The Opportunity

The objective of this Opportunity is to shortlist the submissions that best answer the brief, with the aim of attending a presentation day with the EIC Industry Partners, where it can be discussed in greater detail with a technical panel.

 
What is the Problem?

According to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, it is estimated that approximately 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer with long term respiratory illnesses such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or other lung diseases. Studies have shown that poor air quality can not only exacerbate symptoms of existing conditions, but also be linked to the onset of new illnesses. Furthermore, many consumers can find themselves residing in properties containing mould and damp, making them increasingly vulnerable to respiratory illness and infections. As it can often be difficult to mitigate mould and damp, consumers residing in these properties may see their respiratory health deteriorate.

Preferred output

This network would like to initiate a project that will provide both research and a product to specifically aid those with respiratory issues. The outputs of this project should provide improved understanding of how indoor and outdoor air quality differs depending on time, location, and weather conditions. In turn, the solution should help consumers further understand how differing air quality can be managed within their individual properties. Any product developed in this project will need to be a practical and cost effective solution that can be deployed in vulnerable customers’ properties.

To help inform residents as to how they may be able to improve their air quality in real time, the solution should consider a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

• Humidity • Temperature

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

• Nitrous Oxides (NOx) • Carbon Monoxide (CO)

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

• Other pollutants