Tag: #Irish

Irish Transport Intelligence Provider CitySwift Accelerates Expansion with First UK Office Opening

CitySwift, the leading company in data intelligence for the public transport sector, has today announced the opening of its first UK office, located in central London. The expansion, heralding the creation of 50 new jobs, was marked by a celebratory event at the new office today, with Minister of Finance Michael McGrath in attendance as part of a broader Enterprise Ireland delegation. Enterprise Ireland is supporting CitySwift’s scaling journey in the UK.

The office, overlooking Paddington Station in London marks a new chapter in CitySwift’s journey, as the Galway-founded company looks to create 50 jobs in its offices both in the UK and Ireland over the next two years. These jobs will include roles in Data, Product, Engineering, Customer Success and Account Management.

Brian O’Rourke, co-founder and CEO at CitySwift, said: “This is the latest milestone in our journey at CitySwift, with our new office and partnership with Transport North East, we aim to reaffirm our continued dedication to delivering real value to our customers. We’ve seen incredible growth in the last year, having closed our latest funding round a few weeks ago and we are eager to drive on and focus on expanding CitySwift’s offering across the UK, and to continue growing our exceptional team.”

Founded by Alan Farrelly and Brian O’Rourke in 2016, CitySwift works with public sector transport authorities and private bus operators to break down the barriers to accessing and interpreting transport data. CitySwift’s platform aggregates, cleans and enriches data from hundreds of sources, providing both operators and authorities with an accurate single source of truth. Rapid access to accurate data across the entire network fuels this collaboration, enabling both parties to take a more dynamic, data-driven approach to move passengers away from private modes of transport to more sustainable, climate-friendly public transportation.

Speaking at today’s event, Minister of Finance, Michael McGrath, said following the ribbon cutting: “I am delighted to join the CitySwift team today to celebrate the opening of their new office space in London. Today’s expansion announcement is testament to the huge opportunities that await Irish exporters in the UK market and paves the way for CitySwift, a leader in data and machine learning for the public transport sector, to significantly scale its business internationally. The Government, through Enterprise Ireland, looks forward to continued engagement with CitySwift to support the growth of the business into the future.”

Deirdre McPartlin, Regional Director for UK & Nordics in Enterprise Ireland, added: “CitySwift is a great example of a company whose success can be directly attributed to a dedication to solve customer problems and deliver tangible benefits straight away. By demonstrating their ongoing commitment to their customers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland over a number of years, the leadership team have built enormous credibility across the whole market. The opening of this office in London is a critical next step in their ongoing growth in the UK. In Enterprise Ireland we are delighted to have been part of CitySwift’s success through our start-up, innovation and in-market support.”

In addition to the opening of this new office, CitySwift today has also announced its latest partnership with Transport North East (TNE), covering bus journeys across the North East region, including Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham. This partnership will support delivery of the objectives laid out in the North East Bus Service Improvement Plan, with CitySwift’s platform being leveraged to improve bus punctuality and increase passenger satisfaction. Additionally, CitySwift will work with TNE to monitor bus priority investment impact, examining congestion, passenger delays, and network pinch points.

Heather Jones, Head of Enhanced Partnerships at TNE, said on the announcement: “CitySwift’s platform offers Transport North East an exciting opportunity to use data to revolutionise bus services and enhance the overall passenger experience. Partnering with CitySwift aligns with the objectives of the North East Bus Service Improvement Plan, enabling us to address congestion, reduce passenger delays, and identify network pinch points more effectively. This collaboration will play a crucial role in delivering more efficient, sustainable, and customer-focused public transport to the communities we serve.”

This recent partnership marks a 150% increase in CitySwift’s customer base last year, which now includes transport networks in all major UK cities, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, and the entire country of Wales. Notable clients in addition to Transport North East include National Express, Go-Ahead Group, Transport for Wales, Metroline, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Translink, and Blackpool Transport.

This announcement comes during a busy period for the company, which has recently announced the close of its latest funding round of €7 million led by Gresham House Ventures. In addition to further expansion plans, these funds will fuel CitySwift’s platform development and client services, solidifying its position as a transportation data leader globally.

SUAS Aerospace seeks €5 million to develop Irish spaceport

Irish Aerospace Company, SUAS Aerospace, has announced a fund-raising round of €5 million for the development of a spaceport to facilitate orbital and suborbital rocket launches for carrying small satellites to polar orbits.

