Brightline Air Quality Monitoring Program

In March 2020, Brightline began a community-driven air quality monitoring program with Central City SRO Collaborative (CCSROC) and Community Youth Center (CYC) of San Francisco. As Brightline and partners have conducted outreach on air quality issues with SRO Tenant Leaders and Youth Leaders, we have now successfully sited 19 sensors, mostly concentrated in South of Market (SoMa) and the Tenderloin, but also in Chinatown and the Richmond District. One sensor is co-located with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)’s air quality monitoring station in Potrero Hill.

Clarity OpenMap

The Brightline Air Quality Monitoring Program uses Clarity Node-S sensors. These small devices are smaller than a shoebox and can be easily affixed to light poles and buildings. The Clarity Movement Node-S model comes with a solar panel and a cellular connection that minimizes the need for frequent maintenance and wirelessly updates air quality data. Inside, laser light scattering technology and an electrochemical cell measures PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide.

San Francisco Chronicle California Air Quality Map

Images from the San Francisco Chronicle’s California Air Quality Map in September 1, 2021 primarily drew from PurpleAir sensors before incorporating Brightline’s network. Air Quality sensors highlighted in green are Brightline Air Quality Monitoring Program sensors, filling gaps in the Tenderloin, Chinatown, and South of Market Street neighborhoods.

Read Brightline Blog Posts About Our Monitoring Efforts

More Photos About the Brightline AQ Monitoring Program