AQN Magazine - Issue 13 - February 2022 by Spacehouse

Issue 13

February 2022

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Inside Greater Manchester's Chaotic Clean Air Zone A special report; Housing and Indoor Air Quality

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Editorial Comment and Contacts

Welcome to Air Quality News magazine Contacts Publisher: David Harrison d.harrison@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Group Editor: Pippa Neill pippa@airqualitynews.com 01625 666 396 Business Development Manager: Jason Coward jason@spacehouse.co.uk 07889 212414 Finance Manager: Jenny Leach jenny@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Administration: Jenny Odgen admin@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Subscriptions: Andrew Harrison subscriptions@airqualitynews.com 01625 614 000 Published 6 times a year Annual Subscription - £19.95 +VAT

Air Quality News - published by Spacehouse Ltd, Pierce House, Pierce Street, Macclesfield. SK11 6EX. Tel: 01625 614 000

The last few years have seen immense changes to the world of air quality, from coroner Philip Barlow ruling that air pollution made a ‘material contribution’ to the death of 9-yearold Ella Kissi-Debrah, to new WHO air quality guidelines and attending COP26 and witnessing the complex relationship between health and the climate crisis. I have had the privilege of reporting on many of these events, however, after almost three years with the company, the time has come for me to move on from Air Quality News and this will be my last magazine as Editor. I am immensely proud to call this my final magazine where not only have we explored the impact of air pollution in Delhi, interviewed Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment in London but we have also published a new Special Housing Report exploring in great detail the way that construction, indoor air quality and building materials impact our health. In the housing report, my colleague Chloe Coules has published a harrowing investigation exploring the impact that damp and mould is having on social housing tenants. The article is a stark reminder that although we have seen great progress in the past few years, there is still plenty more work that needs to be done. Air Quality News will be publishing six Special Reports over the next 12 months with the April report focusing on the theme of law. If you would like to contribute to this report, please get in touch. When I joined Air Quality News in 2019 the air quality space was very different, since then I have watched the brand grow into a sector leading publication, I have been involved in 12 magazines, three conferences, 10 podcast episodes and countless news stories and I have watched our audience grow to over 100,000 unique visitors a month. I would like to thank the team, contributors and advertisers for helping to pull together another great magazine and I look forward to continuing to watch from afar as the brand continues to grow, spark conversations and ignite change.

Pippa Neill, editor. Tel: 07922 420984 pippa@airqualitynews.com

Printed on FSC certified paper stock, using vegetable oil inks. Fulfilment and distribution using 100% recycled envelopes.

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Contents

Features Contents Page 6-8: News

Pages 6-8 News: Manchester CAZ delayed

Pages 22-24 Feature: The connection between housing and health

Page 10-12: Bad atmosphere: Inside Greater Manchester’s Chaotic Clean Air Zone Page 14-15: India’s Pollution Pandemic Page 17: Special Report; Housing and Indoor Air Quality

Pages 10-12 Feature: Bad atmosphere: Inside Greater Manchester’s Chaotic Clean Air Zone

Pages 26-28 Feature: Reducing pollution from the construction industry

Page 18-21: Indoor air inequality: how mould and damp are affecting societies’ most vulnerable residents Page 22-24: The connection between housing and health Page 26-27: Reducing pollution from the construction industry

Pages 14-16 Feature: India’s Pollution Pandemic

Pages 30-31 The Big Interview: Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment

Page 28: Moving away from fossil fuels is a solution to the UK’s worsening fuel poverty Page 30-31: Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment Page 32-33: Life as an Air Quality Officer

Pages 18-21 Feature: Indoor air inequality: how mould and damp are affecting societies’ most vulnerable residents

Pages 32-33 Local government interview: Life as an Air Quality Officer

Page 34-35: Late last month it was publicly announced that the Marston Holdings Group had acquired Vortex IoT. Page 36: Marketplace

Pages 34-35 Interview: Late last month it was publicly announced that the Marston Holdings Group had acquired Vortex IoT.

Thanks to our contributors: Chloe Coules, Tamara Krivskaya, Martin Guttridge-Hewitt, Clean Air Fund, Tom Woolley

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News

in brief Air cleaning devices in schools are ‘effective, but not the silver bullet’ Good ventilation can reduce the chances of people becoming infected with Covid-19 and other respiratory infections. Researchers at the University of Leeds are involved in a major scientific investigation into the effectiveness of two types of air cleaning technologies in schools. Professor Cath Noakes, from Leeds’ School of Civil Engineering, said: ‘Air cleaning technologies are not the silver bullet to controlling infection: they can add to ventilation, but they can’t replace it. So, one issue for schools to think about is it better to try and invest in improving ventilation or to add air-cleaning devices?’ Majority of Europeans support stronger air pollution rules The majority of people support stronger EU air pollution rules for car makers, according to a new YouGov survey. The survey, which was commissioned by Transport & Environment found that 76% of the 8,000 surveyed agreed that manufacturers should be legally obliged to reduce emissions from new cars as much as technically feasible. Even if buying a used car, 50% of those surveyed said they would still expect the vehicle to meet a minimum legal pollution limit. More than three-quarters (77%) of people surveyed also agreed that cars should meet legal pollution limits no matter how, when, and where they are driven. Oxford ZEZ to launch on 28 February Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) will launch on 28 February 2022. Under the pilot scheme all petrol and diesel vehicles, including hybrids, will incur a daily charge unless eligible for a discount or an exemption. The charge will vary from £2 to £10 per day depending on the emission levels of the vehicle. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras are being installed to enforce rules within the zone. The initial pilot scheme will launch in a small number of streets in the city centre, including New Road, Bonn Square, Queen Street and Cornmarket Street. 6

Manchester CAZ delayed The Government has granted permission to Greater Manchester Authorities to delay the implementation of their Clean Air Zone.

he Government has granted permission to Greater Manchester Authorities to delay the implementation of their Clean Air Zone. Decisions around the introduction of Clean Air Zones are the responsibility of local authorities, in consultation with residents and local businesses. However, since Greater Manchester’s initial proposals were submitted in 2019 there have been a number of challenges, including the impact of Covid-19 on supply chains and the price and availability of second-hand vehicles. According to evidence provided by the combined authorities, these impacts will make it harder for people to upgrade to cleaner vehicles, meaning the CAZ is unlikely to deliver air quality compliance by

the original deadline of 2024. This led the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham to request more time to achieve nitrogen oxide (NO2) compliance. The government considered the Mayor’s proposal and following meetings last week, the Environment Secretary agreed on February 4 to a short delay to the implementation of the CAZ.

This will allow Greater Manchester to provide further evidence and a revised plan by July setting out how it will deliver legal levels of NO2. In making this decision, the Environment Secretary has made it clear that it is his priority to fulfil the Government’s legal obligations to deliver compliance with NO2 limits in the shortest time possible.

London medical centres located in areas that exceed WHO air quality standards Every hospital, medical centre, and care home in London is in an area that exceeds World Health Organisation air pollution guidelines.

he data which was published by City Hall shows that for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) while 91% of hospitals and medical centres meet the legal limits set by the UK Government, no hospital or medical centre meets the stricter WHO guidelines. Similarly for particulate matter (PM2.5), every hospital

and medical centre exceeds the WHO recommended guidelines. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has visited Evelina London Hospital to talk with doctors, nurses, and young patients about the impact of air pollution. Staff at Evelina London have been leading the way in Covid-19 research and

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were instrumental in the discovery and research of a rare inflammatory condition in children linked to Covid-19 called Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS). To date, they have successfully treated over 300 patients. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: ‘We know toxic air pollution stunts the growth of children’s lungs and worsens chronic illnesses such as asthma, lung and heart disease. That is why it is unacceptable that all of London’s hospitals, medical centres and care homes, which look after some of the most vulnerable Londoners when they are most unwell, are in areas which exceed the World Health Organization guideline limit for pollution.

News

Scotland’s air pollution is back to dangerous pre-pandemic levels The UK’s most northerly nation enjoyed historically low air pollution in 2020, but last year points to a very different situation.

riends of the Earth Scotland has warned that air pollution in Scotland is once again in breach of legal air quality standards set in 2010, effectively posing a major threat to public health. The study focused on two toxic pollutants, both of which are associated with transport. Hope Street, Glasgow, was found to have exceeded the limit for nitrogen oxide, while Edinburgh’s Salamander Street, and At holl Street in Perth were among the locations beyond the particulate pollution ‘safe zone’. Research also points to consistent failures in bringing air pollution down to levels deemed acceptable long before the pandemic began. 2020 is the only year in the last decade where the

country met air quality standards. ‘Air pollution from transport is responsible for thousands of premature deaths in Scotland every year and causes serious heart and lung issues. The growing evidence base showing the links between air pollution and vulnerability to Covid-19 is only the latest reason why we have to act,’ said Gavin

Thomson, Friends of the Earth Scotland’s transport campaigner. ‘The Low Emission Zones (LEZ) being introduced will not restrict private cars until summer 2024. Meanwhile, with pollution spiking in Perth, we should be asking why only four cities in Scotland are introducing LEZs,’ he continued.

