Democratizing air: A co-created citizen science approach to indoor air quality monitoring

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is crucial for public health, yet many remain unaware of indoor pollutants. Although Citizen Science has enhanced outdoor air quality understanding, its application to IAQ remains underexplored. This study introduces a new co-creation methodology that addresses key limitations in existing IAQ monitoring practices by integrating value-sensitive design principles and a ‘facilitated emergence’ paradigm. Through three co-creation workshops, we engaged multiple stakeholders in every stage, from problem definition to data interpretation. We employed adaptive facilitation strategies to effectively balance power dynamics among stakeholders, ensuring inclusive decision-making and mitigating potential biases. Our 30-day data collection campaign provided real-time measurements of Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations. Analysis revealed several locations with Indoor/Outdoor (I/O) PM2.5 ratios close to or above 1, uncovering hidden IAQ complexities and emphasizing the need for localized monitoring. We showed how citizen-generated data can improve spatial resolution, detecting local variations missed by official networks. Feedback from the co-creation workshops demonstrated shifts in participants’ perceptions regarding IAQ, accountability, and their role in environmental decision-making, moving from passive awareness to active engagement. Our findings demonstrate how this value-sensitive and community-driven bottom-up approach can enhance air quality assessment, inform targeted IAQ management strategies, and empower citizens in environmental health decisions.