Air pollution is considered one of the largest environmental health impacts, with outdoor air pollution causing more than 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide each year. Air quality can vary within city districts and even within street sections. 

Project Air View in Hamburg is a scientific project of Google and HafenCity University (HCU) to measure, map, and publish hyperlocal air quality data in Hamburg. Project Air View uses an all-electric vehicle equipped with air quality sensors to measure fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitric oxide(NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ozone (O3), which are harmful to both our climate and human health.

Project Air View’s goal is to bring detailed air quality maps to scientists, city planners, and everyday people to help inspire action that can help further improve the living environment. The data collected by Project Air View is not related to the measurements and modelling carried out by the immission control authority in Hamburg (BUKEA) based on the 39th BImSchV to assess air quality.

The discussion paper (DOI: 10.34712/142.50, in German) summarises the research results. Central aspects are the project background and the research method, urban planning considerations based on the processed data, possible use case for urban and transportation planning as well as the identification of different potentials of the measurement method.

The air quality data (DOI: 10.34712/042.1) measured by Google contains 23 million data points from over 2 million measurement locations. An additional metadata description by the manufacturer of the sensors, Aclima, can be found here.

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