Birmingham unveils Clean Air Strategy in push for greener city The UK’s second largest metropolis has published its approach to reducing emissions and pollutants in the atmosphere, while increasing the public’s understanding of types, sources, and dangers of toxic air.

roposals include improving air quality monitoring at schools, encouraging active travel, and further development of the Transport Plan. Launched on 27th January 2022, the Clean Air Strategy has identified five priorities. These include improving ‘the fleet’ of public and private vehicles currently on the city’s roads, essentially removing the most polluting models. Traffic flow should also be addressed to make journeys smoother and faster, with significant attention paid to cars and other vehicles sitting idly in congestion, with a reduction in overall volume also a key goal. Finally, sources of air pollution should be reduced where possible, along with human exposure to those emissions. Meanwhile, behavioural changes aimed at improving air

quality should be emphasised within business culture and among individuals, empowering people and organisations to become part of the solution, rather than the problem. As part of this, an upgraded air quality monitoring network will be necessary, with a new Air Pollution sensors project launched with tracking specialist Airly.

Further to this, employers should be supported in encouraging staff to use active travel modes like cycling for commutes, forming part of the wider Birmingham Transport Plan. Meanwhile, participation in initiatives such as Birmingham University’s West Midlands Air Quality Improvement Programme also features in the pledges.

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in briefin brief Regulation must focus on the regional impacts of air pollution Current environmental regulations focus on the mass of pollutant particles, however, researchers from the University of Illinois are calling for regulation to focus more on the regional and health-relevant factors. The study found that measuring the mass concentrations of PM2.5 that are 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller - does not correspond well with current methods for classifying particle toxicity. Additionally, the researchers found that PM2.5 exposure may be just as hazardous in rural areas as in urban areas – this challenges a common misconception that air pollution is more toxic in urban areas than in rural areas. Air pollution is reducing far more slowly in outer London than central London Air pollution is declining far more slowly in outer London than in central London, according to new data published by City Hall. The data reveals that from 2016 to 2019, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions reduced at just half the rate in outer London as they did in both central and inner London. The percentage reduction in particulate matter (PM.10) was also 10 times greater in inner and central than in outer London and the percentage reduction of PM2.5 was 5 times greater in central London than in outer. Lockdown may have resulted in 800 fewer air pollution deaths More than 800 deaths may have been avoided due to better air quality during lockdown, according to new data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (CAMS). By comparing exposure to air pollution between February and July of 2020 across 47 major cities, scientists concluded that government measures to limit the spread of the virus also protected people from air pollution. The strongest impact was on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels. The study said cities in France, Spain, and Italy saw NO2 levels fall between 50% and 60% during the period. 7

News

in brief Nine-year-old campaigns for cleaner air Nine-year-old school pupil Jakub Kozlowski has been campaigning to reduce the level of air pollution around his school after learning that it was located in one of the most polluted locations in Bristol. Parson Street Primary School sits on the corner of one of Bristol’s busiest junctions and there is a constant queue of cars waiting for extended periods outside the school gates. Jakub began his campaign in early 2021 by running 2km to school every day for two weeks in order to raise enough money to purchase banners for his school’s fence that ask drivers to turn off their engines whilst idling. Scottish government commits to reducing car use by 20% The Scottish Government has committed to reducing car use in Scotland by 20% by 2030. The government has set out a range of sustainable travel behaviours grouped into four categories, including travel less, stay local, switch mode and combine a journey. It contains 30 interventions to address use, many of which are already being delivered such as the rollout of free bus travel for under 22s. However, Friends of the Earth Scotland have criticised the route map, calling it nothing more than a ‘rehash of existing policies. Searches for ‘wood-burning stoves’ up 36% Online searches for ‘wood-burning stoves’ have increased by 36% since the same period in 2020, according to research conducted by MediaVision. The research suggests that many households are looking into woodburning as a possibility to heat their homes following an increase in bills and energy shortages. Louis Venter, CEO at MediaVision, said: ‘Despite the potential pollution issues, we saw a big increase in search volumes this year. This could be a result of increasing energy bills, or the possibility of more major electricity shortages.’ Searches for other ways to keep the house warm are also on the rise, with searches for solar panels up by 27% and draught excluders up by 29% compared to 2020. 8

Record atmospheric chemical pollution found in Amazon rainforest Illegal gold mining in Peru has led to the highest levels of mercury ever recorded in the air.

n international team of researchers at the Los Amigos Biological Station have identified a worrying trend in one of the planet’s biodiversity hotspots. Previous studies of mercury pollution have almost exclusively focused on water-based ecosystems. Now a report published in Nature Communications by Duke University has highlighted the devastating effects the material can have on flora and fauna found on land. In one instance, an old-growth pristine forest was harbouring the highest levels of mercury ever measured – on a par with locations where mines are extracting the raw material itself. Birds in this area had an average of three, but up to 12 times more mercury in their systems compared to those from other parts of the rainforest. This

has the potential to reduce their reproductive success by around 30%. The so-called Peruvian gold rush is the root cause of the problem, which has seen illegal mining operations in the country’s Amazon increase significantly. Mercury binds to gold, forming pellets large enough to be caught in a sieve, and as such is regularly used in the process. If set alight, these pellets release mercury into

the atmosphere, causing pollution. ‘We found that mature Amazonian forests near gold mining are capturing huge volumes of atmospheric mercury, more than any other ecosystem previously studied in the entire world,’ said Jacqueline Gerson, who completed the research for her Ph.D at Duke, and now has a postdoctoral research post at the University of California, Berkeley.

Chinese Lunar New Year celebrated with Beijing’s cleanest air on record Fireworks ban improves level of pollutants in the atmosphere above one of the world’s smoggiest capitals.

he decision to prohibit the use of pyrotechnics came as the city prepares for the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which begin on Friday 4th February. Ahead of the games opening, China has been marking the arrival of the Lunar New Year on 1st February.

Traditionally, this has been a time when the use of fireworks at home dramatically increases, but authorities issued an order outlawing their use, aside from sanctioned public displays, in a bid to improve overall air quality around the occasion. The results point to a

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significant improvement, with concentrations of small, hazardous airborne particles – PM2.5 – measuring 5 micrograms per cubic metre. This compares to 289 micrograms for the same days in 2021, and represents the lowest levels since records began nine years ago. Curbs on the sale of fireworks have been in place beyond the capital, too, with cities such as Zhangjiakou, where several Winter Olympics events will be held, following suit. It’s important to note that official statements have not directly linked new fireworks rules to the games. However, environmental officials issued a weather warning last week, advising conditions would impede efforts to keep air clean during the 16-day sporting spectacular.

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Feature

Bad atmosphere: Inside Greater Manchester’s Chaotic Clean Air Zone As plans to tackle traffic pollution in Manchester stall, Martin Guttridge-Hewitt explores how poor resourcing, lack of public information, and unrealistic expectations led proposals down a dead-end drive.

n a typically chilly afternoon in February, hundreds of taxis slowly snake through Manchester city centre. None are carrying passengers, instead all are here to protest. It’s the latest display of anger over a proposed Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone, designed to bring particulate and nitrogen dioxide pollution below legal levels by 2024. Debate on the subject has dominated local news for months. Facebook is flooded with memes painting cityregion Mayor Andy Burnham as a villain hellbent on a hidden tax, and a Change.org petition against the scheme had over 55,000 signatures at the time of writing.

‘The CAZ has become a bit who said what - a government directive but Greater Manchester authorities have come up with the plan. It’s getting very, very politicised. Phase one - covering HGVs, buses, coaches, and taxis licensed outside Greater Manchester - was due to launch May 30, 2022, when vehicles breaching Euro VI emissions standards would pay £60 per day to drive through the region. Stage two, for LGVs, minibuses, coaches, and taxis licensed by the county, would then begin on June 1, 2023, with non-compliance subject to daily fines between £7 and £10. Private cars, mopeds, and motorcycles were set to be fully exempt. Concerns are understandable:

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£120m has been allocated for vehicle upgrades, a figure many believe is a fraction of what is needed. These fears are driven by sky high demand for commercial vehicles, with used vans increasing in cost by an average of 50% since the start of a pandemic that decimated the cash reserves of many businesses. The size of the CAZ also sent out shockwaves, covering all 493 square miles of Greater Manchester. Firms outside this boundary are not eligible for grants, regardless of their need to travel into the zone, with others worried deliveries into the area could increase in price if suppliers opt to recoup charges from customers, rather than replacing vehicles. Burnham is clear on his counter-

Feature

argument - focusing charges on locations with poor air quality moves the problem on, as drivers plot alternative routes. Nevertheless, by late-January the Mayor had returned the matter to central government, reiterating requirements and financing were set in Westminster. He also requested to start the scheme as a noncharging CAZ this summer, with an extension of the air quality deadline to 2027. Shortly after, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons the plan was ‘completely unworkable’, citing Labour’s economic negligence, and most recently the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) agreed to offer extra time. Targets must now be met by 2026, and a firm proposal of how that happens should be presented in July. Discussions on additional funding to help more upgrade have so far been notably absent. ‘Poor air quality is killing people, it’s as simple as that,’ says Chris Fletcher, Policy Director at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. The UK’s largest, the body represents over 5,000 companies across the region, spanning ten boroughs including two cities, all of which are losing out as a result of pollution. In 2018, think tank IPPR North and King’s College London published the only comprehensive study of air quality in Greater Manchester, and found up to £1.2bn was wiped off the region’s economy each year as a result of the toxic pollution. Based on a 2011 baseline, 3,687 premature deaths occurred in the area due to high pollution levels. ‘[The CAZ] has become a bit who said what - a government directive but Greater Manchester authorities have come up with the plan. It’s getting very, very politicised. There’s a bitterness around it, which isn’t helping, and I think there should have been a lot more done up front to really get into people’s vision of what is happening and what it means,’ Fletcher continues. ‘The number of times I’ve had to explain “it’s the whole of Greater Manchester and doesn’t include private cars” is unbelievable. And this is to people in senior positions.’ Uncertainty is everywhere, but as

