Irish Perspectives on School Ambient Air Quality: A Design-Led Exploration

This design-led research explored public awareness and opinions on air quality outside schools using an online survey with 310 parents and staff from 10 primary schools across Cork City. Twelve ethnographic interviews were also undertaken with school parents, staff and stakeholders. Air quality was found to be a concern for a minority of respondents (one-fifth of the sample), most seeing it as a concern for respiratory health. The majority indicated support for the installation of air quality sensors, with information from these communicated in an understandable and meaningful format. Initiatives tackling air quality including awareness-building actions and transport measures were identified as warranting consideration. The survey and interview findings underpin the need for multidimensional interventions incorporating Place-Making and design thinking. Tailored initiatives, meeting socio-economic community needs with a shift from individualistic thinking to collective action for air quality initiatives, are recommended from this research.