The company aims to have world-class upstream space infrastructure fully operational by 2027, facilitating up to forty-eight launches annually and driving initial projected revenues in excess of €70 million.  Long term plans include a major aeronautical facility that will encompass launchpads, integration facility, control center and visitor center.

Ireland was identified as one of the top three suitable locations in Europe for a Spaceport in a technical feasibility study commissioned by SUAS and undertaken by British-based high-altitude expert B2Space.  The study looked at safety, launcher range and flights paths and concluded that orbital rocket launches for small satellites can be achieved from various locations in Ireland.

The SUAS Aerospace project aims to capitalise on Ireland’s location and climate advantage for small satellite launching and will also respond to the deficit in European launch capabilities for European companies developing commercial launch vehicles.

Rory Fitzpatrick, CEO, SUAS Aerospace, said: “This is a significant opportunity for Ireland to establish itself as a leader in the European space sector. The current round of seed funding will help SUAS Aerospace substantially progress its vision to to create a thriving space hub in Ireland.    It will help develop initial infrastructure, conduct test launches, establish strategic partnerships and ultimately pave the way for the first orbital launch from Irish soil. Our hope is that it will inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in an indigenous Irish operation.”

SUAS Aerospace was founded in 2019 and is supported by the Enterprise Ireland.  With initial investment of  €1.1 million to date, SUAS has secured significant partnerships with major European Companies including Skyrora, T Minus Engineering, Pangea Aerospace and is part of a successful consortium awarded a €5m grant from Horizon Europe to develop interoperable (plug and play) rocket engine testing infrastructure for Europe.

SUAS Aerospace is currently headquartered at National Space Centre in Cork.

Transform Your Irish Skills with Free AI Language Coach – Gaeilgeoir AI

Speak Irish fluently with the launch of Gaeilgeoir AI, a groundbreaking language learning tool arriving just in time for Seachtain na Gaeilge. This cutting-edge technology leverages the power of AI, backed by research, to revolutionize the way people learn Irish.

A recent McKinsey study highlights the immense potential of AI in education, suggesting it can enhance learning outcomes by as much as 20-30%.  Specifically for language learning, AI tools have been shown to help learners develop conversational skills up to 6 times faster than traditional methods.

Key Features: A New Era of Irish Language Learning

  • Intelligent AI Conversations: Practice realistic, everyday Irish with an adaptive AI partner that tailors the experience to your skill level.
  • Personalized Learning: Receive customized feedback and targeted lessons that focus on your individual needs.
  • Engaging & Accessible: The interactive and gamified approach makes learning Irish enjoyable and keeps learners motivated.

Founder’s Vision: Empowering a New Generation of Irish Speakers

“The essence of language is communication. Yet, traditional methods for teaching Irish often overemphasize memorization of poems and vocabulary, often leaving learners unable to actually hold a conversation. Gaeilgeoir AI aims to change that,” says David, founder of Gaeilgeoir AI.

The launch couldn’t be more perfectly timed.  With Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations underway, Gaeilgeoir AI provides an innovative and accessible way for people worldwide to connect with the Irish language and culture.

Experience the future of Irish language learning – for free! Visit www.gaeilgeoir.ai and start your journey to fluency today. We welcome media inquiries and are open to interviews and demonstrations.

About Gaeilgeoir AI

Gaeilgeoir AI is on a mission to make Irish language learning accessible. Our AI tools are designed to empower learners from all backgrounds.

Bainigí taitneamh as Seachtain na Gaeilge!

(“Enjoy Seachtain na Gaeilge!”)

Irish scientists are part of groundbreaking discovery with James Webb Space Telescope

Irish astronomers, including two researchers from Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), are part of an international team that has detected radiation from a veiled neutron star in the Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The findings from the study were published today (22.02.2024) in the journal Science.

Commenting on the discovery, Tom Ray, Senior Professor and Director of Cosmic Physics at DIAS, said “When a massive star exploded back in 1987, and easily visible to the naked eye, it was the nearest such explosion to Earth in almost four hundred years. Supernovae, as these explosions are called, are thought to leave a collapsed remnant of their star behind but the search for the remnant proved very difficult and only indirect evidence was found. We are, of course, very excited that the Webb has shown us where the remnant is, verifying our understanding of such explosions.”