Fletcher reveals, his role as chair of a British Chambers of Commerce group tasked with analysing CAZs nationally shows this is not a Greater Manchester anomaly. Cities including Bradford, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bath, and Bristol are grappling with similar targets. ‘You hear stories all the time, the whole picture is very confusing, but ultimately these things are happening, they will come in, so there is a real identity problem, a communication problem.’ Despite this, Fletcher is quick to confirm his organisation has always maintained that air quality must be tackled. Pete Abel, from Friends of the Earth Manchester, shares this view, pointing out that 65-70% of transport emissions come from private journeys, so excluding these seems unfair. And

seems to have thrown that evidence out of the window. Some of the road schemes we have objected to at the planning stage didn’t even model induced demand. The road from Stockport to Manchester Airport, the A6MARR, didn’t model induced demand. Yet it has been established for over 30 years that widening roads or building new ones doesn’t solve congestion.’ The M60 North West Quadrant on Greater Manchester’s orbital motorway is another case in point. Expected to cost upwards of £5.5bn, based on 2014 projections, the aim is to shave between three and five minutes from journey times. Significantly, the region’s motorways aren’t included in the CAZ due to a lack of government directive to National Highways. Yet overall

this isn’t the only problematic part of the scheme, with the region attempting to tackle pollution while significantly expanding road infrastructure elsewhere. ‘Road widening doesn’t work,’ says Abel, nodding to a commonly understood phenomena whereby more capacity on the roads induces more traffic. ‘But the current administration

investment dwarfs the £16m spent on 25 Greater Manchester cycle schemes, and £1.5bn paid for four new lines on the Metrolink tram network between 2010 to 2014, more than doubling size and capacity on a system powered by renewables. ‘What we still don’t see, and this applies at national government too, is that emission policies have to impact

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Feature

every decision we make,’ says Abel, referencing Manchester’s aims to be carbon neutral by 2038, while planning to almost double passenger numbers at Manchester Airport to 50 million per year by 2030. ‘Whether that’s procurement, planning, [or] building standards… How do we think we are going to achieve anything when we are making it harder to achieve anything?’ Claire Harding understands the impact of clean air traffic charging schemes. As Research Director at think tank Centre for London, she tells Air Quality News that the Congestion Charge Zone, Low Emissions Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) have delivered good results. Nevertheless, a January announcement from City Hall made it clear London was unlikely to meet its emissions targets in 2030, and a new, more comprehensive scheme may now be necessary. Crucially, though, this shouldn't be a one-size-fitsall model. ‘I think it would be impossible to argue [the zones] haven’t made a difference. It’s early days for ULEZ, but it seems to be working in the sense of less polluting vehicles driving through central London. But they are very blunt instruments,’ she says. ‘We are 12

inevitably moving, as London and as a country, towards road user charging, whereby you have some sort of pay per mile solution, but more responsive to what people actually do, covering greener vehicles, and trying to get people to drive outside rush hour.

‘I think it would be impossible to argue [the zones] haven’t made a difference. It’s early days for ULEZ, but it seems to be working in the sense of less polluting vehicles driving through central London.' ‘We are going to see new ways of controlling and charging for use of our roads in the UK over the next decade. And it’s not necessarily even an environmental point about the climate crisis. It’s also a practical issue - the government needs to pay, somehow, for the expensive task of looking after Britain’s roads. If that’s not going to be road tax or fuel tax they have to come up with another way,’ she continues. Sadly, Harding doesn’t believe technology or policies ‘are there yet’ to implement what people would deem a truly fair scheme, one that would take into account vehicle specifications,

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actual mileage, and time spent on the road. ‘What I must say is the charge cannot be zero for electric vehicles,’ she explains. ‘They still cause traffic jams and they still cause emissions to a degree. And we’re still going to have to find enough electricity to charge these vehicles.’ It’s a murky picture, and one that’s unlikely to become clearer any time soon. Putting politics and the pandemic recovery aside, everyone agrees urgent steps are needed to tackle air pollution in Greater Manchester and beyond, but what those steps entail is a different matter. Perhaps what’s most alarming, though, is the region’s CAZ represents the tip of the climate crisis iceberg. Both outcry and shortcomings in proposals expose a troubling reality: the UK, its authorities, businesses and the public, still do not seem ready to acknowledge the level of investment and change needed to tackle this issue. The fact that’s just one of the myriad problems facing the planet at least makes one thing obvious. Facing up to the reality of our situation - and the true human, economic and environmental cost of inaction - would appear to be the only logical place to start.

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Feature

India’s Pollution Pandemic India, a developing economy home to 17.7% of the world’s population, most of whom are young and ambitious, is engulfed by a pollution pandemic. By Vaibhav Chowdhary (Country Lead – India) and Pujarini Sen (Portfolio Manager – India) at the Clean Air Fund

his unique context makes the challenge of transitioning to cleaner air both unique and unprecedented. Conventional wisdom might consider air pollution a by-product of economic growth, but in reality, air pollution costs Indian businesses about 7 lakh crores (USD 95 billion) /every year, around 3% of India’s total GDP. These findings, from a report by Dalberg Advisors in partnership with Clean Air Fund and the Confederation of Indian Industry, demonstrate the heavy economic costs on top of the devastating health impacts imposed by air pollution. India ranked 5th out of 98 most polluting countries (on PM2.5) in the world leaving behind many of its neighbours, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mongolia, and Afghanistan (source - World Air Quality Report 2019). Twenty-one of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India. New Delhi is one of the worst impacted with PM2.5 levels nearly 10 times the World Health Organization guideline levels. Though pollution is a year-long issue, winters are particularly bad in Delhi with weather conditions, crop burning from neighboring states, and the festival of Diwali, coming together to exacerbate a crisis that is already grave. Close to 30 million people in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) continue to live and breathe - or at least try to - in this toxicity. In common with other cities, one of the groups that is most impacted by and vulnerable to this toxic air, are children.

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For children, pollution affects almost every aspect of their lives. The double whammy of Covid-19 and air pollution lockdowns mean greater isolation and health risks. A recent study evaluating the lung health status of 3,157 adolescent school children has revealed alarming findings showing high prevalence of symptoms related to asthma and allergy, airway obstruction/asthma, and childhood obesity. Schools in the national capital remained shut for over 2 weeks due to severely bad air quality. Physical classes in schools, colleges and other educational institutions had resumed briefly before being shuttered again, this time in response to an order from the Supreme Court, as air quality remained poor. For air pollution in particular, lockdowns are a dated,

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did not make a substantial difference in any case. Rather, it affected children on a psycho-socio level and damaged their education further. The schools were already closed for an exceptionally long time due to Covid-19 and the young people and children were looking forward to going back and interacting with their friends and teachers - which forms an integral part of their growth and wellbeing. Pollution lockdowns are not enough, especially since the serious increase in air pollution levels of Delhi has been a longstanding problem - constructive, long-term steps are required to curb it - instead of stop gap fixes that have add-on consequences. The government of Delhi has been receptive to ideas and open to piloting innovative solutions. There is also a role to be played by Delhi residents in joining forces in holding polluters accountable. Policies and laws need local public support to be effective. At the same time, newer interventions need to be designed, that take input from multiple stakeholders like environmental experts, Resident Welfare Associations, civil society organizations, and especially young people who are both heavily impacted and yet remain passionate about bringing change. We need a whole of society approach for a whole of society problem. The pandemic has come at a great cost - the loss of livelihoods, loss of education, loss of lives; but also showed clearly that solutions exist.

misdirected solution. Experts say that this is more a ‘sticking plaster’ than a solution. ‘Increased levels of air pollution make playing outside for children unhealthy. This in turn restricts them indoors, affecting their social, emotional, and other developmental needs. While schools are an institution of learning, they are also a hub of social interaction for children. Aside from textbooks, children learn through play, their interaction with peers, games and so much more, all of which has now come to a standstill for children across all regions,’ says Sonali Khan, Managing Director, Sesame Workshop India (SWI). SWI surveyed almost 10,000 children of vulnerable, low resource communities in Delhi NCR to understand their environmental concerns, and air pollution emerged as one of the dominant concerns for children spread across 28 localities. Now they are engaging children on ground through science-based experiments, storytelling, and weekly interactions to help them understand what can be done to keep air clean, while also giving them a platform to share their environmental needs with their local leaders, audiences on social media and in their communities. Another foundation, Pravah, has been working with adolescents and youth and shared that the idea of closing schools was criticized by some of the children and young people since not all families own air purifiers or other gadgets laptops/ mobiles to attend online classes. Pollution remained a reality for them at home, so closing schools

‘Covid lockdowns demonstrated that with action blue skies is possible for our cities and can have an almost immediate impact on air quality. We now have a unique opportunity to promote a green economy. We must find innovative ways to decouple economic growth from air pollution to create a healthier society and a more productive private sector. It is time to make clean air a reality through a coordinated effort by the government, the private sector, and civil society to achieve the ambitions of the NCAP to ensure a healthier, greener and more prosperous India.’ said Nitin Prasad, Chairman, CEO Confederation of Indian Industry Forum for Clean Air, and Chairman, Shell India.

l Clean Air Fund is a philanthropic organisation that brings together private and corporate funders - from climate and health to equity and child development to create a future where everyone breathes clean air.

