Clean Air Where

16/04/2026

Really exciting to be part of this and to support Lessness Heath with improving indoor air quality in classrooms.

Clean air is such a simple intervention, but the impact can be significant - looking forward to seeing the results as the study progresses.

We are excited to share something we are currently working on.

Smart Air UK is running a pilot study in two primary schools to explore the impact clean air can have on pupil attendance.

Lessness Heath Primary School in the UK and Scoil Naomh Bríd in Ireland are both using our Blast HEPA air purifiers in their classrooms, and we are tracking whether cleaner indoor air has a measurable effect on how often children are able to attend school.

We know from research that poor indoor air quality affects children's health. This study is about understanding what happens when you do something about it.

We will be sharing updates as the study progresses. Watch this space.

16/04/2026

Indoor air quality is finally getting the attention it deserves. It’s good to see more webinars and conversations happening around this.

The American Lung Association is hosting a Clean Air School Symposium, sharing practical steps to improve the air we breathe indoors.

You can sign up for virtual attendance, which makes it much more accessible.

We spend most of our time inside - in schools, workplaces, homes - and it has a real impact on how we feel and how often we get ill.

This is exactly why I started looking at air quality in real-world spaces.

Link below if you want to sign up:
https://action.lung.org/site/TR?fr_id=29191&pg=entry

Join us at the 2026 Clean Air School Symposium, an American Lung Association's event to support and promote lung health.

14/04/2026

Long Covid could be costing economies $135 billion a year.

Based on analysis using data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/long-covid-predicted-to-cost-oecd-economies-135-billion-a-year

Not just healthcare.

In:
• people off work
• reduced hours
• people not fully recovering
• people leaving the workforce

But it’s not just one illness.

We’re constantly exposed to airborne infections - Covid, flu, RSV and more - all contributing to illness and disruption.

If exposure is part of the problem, the air we breathe indoors matters.

And prevention isn’t just vaccines and treatment - when they’re available.

Improve the air, and you reduce multiple risks at once.

It’s practical - and mostly ignored.

10/04/2026

Busy pub. Packed crowd.
CO₂ stayed around 600 ppm the whole time.

Meaning? I wasn’t rebreathing everyone else’s air.

We’ll be back. 🍻

07/04/2026

Do you track the thing you do 20,000+ times a day?

We track what we eat, how we move, how we sleep, and how much we drink.
We even think about calories and ultra-processed food.

But not the air we breathe.

For World Health Day
This year’s theme is: Together for health. Stand with science.

Air quality is one of the clearest examples of how our health is connected - to each other and to our environment.

Ever walked into a room and instantly felt tired or stuffy?

That’s not just in your head.

Short-term effects of poor air:
• that mid-afternoon slump
• headaches in stuffy rooms
• poor concentration
• kids becoming irritable
• short-term increases in blood pressure

Long-term exposure is linked to:
• asthma and allergies
• cardiovascular disease
• lung disease
• increased risk of cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s

The challenge?

We don’t notice poor air the way we notice bad food or lack of sleep - because it’s invisible.

But this is what standing with science looks like:

• measuring what we can’t see
• understanding the data
• understanding what’s in the air and how it affects us
• making simple changes that protect health

Because what you breathe doesn’t just affect you - it affects everyone sharing that space.

That’s health. Together.

• open windows
• improve ventilation
• use filtration where needed
• make informed choices about where we breathe

You might not think about the air you breathe - but it affects you every minute.

28/03/2026

If you missed our webinar on 11 March, 'Improving Air Quality in Schools: Leaders making it happen' you can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/kczgMQ5Ds6M?si=C2yCnGUQuXxYiR38

23/03/2026

Over the weekend I spent the morning at a kids’ role play café / soft play party and took my monitor along.

CO₂ levels were higher than the London Underground at rush hour. In a children’s play space.

We often say “kids are always sick”, but is it really that surprising? Children’s spaces are often crowded and poorly ventilated.

The first spike was in the main play area. Levels dropped quickly once the front door was opened and fresh air rolled in.

The second spike was in the lunch room. No openable windows. No visible ventilation. Levels climbed again as soon as we all sat down.

What does that actually mean?

It means the air the children were breathing had already been in someone else’s lungs.

We’d never encourage kids to share water bottles because it’s unhygienic, yet sharing air like this is something we’ve normalised.

For context, good indoor air should sit roughly between 400–800ppm. Anything higher starts to indicate poor ventilation and a build-up of exhaled air. Ive had better readings on the London Underground.

This isn’t about blame. These spaces are designed for fun, warmth and safety, and ventilation is often just overlooked.

But the science is catching up with us.

