The AWAIR real-time air pollution display is a partnership between Imperial College and our hospitals at the Trust.  

AWAIR is one example of how we are tackling air pollution at our hospitals to enable a greener, healthier future for our staff, patients and local communities.   

Air pollution affects health, and can worsen health conditions, for example: children with asthma.

 

What is AWAIR? 

Is an Imperial College Environmental Research Group project to place real-time air pollution information displays in public places. 

AWAIR is a pioneering study piloting the co-design, creation and investigation of the impact of outdoor air quality displays on community awareness and understanding of air quality.

The AWAIR pilot was designed around the idea that the community should have a say in how air quality information is displayed in their neighborhoods.

 Find out more about AWAIR here

This is part of our hospitals' air quality collaboration work with Hammersmith & Fulham council and Imperial College to raise awareness of air pollution and help communities take action to reduce air pollution and reduce their exposure to it. 

AWAIR recognises that improving air pollution also requires system change such as switching to clean energy systems, and that individual behaviour changes can also help to move us closer to the goal of cleaner air for all.

AWAIR feedback survey

Let us know what you think of our AWAIR signs with this 1-minute survey

Tips on how to reduce your exposure to air pollution:

Breathe London have advice on how you can help to reduce air pollution and influence system change.

Our hospitals have also been upgrading our systems and providing support for staff and patients to reduce air pollution by:

  • Installing heat pumps and solar panels - The Trust gained £100m of government funding to install electric heat pumps, solar panels and other technologies to lower our use of fossil fuels to heat and power our buildings at Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals.
  • Staff cycling support - We are a gold accredited cycling employer which means we provide facilities and support services to staff to help them cycle to work.
  • Ultra-low emission cars - Can be bought by staff on our salary sacrifice scheme.
  • Air Pollution sensor at Charing Cross Hospital - Charing Cross Hospital has been fitted with new air quality sensors to measure local levels of pollution, as part of an air quality monitoring investment by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and is backed by our research partners at Imperial College. Air pollution information can be viewed at the Breathe London website.
  • Electric vehicle patient transport - Our patient transport provider has started using 100% electric vehicles.

Other resources if you are interested to find out more.

• Clean air Hospital Framework by Global Action Plan.
• Breathe London Community Groups page.
• Everything you need to know about air pollution: Clean Air Hub by Global Action Plan.
• For health professionals: Personalising the Health Impacts of Air Pollution.
• For healthcare leaders in an ICS – Tool by Global Action Plan.