Pollution in Malta is more than double the recommended threshold, according to the ; with an average of 12 micrograms of fine particles per cubic metre having been recorded.
We鈥檝e all grown to know about actions we can take to mitigate pollution, as well as several other research projects of note that aim to do the same, but what if nature could provide a solution for the growing issue of air pollution?
Apart from the traffic that flows through the streets on a daily basis, researchers have established that the higher the buildings and the narrower the street is, the more polluted that street is.
Locally-funded project APACHE (Aerodynamic, Pedestrian Level, Air Quality Control using Urban Vegetation Elements), led by Prof. Ing. Daniel Micallef and Mr Jeremy Sacco, places focus on the mitigation of pollution concentrations at street level by means of an air quality barrier.
Wind tunnel testing is used to test the idea, as well as simulation techniques using computational fluid dynamics, to create a barrier that would direct air flow and pollutants from traffic away from pedestrians and residents without using any complex processes or extra energy. The porous, sponge-like nature of the vegetation and the combination of different materials would enable innovation in the development of such a barrier, described in engineering terms as a Nature Based Solution (NbS).
Through this project, they are also aiming to create an area where the concentration of pollutants is as low as possible, for the benefit of the Maltese community.
The project is funded by the under the .