Using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), astronomers were able to observe narrow emission lines from ionized argon and sulphur atoms located at the centre of a nebula around SN 1987A. The team concluded that the emission line strengths observed by the Webb Telescope must be triggered by radiation from the hot neutron star or from a pulsar wind nebula around the neutron star.

Professor Ray along with Dr Patrick Kavanagh, DIAS Research Associate and a faculty member of Maynooth University, and Jeroen Jespers, an Astronomy and Astrophysics PhD student at DIAS and Maynooth, played a significant role in the discovery.

Professor Ray is Co-Principal Investigator on the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the Webb Telescope and has worked on its development for over two decades. Dr Kavanagh has also worked on the MIRI and is a member of the Supernova 1987A team that made the discovery of the long sought collapsed stellar remnant at the centre of the supernova. He is one of the main authors of the study and an SFI-IRC Pathway Fellow.

Commenting today, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS, said: “This is an exciting day for us at DIAS which sees years of work coming to fruition and another mystery of the universe unveiled. Our scientists involved in the development of the Mid-Infrared Instrument and the SN 1987A team are at the forefront of ground-breaking research in space, helping us to unlock mysteries of the universe. After four centuries, it is finally possible to show conclusive evidence for the presence of a neutron star at the centre of SN 1987A. It is wonderful that Ireland played an important role in this discovery, recently announced by Dr Kavanagh in Denver at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.”

Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A) was the first supernova visible to the naked eye in four centuries and provided astronomers with a close-up view of a supernova explosion using modern observatories. SN 1987A is one of the most studied objects in our skies and the detection of neutrinos, unimaginably small sub-atomic particles produced in the supernova, indicated that a neutron star must have formed. However, whether or not the neutron star persisted or collapsed into a black hole has been one of the biggest puzzles regarding SN 1987A. Even after three and a half decades of intense monitoring with cutting-edge, world-class observatories, no conclusive evidence for the presence of a neutron star at the centre of SN 1987A has been found, until now.

New Irish app helps women tackle menopause symptoms

Women will soon have the power to tackle devastating menopause symptoms at the touch of a button through a ground-breaking Irish app. The Menopause Hub App, the first of its kind in this country, includes the latest information and research about the hormonal changes endured by women in their 40s and 50s.

They can also use the mobile app to monitor their own menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms and receive medication reminders. Launched by award-winning specialists, The Menopause Hub, the app is the brainchild of the clinic’s CEO and founder, Loretta Dignam.

She opened her first clinic in 2019 after finding out for herself the lack of help available to menopausal and perimenopausal women – and said the data gathered by the app can be used by researchers investigating future treatments.

“The aim is that the data collected will provide a valuable insight into the effectiveness of current therapies, such as HRT and/or cognitive behavioural therapies, and this knowledge can also be used by clinicians when prescribing treatments.

“Combining the latest technology with up-to-date data about female health will not only improve outcomes for women today, but will also improve the range and impact of menopause treatments available to future generations,” said Ms Dignam.

“There is a myriad of menopausal symptoms which women in their 40s and 50s experience in varying degrees, including insomnia, hot flushes, anxiety, depression, and brain fog, to name but a few.

“Every women’s menopause will be vastly different.

“Some will sail through it, while others will struggle to such an extent that they feel they have to give up their careers or their long-term relationships break down.

“It is, therefore, vital that we gather as much clinical data as we can to help medical researchers develop future treatments.

“For far too long, the impact menopause was having on women’s lives was ignored.

“But women are now demanding – and deserve – more help with symptoms.”

The app was developed by medical technology company Zendra Health, which is helping over 80 healthcare services and organisations across the US, UK and Ireland digitalise their care pathways.

CEO, Thomas Coleman, said that the app was co-designed by women going through menopause and clinical experts.

“Hundreds of thousands of lives across Ireland, male and female, are impacted by menopause,” said Mr Coleman, who co-founded the Dún Laoghaire-based tech firm with his twin brother, David.

“So we were delighted to develop this streamlined digital care solution for The Menopause Hub.

“Loretta is one of the thought leaders in this area and we were guided not only by her expertise but by the expertise of her medical team and by the experiences of their clients.”