The Covid Inquiry this week reinforced something many have been saying for years. Airborne transmission matters.

If it matters in hospitals, it matters just as much in nurseries, soft play, cafés and classrooms.

Cleaner air doesn’t have to be complicated:
• opening doors or windows
• using air filters
• keeping an eye on CO₂ levels
• giving rooms a quick air refresh between groups

Small changes, big impact.

Because maybe kids aren’t “always sick”.

Maybe we’ve just been underestimating the air they’re breathing.


air4kids.uk

19/03/2026

The UK Covid Inquiry has now formally acknowledged that airborne transmission was not properly considered in early guidance.

For years, the focus has been on surfaces and handwashing, while the air we shared was often overlooked.

We cannot ignore the air any longer. If infections spread through the air, then indoor air quality is fundamental to health.

Next, this must translate into clear guidance on appropriate PPE for NHS staff.

16/03/2026

This is the air during my son’s birthday party.

We planned the entertainment, food, music and cake (which, for the record, is a Diglett Pokémon, not a giant p**p).

But we also planned the air.

Windows and doors open.
Air filters running.
CO₂ monitored.

Even with a packed hall of kids and parents, the air stayed under 800 ppm for the whole party, a good sign of strong ventilation.

We asked parents about any potential allergies to keep them safe, why not consider the environmental factors too?

Kids often get a rough ride when it comes to indoor air. They’re bundled into busy, poorly ventilated spaces to play, then we act surprised when coughs and colds rip through everyone the following week.

It doesn’t have to be like that.

A few simple tweaks can make a huge difference.

Honestly, even grandma would have been fine at this party.

12/03/2026

Another visual of the invisible.

Following London’s high pollution levels last week, I thought I would do a simple comparison: a brand new mask versus one worn on my commute for around six hours.

It’s pretty clear it’s doing its job.

I’m just glad that gunk isn’t in my lungs 🤢

Air pollution is often completely invisible, which makes it easy to forget it’s there. But environments like busy roads, train platforms and parts of the Underground can expose us to very high levels of particulate pollution.

Once you start thinking about the air around you, it’s hard to ignore it.

This is exactly why I started Clean Air Where. Monitoring the air in the spaces we spend time in helps people make informed decisions about their health and the environments they work, learn and travel in.

09/03/2026

196 PM2.5 inside a London Underground carriage today.

Just moments earlier on the platform it was 80.

Sometimes the air changes dramatically in just a few steps.

PM2.5 are microscopic particles small enough to travel deep into the lungs. Some can even enter the bloodstream.

In underground systems these particles mainly come from brake wear, wheel and rail friction, and dust that accumulates in tunnels.

Research from King’s College London (Barratt et al., 2020) found PM2.5 levels on parts of the London Underground can be several times higher than outdoor air, with particles largely made up of metal-rich dust from braking and rail wear.

What does that mean for the body?

Short term exposure can cause
• irritation of the airways
• coughing or chest tightness
• worsening asthma
• inflammation in the lungs

Long term exposure is linked to
• heart disease and stroke
• chronic lung disease
• reduced lung development in children
• cognitive decline

A single commute is unlikely to cause harm. The issue is repeated exposure over many years.

Exposure on underground systems can vary depending on the station, ventilation, and how long you spend in the environment.

Practical ways to reduce exposure include
• spending less time waiting on platforms
• standing back from the platform edge when trains arrive
• choosing less crowded carriages when possible
• travelling on sub-surface lines when you have the option
• wearing a well fitting respirator, which can filter out most PM2.5 particles from the air you breathe 😷

Clean Air Where exists to help people understand the air around them.

Because we can’t improve what we can’t see. 🌍

05/03/2026

London’s hazy sky this week isn’t just weather. It’s a regional pollution event affecting much of southern England.

The main drivers are Saharan desert dust and pollution transported from mainland Europe. Southerly winds are carrying these particles north across Europe and into the UK.

When these air masses arrive and winds are light, particles accumulate in the atmosphere instead of dispersing. This leads to hazy skies and elevated levels of particulate pollution (PM). 🌫️

These episodes typically last a few days until winds change or rain clears the air. 🌧️

Fine particles can irritate the lungs and airways. Some people may experience coughing, throat irritation, headaches or worsening asthma symptoms. Children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions tend to be more sensitive.

If pollution levels are elevated, it can help to:

• reduce prolonged strenuous outdoor exercise
• ventilate when outdoor levels are lower than indoors
• use filtration if outdoor pollution remains high
• consider a well-fitting FFP2 or FFP3 mask if you are vulnerable or spending long periods in polluted air 😷

Monitoring air quality helps people understand when pollution events like this are happening.