’t yet used the monitor directly with pupils, we’re planning to incorporate it into our Eco Warriors’ Green Flag projects this year, helping them better understand how our actions influence the air we breathe.”