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25th May 2022 - The Midland Hotel, Manchester

S G IN PEN K O O O B OW N

The Northern Air Quality News Conference explores some of the issues and the possible solutions to the increasing levels of toxic air in our communities, the challenges and opportunities of Clean Air Zones and Indoor Air Pollution.

The conference agenda includes presentations from many sector leading specialists including:

• Dr Maria Neira, Director of Department of Public Health & Environment at WHO • Polly Billington, Chief Executive at UKlO0

• Prof.Alastair Lewis, University of York. • Plus many more EVENT PARTNER:

• Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation *this is an outline of the agenda for the day and is subject to change before the event

www.airqualitynews.com/our-conferences/ For sponsorship information, please contact Jason on 07889 212414 or jason@spacehouse.co.uk

HOUSING AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY An Air Quality News Special Report

• The growing problem of damp and mould in social housing • Exploring the impact of building materials on indoor air quality • Reducing pollution from the construction industry

Feature

Indoor air inequality: how mould and damp are affecting societies’ most vulnerable residents Air Quality News reporter Chloe Coules investigates the growing problem of damp and mould in social housing and the impact it has on the most vulnerable tenants.

‘I

have been crying non-stop every day, crying like a helpless child. I have been screaming and shouting in my flat, and normally I am a very quiet person. I am boiling over with anger, I’m absolutely furious and filled with rage.’ Afia moved into her social rent flat in 1991, when she was just 23. In December 2021, her housing provider One Housing Group sent contractors to measure for new lino in her bathroom, following flooding from under her bath, and discovered black mould on the floorboards. Afia commissioned an independent inspection, which found that the mould was most likely Stachybotrys Chartarum, known as toxic black mould. ‘I was trapped in my flat with dangerous black mould. No one could visit me because of the stench: I stank, my clothes stank. I took time off work because I was so sick,’ she says. For some time, Afia has been experiencing a range of unexplained health issues, including breathing problems, itchy skin and allergic reactions, severe headaches, nausea, fatigue, upset stomach, brain fog and light headedness. The combination of discovering the toxic mould in her flat and contracting Covid-19 has also had a severe impact on her wellbeing. After over 30 years in her home, Afia packed an emergency suitcase and left her flat on 29 January, and she has not been back since.

‘I had to pay for my own hotel, and I am using up my savings, while also paying rent on my flat,’ she told Air Quality News. ‘Social housing is for tenants; tenants are supposed to come first, not last. Officers are supposed to serve tenants, not treat them like a nuisance.’ In response to her story, the Chief Operating Officer of One Housing, Chyrel Brown, told Air Quality News that they ‘strive to provide the highest standards of service and understand how important a well-maintained home is for [their] customers’. She added that they thoroughly investigate when they receive a complaint, and in this case following initial repair work they offered the tenant a dehumidifier and cleaners attended to remove patches of mould, and are keen to return to the property to ensure any issues are fully resolved.

‘I was trapped in my flat with dangerous black mould. No one could visit me because of the stench: I stank, my clothes stank. I took time off work because I was so sick,’ However, Afia is just one of many social housing tenants whose lives have been turned upside down by persistent damp and mould problems. Mould and damp are one of the main causes of respiratory illnesses, with reports that over 10 million families are living in damp houses in the UK.

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A campaign group supporting social housing tenants, Social Housing Action Campaign (SHAC), told Air Quality News: ‘Damp and mould are the single biggest disrepair problems that our members complain of. Almost every day, tenants and residents of social housing landlords contact us about the squalid conditions they are having to live in. Thousands of people struggle in unfit homes. ‘There is no economic excuse for these conditions. Housing association L&Q in particular seems to have difficulty in providing decent, habitable homes even though they made an operating surplus of £279m in 2020. One Housing Group features regularly despite an operating surplus of £6m. Clarion has an appalling record on addressing disrepairs but

Feature

boasted to investors last year of a £258m operating surplus. It is not just the large associations with sprawling estates though. Housing for Women, a smaller association housing vulnerable women, seems equally unwilling to make sure that their homes are fit for habitation. ‘Tenants and residents contact SHAC because the initial problems are compounded by completely ineffective systems for alerting the landlord and getting something done. Neighbourhood managers have largely been abandoned. Tenants are now directed to telephone or online helpline systems, just to get stuck in an endless loop of reporting their problem but nothing happening, no matter how many times they chase it up.

‘There is no economic excuse for these conditions. Housing association L&Q in particular seems to have difficulty in providing decent, habitable homes even though they made an operating surplus of £279m in 2020. ‘The disgraceful reality is that the RSPCA would act immediately if we reported such conditions for an animal, but neither landlords nor government provide an equivalent, immediate system of redress when people are living with these terrible hazards. The social housing model is an entirely broken system that needs radical reform, considerably strengthened by tough regulation, and

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most of all, meaningful power for tenants and residents.’ All of the housing providers mentioned by SHAC told Air Quality News that the safety and wellbeing of their tenants is their priority. L&Q said that their seven-year major works investment programme will target homes that have historically suffered from mould and damp, while One Housing stated that they intend to invest nearly £1bn in improving and repairing homes over the next five years. Housing for Women have invested over £3m across their stock in the last year and have developed a mould and damp register based on customer feedback and have commissioned a full stock condition survey to inform future investment. 19

Feature

Lifestyle versus maintenance Architect and author Tom Wooley explains that there is a long history of the responsibility for damp and mould problems being thrust onto tenants in his book Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality. ‘For many years, condensation problems were blamed on the lifestyles of occupants, particularly in social housing, where excessive moisture came from such “anti-social” activities as washing and drying clothes, bathing, boiling kettles and using the wrong kind of heaters!’

However, research has since verified that construction and external factors play more of a role in the development of these issues than tenants’ behaviour. Marion Lloyd-Jones, Service Design Lead at People Powered Retrofit, explains: ‘You create condensation in the house just by living in it – by breathing, cooking or washing – people make moisture. ‘Our housing stock is 100 years old, and we do not live in these houses the same way that we used to live in them 100 years ago. So, if nothing has been done to the house to change this then 20

of course we are going to get damp issues. These houses were designed to have a fire burning in every room, and now we have central heating, so our expectations of our homes are different now to when they were built.’ Marion says there are several lifestyle changes that people can make to reduce the amount of moisture they produce, such as using a tumble dryer instead of hanging clothes up to dry or investing in a dehumidifier, but for many low-income households these measures are not always economically viable.

‘Our housing stock is 100 years old, and we do not live in these houses the same way that we used to live in them 100 years ago.’ People in fuel poverty are also often more susceptible to damp and mould because colder air cannot hold as much moisture, so if a home is underheated, moisture condenses onto walls and windows, creating the perfect conditions for mould to reproduce. ‘Damp and mould are inextricably linked with badly insulated and ventilated houses, so fuel poverty is an

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indoor air quality issue,’ explains Tom Wooley in his book. With energy bills set to rise by over 50% in April, The Resolution Foundation estimates that the number of families living in fuel poverty in England will treble. This raises questions about the long-term impact of the worsening cost-of-living crisis on the prevalence of damp and mould issues among the most vulnerable households in the UK. The impact on tenants Mould and damp can lead to a range of health issues, including asthma, eye irritation, respiratory problems like wheezing and difficulty breathing, chest tightness, cough, throat irritation, skin reactions and rashes, headaches and persistent sneezing. Even more serious problems can result from exposure to toxic mould, which is produced from mycotoxins. This can especially affect social housing tenants, with over half of households in the social rented sector having a member with a disability or long-term health condition according to the English Housing Survey, making them more vulnerable to the health risks presented by mould. Kim, another social housing tenant, has lived in her property in London for nearly 25 years. She tells Air Quality News that there is black mould on the windows in her living room and on her bedroom walls, as well as green mould on her belongings and her wooden bed frame. ‘On the many occasions that I have reported the issues, I have been told that it is condensation and that all I need to do is keep furniture and other items away from walls and to open my windows. The onus to remedy has been placed on me,’ she said. Kim was diagnosed with Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, in 2012, and has recently been diagnosed with arthritis. She also tells Air Quality News that she is suffering from fibromyalgia, muscle pain and weakness, extreme fatigue, insomnia, headaches, brain fog and breathlessness. She has had five chest infections in a two-year period. ‘I sometimes wonder if it is actually

Feature

the mould that is affecting me as some of my symptoms are very similar,’ she says. She tells Air Quality News that living with the mould problem and not seeing a resolution is ‘stressful, depressing and frustrating’. She reports that having to keep her windows open every day is exacerbating her medical conditions, as the cold worsens her muscle pain, and she is affected by the mould on a daily basis. ‘It is very worrying to wake up in the morning and feel a wheeze inside my lungs and to experience a heavy chest and coughing up small amounts of green phlegm intermittently through the years, even though I do not smoke. It baffles me and I often wonder if it is because of the mould in my bedroom.’ However, health issues from damp and mould can be much more immediate. One tenant, Erin, told us she had to move into social housing in August 2021, after she became too unwell to work and had spent all her savings. Within a week of moving into her East Sussex flat, she identified a leak from the mains pipe under the kitchen sink. She reported the issue to Clarion Housing and an emergency plumber was sent to address it. However, she soon became aware that the kitchen units were black with rot and that

there was visible mould growth on the concrete floor when the skirting was removed. Another plumber attended to fix a second leak, and the cabinet was so rotten from water damage that it broke while he was attempting to repair the plumbing issue.

