Łódź Voivodeship has long been grappling with serious air quality issues. These challenges are rooted in a combination of historic urban planning, outdated heating systems, and increased traffic congestion, all of which contribute significantly to smog. The region also faces alarming public health statistics, with the lowest life expectancy in the country:

• 73.2 years for men
• 81.2 years for women.

Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases rank among the leading causes of death. In response, the region partnered with Airly in 2020, installing 110 air quality sensors across schools, offices, hospitals, and voluntary fire departments. Between 2019 and 2024, the total number of sensors in the region increased from 192 to 358.

Challenges

Prior to implementing Airly’s solutions, Łódź Voivodeship faced several pressing issues:

1. Insufficient data: Only 9 air quality measuring stations operated across the entire region.
2. Air pollution: Caused by coal furnaces, outdated boilers, and vehicle emissions.
3. Low social awareness: The public had limited understanding of air pollution’s impact on health.
4. Health issues: This is the voivodeship with the lowest life expectancy in Poland.

Partnership overview

Initial Cooperation (2019):

• The foundation for the partnership was laid with the Air Protection Programme and the 2017 Anti-Smog Resolution, which regulated heating installations and banned the use of the lowest-quality fuels.
• Key to this collaboration was Łukasz Wcisłek, Chief Specialist at the Marshal’s Office of the Łódź Voivodeship, who has been instrumental in coordinating the implementation of Airly technology since the beginning.

Testing and expansion (2020–2022):

• Initially, 10 sensors were installed in Łódź, providing reliable, real-time air quality data.
• The network expanded significantly, with 110 additional sensors installed in strategic locations such as schools, offices, hospitals, and voluntary fire departments.

Airly Data Platform technology:

• Airly Data Platform enabled efficient data management, real-time action planning, and generation of automatic alerts as well as detailed reports.

Education:

• The data collected by Airly sensors was used in schools in order to foster ecological awareness among students.

Results: The impact of deployment

Quantifiable results:

• A total of 110 sensors were installed at key regional locations.
• The number of days in which daily WHO standards for PM10 were exceeded decreased from 153 days in 2019 to 28 days in 2024. For PM2.5, the number of such days fell from 264 to 182 over the same period.
• Between 2022 and 2024, air quality in Łódź improved threefold.
• In 2024 alone, Airly’s sensor data, displayed online in the form of a map of the region, were accessed 27,407 times.

Qualitative results:

• Enhanced regional reputation: Łódź is now recognised as a leader in environmental initiatives.
• Public education: Residents began replacing outdated heating systems with environmentally friendly alternatives that comply with the Anti-Smog Resolution.
• Strategic decision-making: Equipped with reliable data, local authorities made more informed and effective decisions to combat air pollution.

 

Testimonial

Airly’s sensors have played a key role in significantly raising residents’ awareness. Their ease of installation and durability are major advantages.

Łukasz Wcisłek
Support and Infrastructure Division
Department of Digitisation
and Information Society

Conclusions and next steps

Łódź Voivodeship struggled with air pollution problems, which severely impacted public health – cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are the leading causes of death in the region. Following the successful cooperation with Airly, further steps to strengthen its environmental efforts are being charted out:

1. Expanding the sensor network by installing at least one sensor in each municipality.
2. Deploying mobile sensors on buses and trailers in small towns to support educational initiatives.
3. Installing interactive displays to present air quality data in a clear and accessible format.

 

Airly’s competitive advantages

• Precision technology: High-quality, real-time air quality measurements.
• Educational integration: Air quality data seamlessly incorporated into school programmes.
• Flexibility: Solutions tailored to meet local needs.

 

Ready to enhance the quality of life for your residents? Contact Airly today, and let’s join forces to achieve cleaner air and healthier communities!