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Details of Award

NERC Reference : NE/V002414/1

Air Pollution Solutions for Vulnerable Groups (CleanAir4V)

Grant Award

Principal Investigator:
Professor C Pfrang, University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
Co-Investigator:
Professor NRP Harris, Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment
Co-Investigator:
Professor R Harrison, University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
Co-Investigator:
Professor C Meyer, University of Warwick, WMG
Co-Investigator:
Dr L Walasek, University of Warwick, Psychology
Co-Investigator:
Dr J Meng, University College London, Bartlett Sch of Sustainable Construction
Co-Investigator:
Professor Z Luo, Cardiff University, Welsh School of Architecture (ARCHI)
Co-Investigator:
Professor A Turner, University of Birmingham, Institute of Applied Health Research
Co-Investigator:
Professor Z Shi, University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
Co-Investigator:
Professor R Doherty, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
Science Area:
Atmospheric
Overall Classification:
Unknown
ENRIs:
Environmental Risks and Hazards
Global Change
Natural Resource Management
Pollution and Waste
Science Topics:
Tropospheric Processes
Urban Design
Survey & Monitoring
Environment & Health
Pollution
Abstract:
Air pollution causes 29,000 pre-mature death and cost the economy #20 billion per year in the UK alone. A majority of these impacts are associated with Vulnerable Groups (VGs), who are most strongly affected by air pollution with up to ca. 12 life years lost for the individual. Children (VGI) & people with pre-existing medical conditions (VGII) are of particular concern in terms of long-term health, societal & economic impacts. Despite this, most of the efforts in air quality improvement focuses on the general population and outdoor exposure. This leads to major gaps in understanding their exposure to key air pollutants (particularly PM1, ultrafine particles and VOCs), health risks & economic consequences, and the key challenges and mitigation options for these Vulnerable Groups. This network will be the first step towards establishing practical air pollution solutions for Vulnerable Groups tackling a major health & economic challenge that cannot be resolved within traditional, often segregated air quality communities. It will build a new truly cross-disciplinary and self-sustaining network bringing academics with a wide spectrum of expertise ranging from economics via psychology & engineering to indoor & outdoor air pollution science together with key industrial, governmental and NGO stakeholders. The long-term vision of the network is to develop innovative & cost-effective behaviour and technology interventions to reduce the Vulnerable Groups' future air pollution exposure, improve health & directly implement these interventions through policy advice, planning, and business innovations. The network will be composed of 8 streams (6 Work Packages (WPs) & 2 Scoping Groups (SGs)). Collectively, it will review the state-of-the-art in our understanding on (i) the VGs' air quality challenges at the indoor/outdoor interfaces, (ii) behaviour interventions to reduce pollution exposure, (iii) technology interventions at indoor/outdoor interfaces, (iv) health benefits of interventions, and (v) economic benefits of these interventions. They will also identify the future research priorities, particularly in terms of cross-disciplinary challenges, policy & business engagement. Each of the WPs will be co-led by academics and non-academic stakeholders, with support from a core group composed of Co-Is/stakeholders with relevant expertise and their institutional critical mass. Importantly, engagement will be co-led by the government-supported Connected Places Catapult (CPC). This will catalyse and enhance the existing engagement with decision makers and business partners to align our future research with their practical priorities. The network will carry out an initial scoping study to longlist wider contributors that can contribute expertise to networks and then shortlist key members to be directly involved in the network. The network will generate abundant opportunities for within- and cross-disciplinary exchanges through network meetings, direct face-to-face meetings with stakeholders (e.g. local authorities or key industrial partners), writing retreats, social media and webinars. The network will also illustrate potential solutions via a pilot study informed by insight gained in the engagement (WPs 1-6) as part of the interdisciplinary Cross-WP Scoping Group and the Cross-Network Scoping Group will liaise with the other five networks to link outcomes and establish opportunities for future bid development. This work will leave a lasting legacy of a collaborative, interdisciplinary network that will drive forward research and innovation in delivering the air pollution solutions for vulnerable groups, improving their health, and reducing the cost to the NHS and the economy.
Period of Award:
1 Sep 2020 - 31 Dec 2024
Value:
£504,644
Authorised funds only
NERC Reference:
NE/V002414/1
Grant Stage:
Awaiting Event/Action
Scheme:
Directed (Research Programmes)
Grant Status:
Active
Programme:
Clean Air

This grant award has a total value of £504,644  

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FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)

DI - Other CostsIndirect - Indirect CostsDA - InvestigatorsDA - Estate CostsDI - StaffDI - T&SDA - Other Directly Allocated
£69,676£64,842£122,880£17,395£100,461£128,500£889

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