‘It is very worrying to wake up in the morning and feel a wheeze inside my lungs and to experience a heavy chest and coughing up small amounts of green phlegm intermittently through the years, even though I do not smoke. ‘I had to move out of the property as I had an allergic reaction to the mould growth and had to take a course of steroid medication. Fortunately, I was able to stay with my parents,’ she tells Air Quality News. Eventually Erin decided to pay for a private plumber to fix the leak after it was not resolved on three occasions. After writing to her Council for support, a surveyor from Clarion attended the property to view the damage and agreed to replace the units and remediate the mould, although another leak and more mould growth was found in the process. A Clarion Spokesperson asserted that the well-being of residents is their

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‘top priority’, inspecting and taking appropriate action whenever an issue is reported to them. In this case, they told Air Quality News that they attended the property on several occasions to respond to reports of leaks and mould and took action to fix and remediate the issues. However, Erin says that vulnerable people are not being provided with the safe and healthy environment they need when they end up in social housing. ‘I have a condition called short fibre neuropathy and experience poor health in general. The exposure to mould and stress that this has caused have been devastating for my health. Vulnerable, disabled, and ill people are often forced into social housing as they are unable to work. However instead of being provided with a safe and healthy environment they are living in housing that is making their health worse.’ Despite reassurances from housing providers that the safety and welfare of their tenants is paramount, it is clear that for many social housing tenants mould and damp problems are still part of their reality. As energy bills rise and more families are pulled into fuel poverty, action is needed to protect vulnerable tenants from the devasting impacts of mould and damp. 21

Feature

The connection between housing and health Tom Woolley, architect and author explores the impact that building materials have on indoor air quality and consequently our health.

he past couple of years have made us more aware of health issues than ever before, particularly in relation to our housing. Many people, forced to spend more time at home, may have wondered whether this is affecting their health. There are obvious mental health problems with being cooped up and it’s even more important to get out for exercise, but how many people think about the higher level of exposure to indoor pollutants and chemicals? In the past twenty to thirty years, construction of new houses and renovation of existing ones have included much greater use of hazardous chemicals, though awareness of this is not as high as it should be. Changes to building regulations since the first oil crisis have attempted to make buildings more energy efficient, but this focus has been far too narrow. The UK construction industry still struggles to understand how to insulate buildings properly and continues to use materials that do not work well and insulations that are bad for health and bad for the planet. Even Michael Gove in Parliament on January 10 referred to what he called

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‘dangerous insulations’ and has spoken out against Kingspan (one of the leading insulation companies) sponsoring Formula 1 racing and the Ulster Rugby stadium. As many more people are facing increases in fuel and electricity costs, there have been calls for houses to be better insulated from industry and activists but neither understand

Feature

how to do this properly. In this article, I will try to unpack the many and complex issues about construction materials and building methods and how this has the potential to create serious health problems for both building occupants and the planet. The performance gap First of all, there is the problem of the ‘performance gap.’ This was highlighted by the Zero Carbon Hub (ZCH), set up by the UK Government in 2008. The Government abandoned its zero carbon homes policy and shut down the Zero Carbon hub in 2016. However, the real reason for the closure was complaints from the construction industry that their failings to make buildings energy efficient had been exposed. The ZCH and other important pieces of research showed that many new-build houses failed to achieve the standard of energy efficiency claimed when complying with the building regulations. Often the performance was 70% worse than had been predicted. The ZCH initially identified this as a problem of poor building practice, but it might have further analysed the failure of standard construction methods and insulation materials. The focus was on making buildings more air-tight which has led to wrapping most buildings in plastic and sealing them up with non-vapour permeable materials and finishes.

continue to off gas over many years. Ventilation can partially mitigate this problem. However, while the mechanical ventilation industry pushes for more extract fans and heat recovery systems these do not remove the persistent pollutants like flame retardants, pcbs styrenes, isocyanates substances such as methyl isobutyl ketones, and many more. How can these problems be avoided? The Town and Country Planning Association have been campaigning, through a private member’s bill in parliament for Healthy Housing. While this is a welcome initiative, their Healthy Homes Principles do not spell out in detail how houses should be built and are weak on issues such as indoor air pollution. But their proposals at least draw attention to the standard of house construction in the UK. Houses continue to be built with hazardous petrochemical, flammable insulation materials and the Building Safety Bill, soon to become law, is likely to be seen as one of the worst pieces of legislation in recent years as a panic reaction to the Grenfell tragedy as it will not do enough to make homes safer and healthier.

Unintended consequences This leads us onto the second problem of ‘unintended consequences,’ even new houses have high levels of mould and damp and emit hazardous chemicals which cannot escape. Even worse has been the so-called retrofit disaster problem, where various schemes, some grant aided, have installed synthetic petrochemical insulation materials into existing houses leading to even more dampness and mould growth. The aim has been to make houses warmer and it has been claimed in much of the academic and fuel poverty literature that insulating houses leads to better health, even though the evidence for this is shaky at best. It is possible to carry out quite simple and affordable indoor air quality tests, which identify a wide range of hazardous substances. When the results come back from such a test they are almost certainly going to show high levels of hazardous chemicals including a range of volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, mould growth and other persistent chemicals which can have serious effects on health, asthma, respiratory conditions and even cancer. Official Government committees concerned with air quality have their heads in the sand about these issues and are ignoring emissions from building materials. They tend to put the blame for poor air quality on personal hygiene products, cooking odours and paints and decorations as well as outdoor air pollution. While these can contribute to the toxic cocktail of pollutants they are relatively short lived, whereas the real problem remains with persistent and much more toxic substances embedded in the building, which

The bigger picture Conventional hazardous building materials are not only bad for the health of occupants but their manufacture leads to serious environmental damage on a planetary scale. Oceans are polluted with plastic waste (not just from single use cups and bags) but construction waste and a range of toxic chemicals such as flame retardants and PFAs. Production of isocyanates, widely used in modern building materials, has largely ended in Europe because of the toxicity and pollution caused, but the materials are still being produced in China. It was also revealed that CFC blowing agents (banned in 1992) were still being used, leading to serious CFC pollution affecting the ozone layer. Accord Housing Association is attempting to build a nearly plastic free set of houses in Redditch but they are constrained by conventional building practice which makes it hard to exclude plastic altogether. Alternative healthy, non-toxic materials, which can be used to construct and renovate houses, are widely available

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Feature

but are only used in a small proportion of projects. These products, often made from renewable bio-based materials, can perform much better than conventional construction products. They can insulate better, provide thermal mass to reduce overheating and are mostly breathable so that damp and mould problems are reduced. They include materials such as sheep wool, wood fibre and hemp. The best non-chemical sheep wool insulation however has to come all the way from Austria even though farmers in the UK get next to nothing for their wool. A wide range of wood fibre products are available but again are imported from France and Germany. At least hemp is produced in the UK but only used in buildings at a cottage industry level. Using natural healthy emission free products could transform house construction and renovation and would only take a few years to scale up to mainstream production, but the petrochemical companies and their lobby groups are very active in resisting this.

A recent report for the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, by Arup and others sets out very clear figures that conventional house building releases 100 kg of CO2 per square metre, a house built of natural materials has the opposite effect, locking up a similar 24

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amount of CO2. Unfortunately, embodied energy is largely ignored by those seeking to create energy efficient buildings. Even green campaigners, talking of green new deals, Insulate Britain and community energy projects are largely in ignorance of healthier materials. It is particularly difficult to get the mainstream media to take an interest in this topic. ITV has a better record but a recent “Tonight” programme which discussed many of the issues in this article was cut in half to give time to so-called energy experts to bemoan the rise in fuel costs. A further ITV interview with a leading campaigner against retrofit disasters was axed recently as the producer could not see that it was of interest. The BBC doesn’t even bother and only Channel 4 news has kept Grenfell in the public eye. There is more detailed information on these issues available. My book Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality has sold thousands of copies and I am wading through a mountain of new material to produce Volume 2. Together with Dr. Eshrar Latif at Cardiff University and architect Rachel Bevan we produced a guide to insulation materials for the Institute of Civil Engineering when we realised that such a guide did not exist. Finally, in April a new guide to natural building techniques will be published by Crowood Press.

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Feature

Reducing pollution from the constructio Air Quality News explores how modern methods of construction can help to reduce air pollution. By Pippa Neill

ccording to the Conservative Party manifesto the UK needs to build 300,000 new homes a year to deal with the ongoing housing crisis, an increase of over 50% compared to 2010 levels. Despite the desperate need for new homes, ramping up construction on this scale raises some obvious environmental concerns. Aside from land-use change, material waste and increased carbon emissions, increasingly there are concerns about the impact that the construction industry has on the quality of our air. According to the UK’s National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, the construction industry has contributed to around 25% of the total nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution since 1970.

Transport The construction industry contributes to air pollution in several ways but one major source is the transportation of goods and services. Using traditional methods of construction it takes around two years to build a standard family home with an average of 22 different subcontractors needed. This, plus the delivery of goods and materials means that there can be upwards of 30 different vehicles visiting a construction site on any one day. When you multiply this by 300,000, it means a lot of moving vehicles, all producing air pollutants. One solution for reducing the number of vehicles travelling backwards and forwards from a site is constructing the properties

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off-site using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). MMC is a process which focuses on off-site construction techniques, such as mass production and factory assembly. MMC can be more sustainable as homes are precisionengineered to create less waste and are built using sustainable materials. This approach also provides benefits by speeding up delivery, reducing labour costs and improving quality. This means MMC can ‘kill two birds with one stone’ by helping us to ramp up our construction output without contributing to environmental pollution. Andrew Shepherd, Managing Director of TopHat Solutions, a leader in the Modern Methods of Construction space explains: ‘Our manufacturing takes place in

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In areas where off-site construction is not possible, there are still ways that the industry can reduce its contribution to air pollution. According to one estimate, 14% of particulate matter (PM2.5) produced from the construction industry comes from the machinery used. James Bellinger, Senior Air Quality Consultant at global design and

equipment choices during the design of a project Despite clear ways to improve the air pollution output, James explains that the construction industry still has a big issue with communication. ‘A key area for improvement is actually in the planning stages that are between where a site is designed and before a contractor is appointed to do the work. ‘Historically, those two stages don’t work that well together and that results in opportunities being missed in the design process. For example, electrical connection could be added to avoid the need for diesel generators but because this communication doesn’t happen we are left with a situation where the contractor is appointed to do the work in a set amount of time and realistically they’re not going to turn up and ask for changes to reduce air pollution because for them, time is money.’

planning firm ARUP explains that this is because a lot of the tools and machines used at construction sites are powered by diesel generators. In a recent literature review, researchers at ARUP highlighted several key areas where developers can reduce air pollution. These include: • Having a low or zero emission equipment requirement • Planning for the on-site provision of grid electricity • Planning sites so they can be built to allow for zero emissions • Considering emissions and

It is clear that to meet our housing needs we not only need to ramp up the scale of construction but we also need to shake up how we do things. However, as said by Andrew Shepherd, ‘There is a lot of muscle memory in the industry. ‘There are lots of senior decision makers that have over 30 years worth of experience in doing things in a certain way, so asking them to do something completely differently is very difficult. To achieve our goals, we all need to invest and support future solutions.’

Legal & General and Goldmans Sachs boosting confidence in the industry. The UK government has also begun to implement policy to shift towards modular housing, with schemes such as the Home Building and Construction Corridor encouraging market growth and allowing the supply of these structures to be produced. However, currently only 15,000 modular homes are built per year, a fraction of the 300,000 needed. Machinery

on industry Derbyshire, and everything is built and created in one location as homes are mechanically moved around the factory. ‘The houses then arrive at the site 95% complete, meaning the time spent at the construction site is a fraction of what normally happens. The contracting industry is extremely transient meaning people may live in one area but drive multiple hours a day to work in another. We have found that the people working in our factory are much more likely to live nearby and get public transport to work. This means we are contributing to much less transport emissions in the first stage of delivery.’ Modular houses and Modern Methods of Construction have gained significant interest in the last few years with investment from the likes of

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Feature

Moving away from fossil fuels is a solution to the UK’s worsening fuel poverty Amid concerns of growing fuel poverty in the UK and a worsening cost-of-living crisis, one solution may be to diverge from our over-reliance on fossil fuels, Tamara Krivskaya reports.

ollowing Ofgem’s announcement of a fuel price cap increase, UK households can expect to see an additional £693 a year on their energy bills from April 2022, plunging thousands more families into fuel poverty. A household is said to be fuel poor if it has aboveaverage energy costs, and if paying those costs would push it below the poverty line as far as its remaining income was concerned. The Resolution Foundation estimates that the price cap rise will also treble the number of families in England living in ‘fuel stress’, i.e. spending at least 10% of their family budget on energy bills. That’s over a quarter of households in England. The limited financial relief proposed by the government is expected to be funded by higher bills over the five years from 2023. Experts have argued that this is a short-term solution that will only temporarily offset the problem, and risks further spiralling costs. Adam Corlett, Principal Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: ‘The Chancellor’s approach of funding a reduction in energy bills this year through higher bills over the following five years is also a risky strategy, especially if the cost of gas doesn’t fall soon and sharply. ‘High energy bills could be a feature of the 2020s emphasising the need to wean Britain off fossil fuels.’ Many, like Mr Corlett, have argued that the only way to address this issue is to move away from fossil fuels. A reduced reliance on fossil fuels would not only address growing fuel poverty - it would also have a positive impact on pollution levels and public health. Greenpeace estimates that air pollution from fossil fuels is responsible for 40,000 children dying before their 5th birthday and costs the global economy as much $8bn a day. There has been some limited progress on this goal,

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with the UK government pledging to no longer use coal to generate electricity from 2024.

However, the UK’s uptake of renewables has been slow and has lagged behind that of its European counterparts. In contradiction to the goal of switching to renewable energy, a new North Sea oil and gas field has been recently approved 145 miles from Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. It is expected to produce 5.5m barrels of oil - enough gas to meet UK demand for roughly a day and a half. And while Ofgem justified the price cap increase with rising global fuel prices, oil giant Shell announced £14.5b in profits for 2021 - including £4.7b in the last 3 months alone. Earlier this week, Exxon said that they had made £16.9b billion in profit in 2021. Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Just Transition Campaigner Ryan Morrison said: ‘The UK’s energy system is fundamentally broken. Today is clear evidence that it doesn’t work for people or the planet. Oil company bosses are being allowed to profit from climate breakdown and the gas price crisis on the back of widespread misery for people around the world.’

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The Big Interview

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment Following the expansion of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in October 2021, Air Quality News reporter Chloe Coules asks Shirley Rodrigues what is next for air quality policy in the capital.

Following her senior policy experience where she helped to implement the London Low Emission Zone, Shirley Rodrigues was appointed as Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy in 2016. She now uses her expertise to deliver the Mayor’s plans for tackling air pollution across the capital, including the recent expansion of the ULEZ, new charges for the oldest and most polluting vehicles and creating Low Emission Bus Zones.

However, no experience could have prepared her team for the challenges of delivering the ULEZ expansion during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Deputy Mayor tells Air Quality News that delivering the project while working remotely was a ‘huge challenge’. 30

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One of the biggest issues that they faced was with supply chain shortages. Shirley explains that as people became ill and recovered from Covid-19, there were lots of interruptions which required good project management from Transport for London and within the Greater London Authority (GLA). The pandemic also forced the team to get creative about how they informed the public of the changes, utilizing social media, TV adverts and mail outs to raise awareness. However, according to a recent analysis published by the Mayor's Office, 92% of vehicles driving into the zone are now compliant. Shirley says: ‘I think it is testament to all that work that we have seen such high levels of compliance with the scheme.’ Although it is too early to fully understand the impact that the expansion has had on air quality in London, Shirley says that compliance levels are the best way to get an early indicator of the project’s success – which she describes as ‘phenomenal’. There has also been a large decline in the number of vehicles that are being driven in the ULEZ, with around 47,000 fewer non-compliant vehicles being seen in the zone on each average weekday. Shirley attributes this success to the work of the marketing and communications teams at TfL, who made sure that people understood what needed to be done and more importantly why air pollution is a health and climate emergency. Despite the success of the scheme so far, much more work is needed to reach the Mayor’s target of reducing car traffic

The Big Interview

by 27% by the end of the decade to support London’s net zero ambition. The Deputy Mayor tells Air Quality News that Londoners should expect to see further measures in the coming years to reduce traffic: ‘[Meeting the Mayor’s target] would ideally require some form of smart road user charging by the mid to late ‘20s – certainly by the end of the decade. ‘The Mayor has already said that we would keep this under review in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. But that is going to take some time – nowhere has that sophisticated level of charging in place so it is going to require a lot of brains and innovation to come up with the technology, the approach to how you manage it, the back office systems and so on. ‘Sadiq Khan is trying to start to get those innovators and businesses to come to London and work with us, because we want to look at this and we are the ones that are taking this really seriously.

told to avoid strenuous physical activity on 14 January as air pollution was predicted to hit its highest peak since 2018. The government’s official advice was criticised by campaign groups like Greenpeace and Global Action Plan for putting the onus on the vulnerable instead of polluters. However, Shirley urges: ‘The message we want to get out to people is drive less. If you have to use your vehicle, please don’t drive a polluting vehicle on medium and high pollution days, don’t use your wood burning stove and so on. That health messaging is absolutely critical to get to people out there, so people are able to manage their own exposure, whether it is by not exercising or whatever.’ Shirley says there is still ‘lots more’ that she wants to achieve in her role as Deputy Mayor for Environment and with the World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines tightening, Shirley and her team are pushing for secondary legislation to put the WHO targets into law so local authorities can act on them.

