Air Quality

NIWA-led research

Funded by the Ministry of Health, NIWA air quality researchers are carrying out research to understand ventilation behaviour and examine how well spaces used by our most vulnerable populations are, and could be, ventilated.

Community Air is a family of research studies, community projects and commercial services that empower local communities to engage with, assess and tackle local air quality issues.

Black carbon, commonly known as soot, is made of microscopic particles generated by incomplete combustion. Download our latest maps of long-term average concentrations of black carbon from road traffic. Equivalent maps for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are coming soon.

Air Aware is a collection of air quality lessons for schools, made up of theory, videos, activities and quizzes. Air Aware is supported by MBIE’s Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund.

The vast quantities of silt deposited by flooding have resulted in high levels of silt dust in the air across Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay.

A new study from NIWA has mapped outdoor air quality for Invercargill and Alexandra in more detail than ever before.

Enabling householders and building managers to trial air quality solutions

Empowering the public to monitor air quality

Learning experiences to build awareness about air quality

NIWA worked with Year 8 students at Arrowtown School to analyse, visualise and communicate air quality data.

Read a summary of results and download our full report on 2019 outdoor air quality.