+44 1865 259200
Aether, in partnership with London Sustainability Exchange (LSx), Surrey Air Alliance and Surrey County Council, has helped to create and implement a Cleaner Air for Schools Programme in Surrey. The programme aims to teach children about local air quality issues and what they can do to help reduce air pollution at their school through a series of workshops and learning resources. Aether was responsible for creating and adapting the learning resources, including a data visualisation which enables school children to learn about air quality.
The challenge
There are 26 Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) in Surrey. These relate to levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which are over legal limits. There are a number of schools which fall either in or within 2 km of these AQMAs and may therefore be exposed to air pollution.
The solution
Through this DEFRA funded project, LSx and Aether have created and implemented a Cleaner Air for Schools Programme in Surrey which aims to educate children of all ages on the causes and impacts of air pollution and ways in which it can be reduced. The programme included a series of workshops, diffusion tube surveys at each selected school and the creation of learning resources including teaching notes and an interactive data visualisation. The programme conducted diffusion tube surveys and workshops in 30 schools in Surrey.
The result
Aether’s online, interactive data visualisation can be seen here. The visualisation allows children to explore information and data on air quality in a fun and engaging way. It helps them to learn about air pollution, how it can be monitored, levels of air pollution at their school (from diffusion tube surveys) and actions they can take to reduce air pollution.
Kathryn Hampshire
Principal Consultant
Related case studies
Merton Council Climate Emergency Support
Category: Cities and Local Authorities, Emission Inventories, Policies and Measures
Aether and SE2 supported Merton Council in developing their action plan to meet targets to decarbonise the Council by 2030 and the borough of Merton by 2050
Read case studyAssessing the Benefits of Enhanced Freight Speed Differentials on the GB Network
Category: Cities and Local Authorities, Rail
Aether undertook data analysis and modelling as part of a RSSB project to investigate the benefits of allowing freight trains to run at higher speeds at locations where the signal spacing is sufficient for the increased stopping distance. Such enhanced speeds could potentially lead to improved timetabling, with more competitive running times and better use of capacity on congested routes. The project was led by Railfreight Consulting, supported by specialists Railway Braking Associates, Carrickarory Consulting and D2 Global; Aether developed a geographical model of the rail network and signal locations, and undertook modelling of freight train running times under revised speed limits.
Read case studyCity of London Air Quality Data Visualisation
Category: Cities and Local Authorities
Aether developed an online, interactive data visualisation for the City of London that could be used by policy makers and the general public to explore data and information on air quality. Topics covered include air pollutant emissions, bus fleet emission control technologies and the health impacts of air pollution.
Read case studyNews
Latest news
Posted on: 19 June 2026
NECD Review Week in Brussels
Aether spent a week at the European Commission in Brussels as part of the review of air pollutant inventories submitted under the EU’s National Emission reduction Ceilings Directive (NECD).
Read full storyPosted on: 18 May 2026
Power Query Workshop in Estonia
Aether travelled to the Estonian Environmental Research Centre (EKUK) in Tallinn to deliver a two-day training workshop for the inventory team to build capacity on the Excel power queries used in the GHG inventory templates previously set up by Aether in 2022.
Read full storyPosted on: 30 April 2026
Capacity Sharing in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Aether delivered a three-day GHG inventory capacity building workshop in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, towards development of the BTR1.
Read full storyPosted on: 17 March 2026
Central Asia Study Tour: Air Quality Workshop
Aether provided representatives from Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) who were visiting the UK on a study tour with an introduction to air quality management.
Read full storyFilter news by category
Aether Blog Air Pollution Air Quality Assessments Barriers to Net Zero Capacity Building Carbon Footprint Climate Emergency Climate Equality Climate Finance Consumption COP28 Culture Data Visualisation Economic Status Emissions Reporting European Topic Centre GHG Infrastructure Inventories Local Government Mitigation MRV National Government Net Zero Oxfam Paris Agreement Policy Recruitment Society Stakeholder Engagement Waste Sector Wider Impacts
Testimonial