‘But in the meantime, air pollution and congestion cannot wait for that system to be developed, we need to take action now and use whatever powers and initiatives that we are able to take.’ An example of the need for further action was highlighted with the recent air pollution event, which saw Londoners

‘There are so many people who are working in London on this issue and who are really taking action. But like climate change, we all need to take action. That means the government enabling local authorities, health professionals and individuals to make the changes that we need to see.’

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Local Government Interview

Life as an Air Quality Officer Air Quality News talks to Ogo Osammor, Lead Air Quality Officer at Sheffield City Council to find out what his job involves. By Pippa Neill

O Ogo Osammor, Lead Air Quality Officer at Sheffield City Council

go Osammor has been working as an Air Quality Officer at Sheffield City Council for over 12 years and is currently leading on the city’s Air Quality Action Plan. The primary role of any Air Quality Officer is to monitor air pollution and compare the results to national standards, but as the dangers of air pollution have been pushed to the forefront and as council’s have started to declare climate emergencies the role is now a lot more diverse with increased pressure for results. ‘In Sheffield, air pollution is responsible for an estimated 500 deaths a year and the city, like many other cities of similar size across the UK, has been in breach of legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) since January 2010,’ explains Ogo. ‘Because of this, a big part of my

job is source apportionment, this is the process of establishing where the air pollution is coming from and working out how much of it is coming from traffic, industry or commercial sources. ‘We then use this data to help inform policy at a local governmental level. We work closely with Transport Officers, planning officers and public transport providers to help identify and encourage them ways to reduce emissions. ‘We also engage with the Senior 32

Managers, Air Quality Officers from neighbouring local authorities, Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham, consult with the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and the Transport Authorities, National Highways, Environment Agency, the Institute of Air Quality Management, as necessary, to discuss air quality standards and explore how to reduce emissions.’ Another major role for any Air Quality Officer is to work with developers. Developers are required to apply to a local authority for permission to develop proposed developments greater than a certain size or complexity. If emissions from the development are likely to be detrimental to air quality, then development planners also consult Air Quality Officers for their opinion on mitigation measures, including

planning conditions. ‘We also work closely with the general public and politicians who may be contacted by their constituents because they have air pollution concerns,’ explains Ogo. In the 12 years since Ogo has been working as an Air Quality Officer a lot has changed in the world of air quality, especially for local authorities. ‘ClientEarth has played a hugely influential role in highlighting the urgency around air pollution. Thanks

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to ClientEarth our role is no longer just about monitoring air pollution but it is also about helping to implement measures and solutions to reduce it,’ explains Ogo. Since ClientEarth successfully took the government to Court over illegal levels of air pollution, local authorities across the country have been mandated to improve air quality in the ‘quickest shortest possible time frame,’ and for many councils that has involved implementing a Clean Air Zone (CAZ). Sheffield is one of these cities and so is due to introduce category Class C CAZ in late 2022. Once live, buses, taxis, vans and lorries that do not meet certain emissions standards will have to pay to drive into the zone. ‘Once the CAZ has launched, our role will be to continue to report on the levels of local air pollution to the government. Just because a city has

Local Government Interview

become compliant, the local authorities must demonstrate that the clean air standards will no longer be breached ‘As with all of our work, monitoring is key. It is said that if you don’t can’t count then you can’t manage, if we don’t monitor air pollution then we’ll never know what is going on or how to improve it.’ Under the National Air Quality Strategy, if a council finds an area where air pollution exceeds national air pollution standards then they are required to declare it an Air Quality Management Area. Once this has been done, the officers are then required to identify measures (Air Quality Action Plan) that the authority needs to implement to reduce pollution to a level that is compliant. ‘My role is to ensure that the local authority is aware of the air pollution situation and then work with other

officers to invoke policies that will help to bring down the levels.’ Another monumental shift in the air quality world was when coroner Philip Barlow ruled that air pollution made a ‘material contribution’ to the death of 9-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah. According to Ogo this shifted the public perception and understanding of air pollution. ‘Despite scientists clearly identifying the impact that air pollution has on our health there remains speculation in some quarters about the true risks. ‘Ella’s case has helped to clearly establish a legal basis and a causal relationship between air pollution and human health.’ As pressure has been placed on local authorities to clean up their air, councils have had to find new ways and approaches, from introducing

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School Streets to launching antiidling campaigns. and as an Air Quality Officer, Ogo has initiated and supported campaigns and projects that help to reduce air pollution and raise awareness. Ogo commented that he is involved in many projects including the Air Aware Campaign, Electric Vehicle Taxi trial, Anti-Idling campaign, the introduction of School Streets and Electric Bike trials, ‘A lot has indeed changed in the past ten years and action on air pollution has become more important than ever,’ says Ogo. ‘I now work as part of our Climate Change and Sustainability Service, working alongside colleagues who are taking forward our net-zero carbon programmes, as Sheffield has also committed to become net-zero by . ‘Air pollution is ubiquitous and so too is our professional work.’ 33

Interview

Air Quality News talks to Adrian Sutton following the announcement that Marston Holdings had acquired Vortex IoT Air Quality News talks to Adrian Sutton, Managing Director of Vortex and the new Smart Cities Development Director for Marston Holdings to find out more. By Pippa Neill

Adrian Sutton, Managing Director of Vortex and the new Smart Cities Development Director for Marston Holdings

arston Holdings are providers of market-leading, integrated technology-enabled transport solutions to support government, utilities and the private sector. Marston’s clients include local authorities that are seeking to build environmental schemes that reduce congestion and pollution. Marston say that they acquired Vortex IoT, experts in pollution monitoring, in order to further bolster their air quality, smart transport and decarbonisation offerings and initiatives. The Wales-based technology company launched just over four years ago when Adrian was at an Internet of Things conference in Singapore and met co-founder Behzad Momahed Heravi. ‘It was very much a chance meeting,’ says Adrian. ‘We bumped into each on that trip, realised we had a lot in common but at the same time came from different backgrounds and areas of expertise. Over that first dinner we wrote on a napkin and that became the straw man of our business. Over the ensuing 8 months we grew those initial ideas into something more formalised and incorporated Vortex in late 2017. A little over four years later and this acquisition is both

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timely and helps support Marston’s strategic ambitions in delivering smart city end-to-end offerings to its impressive client base. ‘Local authorities know Marston well… they are the UK’s leading provider of technology-enabled transport and traffic management solutions and are obsessed with providing value to their clients’, explains Adrian. ‘Part of the value Marston want to offer their clients is clean air for their residents. That’s how this acquisition came about.’ Commenting recently on the opportunity, Mark Hoskin, Chief Commercial Officer at Marston Holdings, was particularly excited about the new service possibilities for Marston clients: “We have a long track record of successfully working in partnership with the public sector, and this acquisition reflects client feedback seeking innovative, technology-enabled solutions. COP26 demonstrated public support for driving the transition to a zero-carbon economy, and we’re pleased to further enhance our ability to support our clients and their residents through cleaner, healthier and more people-friendly communities.” Vortex and Marston Holdings are no strangers, having

Interview

worked together for the last two years as partners. Most notably they came together to deliver the deployment of hyperlocal air pollution monitoring in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF). For this project, which launched in July 2020, Vortex worked with Project Centre and Videalert, sister companies of Marston Holdings, to deploy what is currently the largest air pollution monitoring network in Europe. When fully deployed in 2022 that same network will have more air quality sensors in that Borough than the whole of London combined. The sensor capabilities have enabled the council to deliver air quality audits to identify pollution sources, and subsequently validate interventions and policy adoption as well as deploy local traffic measures to quickly reduce air pollution. This includes closing surrounding roads to traffic at school pick-up and drop-off times, implementing active travel campaigns, adding green assets, and tackling engine idling. “We integrate our air quality data with Videalert’s ANPR camera data and the council’s existing traffic management data; all in real-time from a continuous data feed. This is significant… it has enabled us to get ridiculously powerful insights on pollution in the area. We use that to actually improve air quality with Marston supported congestion reduction schemes.” Following the introduction of the first scheme, 170,000 vehicles a week were removed from the area to the east of Wandsworth Bridge Road. After winning an award at the British Parking Awards for the Traffic Congestion and Pollution Reduction Scheme, LBHF Parking Director John Galsworthy said that it had reduced carbon emissions by 1 tonne a day in Fulham and improved air quality by 50%. The project’s success clearly demonstrates that end-to-end data rich systems will and can play their part in disrupting a hitherto ill-served market need. “Augmenting the current AURN network with a new dimension of hyperlocal air quality monitoring is the way forward. Policy and standards are not keeping pace with technology and we welcomed the recent encouragement and enthusiasm by the Minister of Environment to press ahead with work in this area as we are keen for scientists, technology, activists and industry to collaborate in creating the right set of governance measures for this exciting new market ” said Adrian UNLOCKING THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY In recent years the air quality and specifically the air quality monitoring space has changed significantly as the technology improves at a rapid pace. According to Adrian, Vortex has been instrumental in pushing forward this progress. ‘The players that were in the market before us had served it badly,’ says Adrian. ‘We looked at this and thought the technology was overpriced, outdated and not actually delivering any real value, so we took these mistakes and reset the market. ‘The acquisition from Marston Holdings is a real strategic fit because we can now provide a very compelling offering to our clients. In the end we are in the game of reducing air pollution and achieving decarbonisation goals. Supporting our clients with that becomes much more straightforward, through a new offering that is fully integrated and delivers end-to-end solutions.’ The key to this offering is the development of smart cities where different types of electronic methods collect specific data, and this data is used to improve operations across the city. ‘The best definition of a smart city I’ve heard is it’s a city that is constantly learning about itself.

