A documentary on the OPENAIR project shows how it has revolutionised air quality monitoring and empowered local governments to take action on this pressing issue.

The OPENAIR project came about after the devastating 2019-20 Australian bushfire season that saw many NSW and Australian communities affected by smoke.

Soon after, the NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) surveyed all local councils in NSW, asking what air quality issues were of concern and what aspects of environmental sensing they lacked expertise in.

The response was that while there were a number of concerns about air quality issues, councils did not know how to set up, collect and analyse air quality data.

Something needed to be done and the Operational Network of Air Quality Impact Resources (OPENAIR) project involving multiple government agencies, councils and universities launched in January 2022. 

Watch this video – featuring a number of OPENAIR stakeholders – to see how the project has evolved and how it has helped many local communities.

Video courtesy of the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures.