10th March 2021 10:54 am 10th March 2021 10:54 am
Pollution from road traffic can be directed away from paths and back on to roads using curved barriers, according to a new UK study.
Researchers from Imperial College London used airflow modelling techniques to study the movements of roadside particulates and develop a solution to minimise the exposure of pedestrians on adjacent paths.
Air pollution, particularly in high-density urban areas, is a growing health concern around the globe and is estimated to be responsible for around 30,000 deaths in the UK alone each year. Imperial researcher Dr Tilly Collins became acutely aware of the extent of the issue while watching her child playing netball in a school playground alongside a busy London A-road.
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A unique curved barrier has been designed by researchers at Imperial College London, who publish new findings in the peer-reviewed journal
Cities & Health on how the structure can protect people from the damaging effects of air pollution.
With air pollution becoming an increasingly dangerous global health challenge, researchers are constantly working on innovating novel solutions to tackle these 21st century problems. At Imperial College London, researchers are using airflow modelling techniques to study the effects of unique roadside structures to deflect particulates away from pedestrians.
The health concerns arising from lower air quality are more significant amongst lower income communities which are more likely to be situated near heavily traffic-laden thoroughfares. Similarly, children are both more vulnerable to and more readily exposed to air pollution simply due to their proximity to the ground, where heavier pollutants settle over time. Real-time
26 February 2021
Imperial researchers have designed a unique curved barrier which can protect people from the damaging effects of air pollution.
With air pollution becoming an increasingly dangerous global health challenge, researchers are constantly working on innovating novel solutions to tackle these 21
st century problems. At Imperial College London, researchers are using airflow modelling techniques to study the effects of unique roadside structures to deflect particulates away from pedestrians.
The different sciences, urban designers and architects should collaborate more to design these solutions achieve air quality improvements at local scales more effectively and quickly. Dr Tilly Collins Centre for Environmental Policy
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Swapping the car for walking, cycling and e-biking even just one day a week makes a significant impact on personal carbon emissions in cities. Active transport - cycling, e-biking or walking - can help tackle the climate crisis according to a new study led by the University of Oxford s Transport Studies Unit and including researchers from Imperial s Centre for Environmental Policy as part of the EU-funded project PASTA: Physical Activity Through Sustainable Transport Approaches.
Meeting greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets requires a significant move away from motorised transport. The team found that shifting to active transport could save as much as a quarter of personal carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport.
Here’s a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial.
From using machine learning to design solar cells, to new battery technology for renewable energy, here is some quick-read news from across the College.
AI for solar cell design
Printable organic solar cells offer a highly scalable way to convert sunlight into energy but finding the best blend of materials is tricky because there are many parameters to consider, from the structure of each component to the blend composition and film thickness.
Now, Imperial researchers have teamed up with the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona and the University of Rovira i Virgili to use machine learning to find new optimal designs more quickly.