It does this through the data - data is everything. ‘A smart city is an ecosystem, and you need multiple sets of technology to drive real change. ‘The coming together of Marston and Vortex brings a step change and a paradigm shift in terms of how we think about smart city solutions. Marston Holdings are really pushing forward the smart city and traffic management agenda. That makes this recent acquisition both a strategic fit for them but also a strategic fit for us.’

SOCIAL VALUE AND THE RACE TO NET ZERO The future of smart cities is not just about integrating air pollution monitoring with traffic management systems. It is also about achieving net zero and creating sustainable infrastructure. ‘If we’re committed to the race to net-zero then we have to look both at the science but also at the important role of technology in delivering this. How can we deliver value to residents by making cities better places to live, work and play? ‘I have young children, so from a personal perspective I want to be part of creating a better future, but from an entrepreneurial and commercial perspective I have always wanted to bring to market something that delivers value and has global reach. Marston Holdings can help us to achieve this, they are a growing group whose focus is on fully integrated solutions and their investors are looking for solutions that do just this. ‘We know that the growth of city populations, combined with climate change impacts, will drive investment in smart city capabilities. Joining Marston Holdings accelerates Vortex IoT’s ability to deliver the smart city offerings that provide cost-effective and socially acceptable solutions to communities. We are no longer just talking about air quality monitoring. We are providing proven routes to reducing air pollution through an integrated value proposition that supports local authorities on issues explicit to them. Schemes such as low traffic neighborhoods and clean air zones that are well thought through and actually work for residents is just one way of achieving this. There is a reason Marston Holdings’ clients include Highways England, Transport for London and some 280 local authorities. They know how to provide value to their clients. This acquisition speaks to their foresight and desire to continue delivering that value by providing answers to the big issues on air pollution, decarbonization and smart city implementation.’

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Marketplace Enviro Technology Services

AS Modelling & Data Ltd

GRAMM SmogStop

RHT Industries Limited

Founded in 1983 and now active in over 67 countries with a multimillion pound turnover, ET has evolved over 37 years to become a global provider of air quality and emissions monitoring systems and servicing. The company sell and lease equipment, systems and services covering the monitoring of ambient air quality (AQM), continuous emissions (CEM) and indoor air quality. ET also supplies cutting-edge analytical equipment for scientific, process and research monitoring including the monitoring of greenhouse and toxic gases. The company operates out of a custom-designed 1700m2 factory featuring fully air-conditioned calibration and repair laboratories, in-house system manufacturing and dedicated testing and training facilities.

AS Modelling & Data provides dispersion and deposition modelling using the latest version of ADMS for a wide range of clients including farms, the waste water industry, waste management, general manufacturing and Local Authorities. Our team can provide the expertise, modelling, data and reports for odour, ammonia and air quality assessments including detailed modelling of emissions from ammonia scrubbers and innovative ventilation systems. AS Modelling & Data can also provide meteorological station data and site-specific Numerical Weather Prediction data for any site location in the world, which can be converted for use within ADMS. We can provide data for meteorological parameters on request and data can be provided quickly at affordable prices. stevesmith@asmodata.co.uk

GRAMM is the UK leading specialist in the design, supply & installation of environmental acoustic barriers. We have constructed literally 1,000’s of Km’s of acoustic barriers of all types of materials throughout the UK and Europe. GRAMM SmogStop Barrier reduces air and noise pollution levels in surrounding neighbourhoods, and takes a two-pronged approach to reducing air pollution from major roads, highways and railways. The patented aerodynamic design reduces pollution levels by enhancing dispersion. At the same time, a proprietary coating on the barrier actually breaks down the NOx and VOCs that produce smog, transforming them into harmless by-products

We are an indoor environment air treatment manufacturer that brings to market an innovative, sustainable and an environmentally friendly technology. Developed in cooperation with the world-renowned Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, our NCCO (Nano Confined Catalytic Oxidation) air treatment system is entirely safe and has one of the longest filter lives in our industry. It is effective in killing bacteria, viruses, removes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), odours, smoke, PM2.5 particulates, yeasts, and allergens. Our products are used in a wide range of industries such paint, perfume, air, rail, hotel industries, hospitals, offices and in the home.

T: 01453 733200 www.et.co.uk

T: 01952 462500 www.asmodata.co.uk

T: 01323 872243 www.smogstop.co.uk

T : +44 1565 640 960 www.int.rhtair.com

CarTakeBack

Environmental Monitoring Arcola Energy

CarTakeBack is the UK’s largest network of scrap car recycling centres with over 300 sites across the UK. CarTakeBack provide a scrap vehicle recycling service to the public and businesses including vehicle manufacturers, dealerships, police forces, auction houses as well as local authorities and government bodies. CarTakeBack recycle vehicles to the highest standard and have a successful history of handling and supporting vehicle scrappage schemes - including government and local authority schemes as well as vehicle manufacturer and dealership lead schemes.

T: 08000 71 71 91 www.CarTakeBack.com info@CarTakeBack.com

Data Monitoring Systems Ltd are a complete data solutions provider From your single analyser, right through to your complete network, our Data Gateway has the ability to connect to 20 analysers simultaneously. Major analysers, for example, Thermo, Palas, Ecotech, Vaisala, and more may be connected to our Data Gateways with automatic calibrations also being carried out. Data ratification, and reports may be carried using our Reports package. Coming soon: ï I ndoor Air Monitoring system measuring: • TVOC, • Particles • CO2 • Temperature • Humidity with display, mobile phone and WiFi connectivity.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle engineering, Tier 1 Powertrain supply and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle project delivery.

ïW eb portal for displaying your data. ï Mobile phone application.

Arcola Energy is a leading specialist in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for energy and transport. We help our customers to develop the right technology, supply-chain, deployment strategy, and after market solutions, avoiding costly mistakes and aiming to delight end-users. We have a collaborative approach, building long-term partnerships with and between our customers, suppliers and end-users. We focus on products which make a positive contribution to society, delivered with total commitment to quality, safety and compliance. Our manufacturing, installation and service facility in Liverpool City Region has capacity to supply 1,000s of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles per year.

T: 01382 524916 enquiries@datamonitoring. co.uk www.datamonitoring.co.uk

T: 020 7503 1386 sales@arcolaenergy.com www.arcolaenergy.com

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Em-Monitors (Environmental Monitoring) is a specialist provider and manufacturer of a range of environmental monitoring equipment. We recognise the need to minimise cost by providing accurate and meaningful data remotely to any location in the world. Our air monitoring systems cover indicative indoor and air quality systems as well as reference system required to report to national standards. Environmental Monitoring also provide workplace monitoring equipment and training, so that you can produce professional reports with confidence. Environmental Monitoring covers all your environmental monitoring requirements.

T: 01539 727 878 www.airquality-monitoring.co.uk em-monitors.co.uk

SUEZ Air and Climate Division Shaping Air Quality for a Sustainable Environment, NOW

Air quality is a worldwide concern with significant consequences becoming more evident every day. That is why for the SUEZ Air and Climate Division it has turned into a priority to protect public health and preserve the natural environment. Introducing SUEZ AirAdvanced®; air quality consultancy services and innovative solutions to address the air quality agendas of Public Health, Climate Change & Odour Management. AirAdvanced® provides a comprehensive end-to-end service to necessitate the delivery of objectives to improve air quality. The SUEZ offering serves to diagnose, remediate, optimise and review, forming a complete cycle to tackle all pollution challenges.

Contact:

Craig Lewis

Business Development Manager - Air Quality SUEZ Smart & Environmental Solutions t: +44 (0)7785 695 155 e: craig.lewis@suez.co.uk

MA RS TON H OLDIN G S WELCO MES VO RT E X I OT LIM ITE D TO E NHAN C E EN D-TO -EN D AIR Q UA L IT Y AND DEC ARBON ISI N G OFFERIN G

At Marston Holdings, our clients seek to build environmental schemes that reduce congestion and pollution. With Vortex onboard, we will strengthen our offering by delivering complementary air quality solutions to maximise awareness, identify pollution hotspots and improve public health. Read the interview with Adrian Sutton, CEO of Vortex IoT on pages 34 & 35. Find out more about Marston Holdings www.marstonholdings.co.uk marketing@marstonholdings.co.uk

Marston Holdings provides market-leading technology and services for local authorities to achieve long-term air quality improvements.

Transport Planning Consultancy

CCTV Enforcement

Permitting

Electric Vehicle Charging

Foreign Vehicle Enforcement

Debt Management