The Menopause Hub App will be available to download in March.

See themenopausehub.ie for more details.

Half of Irish people have used AI in their personal life but are hesitant to use it in the workplace

Almost half of Irish people (44%) say they have experimented with AI or use it regularly for personal use, according to a new report by Dye & Durham, the leading provider of practice management solutions to legal professionals. The Dye & Durham Ireland Pulse Report for Q4 2023, a survey of 1,001 adults in Ireland conducted by YouGov, explores trends in technology, the economy and the property market.

While Irish consumers are embracing AI in their personal lives, they are more hesitant to use it in their professional lives, with 35% saying they have experimented with or regularly use AI for professional reasons. The remaining 65% say they have never used AI for professional use.

Despite hesitant adoption of AI for professional use, more than three quarters of Irish workers (79%) say technology plays an important or critical role in their day-to-day work. Nearly half (44%) expect AI to become important to the way they do their jobs in the next five years while less than a quarter (23%) are of the opposite opinion. Other technologies expected to emerge as key to their jobs include cloud computing (59% say it will be important), analytics (57%), and 5G (56%).

When it comes to technology’s role in the provision of government services, more than half (58%) of Irish consumers say government agencies would benefit from incorporating more technology into their services when asked to choose from a list. Similarly, 53% say the same of doctors / medical practitioners, while 44% and 38% say financial services and lawyers/conveyancers would benefit, respectively.

David Nash, Chief Product Officer at Dye & Durham, says: “We’re seeing an interesting adoption pattern when it comes to emerging technologies in Ireland. When it comes to AI, for example, there is broad recognition of its impact on the way we do our jobs, but people are taking an incremental approach to using it themselves, especially for professional purposes.”

“For our customers in the legal sector, this is a very important trend to watch. Their clients are engaging with new technologies and expecting them to take on a bigger role in their lives over time. That has clear implications for how legal services will be delivered in the future.”

 Near-term economic outlook is positive but nearly half expect a recession in next 12 months

 The Q4 2023 Ireland Pulse Report also reveals that Irish consumers have a generally positive economic outlook over the near term, with just over half (51%) saying they don’t expect a recession in the next six months. They are also more optimistic about their financial situations than they were in Q3 2023. More respondents (26%) say they’re in a better financial position than they were a year ago (vs. 19% who said the same in Q3 2023). At the same time, fewer respondents (39% in Q4 2023 vs. 48% in Q3 2023) say they are in a worse financial position than they were a year ago.

On the other hand, as they look further ahead, more consumers (48%) are expecting a recession in the next 12 months. But just 24% expect to be in a worse financial situation a year from now, and fewer (6% in Q4 2023 vs. 10% in Q3 2023) plan to hold off on property purchasing plans to wait for lower prices.

Martha Vallance, Chief Operating Officer at Dye & Durham, says: “Our Pulse Report for Q4 2023 shows encouraging signs when it comes to how Irish consumers are feeling about the economy as a whole. This is good news for small and medium-sized law firms who have been managing through reduced case volume. As consumer optimism grows, so too does the opportunity to capitalize on increased transaction activity. Forward-looking law firms who invest in operational efficiencies now stand to gain the most from these positive indicators.”

Irish Company Origin Care Group and Charter Medical Group announce virtual ward strategic partnership

Charter Medical Group and Origin Care Group are delighted to announce the expansion of their successful strategic partnership, marked by the implementation of the Origin Connects Health solution in 2024. The next generation of this ‘virtual ward’ solution, facilitates the delivery of virtual care across multiple healthcare facilities and multidisciplinary teams.

The Origin Connects Health solution opened the reality of a ‘virtual ward’ to Charter Medical Group, seamlessly integrating comprehensive, multi-site clinical governance with a versatile digital patient care platform. Utilising secure smart technology, vitals monitoring equipment, and inclusive patient applications, this solution supports integrated patient care within the context of multi-site patient management.

Through collaborative efforts, the technology has been further developed to incorporate additional clinical pathways and functionalities. As a result, Charter Medical Group has been able to extend the provision of intermediate and step down care beds. The Origin Connects Health technology ensures continuity of care for clinicians and a seamless transition for patients.

