Stretch your air quality monitoring budget further

Choosing the right air quality monitoring device can feel like navigating a jungle of options, especially when you're working within a budget. We get it—your dollars need to work hard and fast to ensure top-notch data for your project, whether you’re working with a limited grant or a client’s allotted funds.

In this growing landscape of air quality monitoring solutions, where choices range from powerful and expensive regulatory-grade stations to budget-friendly sensors of questionable quality, the challenge is clear: to get reliable data at an affordable price.

For certain types of air quality projects - understanding neighborhood-by-neighborhood disparity, for instance -  you need a network of sensors working in harmony.

Making that network a reality requires your budget to stretch further than ever before. At QuantAQ, we don't just offer air quality insights; we aim to redefine what's possible within your budgetary constraints. Read on for two common options - and the alternative we offer.

Sky-high costs for a single air quality view

Traditionally, air quality monitoring in the U.S. has been the domain of government agencies, which deploy specialized monitoring facilities using the standard Federal Reference Method (FRM) or Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM). Equipped with high-precision instruments, these stations report valuable data but are expensive to implement and maintain.

The upfront expenses alone—starting around $15,000 for Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) instruments—render reference-grade stations out of reach for most groups and organizations. Not to mention the pricey upkeep, which requires support from skilled technicians. Maintaining an air quality monitoring station full of these machines can cost $100,000-250,000 a year or more! And keep in mind that this setup provides only a single geographic snapshot, meant to inform regional air quality understanding.

Hidden fees for unreliable insights

Compared to the daunting price tags on reference stations, consumer-grade air quality sensors offered in the $30-300 range offer a seemingly attractive and affordable option. These more modest sensors, designed to lower the barrier of entry to air quality monitoring, promise lower costs, enhanced portability, and much simpler operations. However, they often lack the basic features to produce the valuable data you need.

These sensors typically have a narrow range of pollutants they can detect, limiting their ability to provide a comprehensive picture of air quality. For instance, if measuring PM10 particles like dust is a core part of your project, you likely won’t be able to meet your goals with a nephelometer-based, consumer-grade model. Your sensors need to be built to answer the questions you’re asking, starting with the ability to measure what’s important to you.

Even when they do measure your pollutants of interest, these devices are susceptible to inaccurate readings. They also may struggle to discern subtle variations in pollutant concentrations, making them less effective in dynamic air quality conditions, like extreme temperatures and humidity. And when specific pollutants fall outside the detection range, sensors that fail to provide any meaningful data leave critical gaps in your assessment. Investing in subpar technology can ultimately mean missing out on key information in moments and conditions where you need it the most.

If you’re willing to overlook the lower quality of data in favor of low upfront fees, your budget is in for a shock. Behind the seemingly modest sticker prices is a wealth of hidden expenses.

After the initial device purchases, the need for new parts and repairs becomes a recurring cost. Components wear out, sensors may need replacement, and unexpected malfunctions can surface, all contributing to a continual stream of maintenance costs. Plus, the effort required just to run many of these devices (namely, getting mainline power and WiFi connections established) often demands that you hire experts just to get started.

Time is money too, and opting for consumer-grade sensors could mean taking part in a longer and more intricate setup and training process. Many sensors require weeks of co-located calibration before they become operational, delaying your delivery of key air quality data.

Actionable data that won’t break the bank

We needed better tools to assess local air quality—ones that didn’t sacrifice accuracy or accessibility. So we built them! We’re committed to providing the highest quality data at a price point that empowers you to deploy the right number of sensors for your project.

Our team of atmospheric chemists, hardware engineers, and data science experts designed our professional-grade sensors to measure several key pollutants and keep you informed in real-time. Unlike their regulatory counterparts, our sensors won’t make you wait—they empower you to strategize and respond promptly. With the help of our Dual Detection technology, you’ll access data for a broader spectrum of PM size concentrations than other solutions on the market.

Plus, deployment is fast and simple with our devices that arrive pre-calibrated and can be connected to the QuantAQ Cloud dashboard (or your own dashboards and tools, if you have them) with a few clicks. You won’t need any technical knowledge to get started; just register your sensors and hit the ground running. Skip the search for suitable power sources, and opt to run your network off-grid with our Solar Power System.  Our factory calibration process and automated QA/QC processes ensure that you get accurate data at every turn, so you can focus on using your data for air quality action.

Breaking it down

We've worked with teams around the world to meet the unique needs and conditions of each project.

Take the case of Sydney Airport. The team sought a robust solution that could tell the full story about their site’s air quality. While they had a single monitoring station installed years prior, adding another wasn’t financially feasible or aligned with their goal to understand the air pollution profile from a nearby highway, requiring multiple data collection points.

They turned to our sensors to build a flexible network that could answer their questions while meeting their unique logistical needs. Deploying 7 QuantAQ MODULAIR sensors to appropriately monitor across the site cost the team less than half that of installing another regulatory station!

Let’s build the network your project deserves without breaking the bank. Learn which deployment plans best fit your project’s needs.