 

Charter Medical Group is the leader in its field in Ireland in the delivery of high-quality care of the elderly services to both public and private patients in both the community and hospital settings. A key enabler in the delivery of such care is the effective and efficient use of novel technology. Tom Byrne, Chairman of Charter Medical Group said “Origin Care Group technology enhances our ability to care for patients, supports the expansion of our operating potential and the efficient management of vital care resources. We are delighted to extend our relationship with the team at Origin Care Group.”

Philp Hogan, CEO of Origin Care Group said “Cutting-edge digitally enabled technology, integrated across healthcare networks, plays a significant role in enabling healthcare operators to work together to ease the pressure on our healthcare system.

The collaboration between Charter Medical Group and Origin Care Group represents a forward-thinking approach in this area, emphasising the important role of technology in the delivery of safe, seamless patient care.”

Former Google X tech controller raised €1.1m crowdfunding to speak at ‘speed-funding event’

Tony Foote, who co-founded Foxes Bow Whiskey with Alice Carroll is set to share his investment journey with other fresh businesses looking to grow at and event with Ireland’s top lenders at a speed-funding event next week/February 22.

The Show Me the Money event, at the Republic of Work in South Mall, Cork, being run by small business support platform and membership community Enterprise Nation, will help start-ups and small businesses get access to early-stage seed funding and growth investment.

The event is the penultimate speed-funding session to be held, with previous events in Dublin and Galway attracting hundreds of founders.  It will see small business owners hear from experts on a range of funding solutions from venture to angel investment, crowdfunding to retail banks.

Tony Foote spotted a gap in the market for a modern, contemporary, consumer-facing Irish whiskey brand while he was working as a controller at Google X – Google’s moonshot ‘factory’ in Silicon Valley.

Tony said: “I love whiskey, but whiskey wasn’t speaking to me. Every bottle was marketed based on traditional values, pictures of rolling hills and castles and a sea of black and green bottles. I felt there was an opportunity to give it a fresh perspective and reach a whole new audience.”

After the initial idea in 2020, Tony brought in childhood friend Alice, who was at the time living in Toronto and working for Pernod Ricard. The brand was initially bootstrapped by the founders, and they both left their high-flying jobs in 2021 to work on the business full-time.

In May 2022 they successfully crowdfunded €625,000 on Crowdcube, from a mixture of 400 Angel and individual investors.

Tony said: “Crowdfunding works really well for consumer brands, but the proposition has to be compelling enough to align with people’s ideas and mindset. Crowdfunding can become a massive marketing exercise that creates an army of unofficial brand ambassadors.

“But for anyone considering crowdfunding I would say it’s not a silver bullet –the first campaign was a full-time job for us both for three to four months. If you go in and you know the level of effort it takes, then crowdfunding becomes a great vehicle for investment. But be aware it’s non-stop.”

Very quickly, Foxes Bow Whiskey was stocked domestically in Musgraves and Tesco, and the pair were exporting to Germany, Italy and built valuable accounts in Northern Ireland. But then the opportunity quickly came for them to go into the US – and they had to go back to the funding drawing board.

Tony said: “It was 12 months ahead of schedule if I’m honest. It’s expensive to launch in the US, it’s competitive and money talks.”

They went back to Crowdcube and raised another €500,000, taking their total raised to €1.1m.

Foxes Bow is now stocked in Texas – where there is a population of 40m – including a listing in Texas’ largest liquor store chain – Spec’s Wine & Liquor.

He’s joined at the event by John Stapleton, who has co-founded food industry-challenger brands including New Covent Garden Soup Company and Little Dish.

He now shares his experience and invests and mentors via Redesdale Food & Beverage Fund, which recently invested in Cork-based supermarket-supplier platform start-up Kwayga.

Also speaking will be Evelyn Moynihan, CEO of Kilkenny Group and Nora Irwin, Cork-based founder of sustainable solid fragrance brand Arona.

Enterprise Nation’s quarterly Small Business Barometer found 74% of Irish businesses said they plan to access funding this year. Just over a third (37%) plan to borrow €10,000 or less with one in five (18%) planning to borrow up to €20,000 and another 11 per cent raising up to €30,000.

A fifth (22%) expect to use alternative lending, but the most popular option for investment is still the bank, with a quarter (24%) looking to Ireland’s banking sector for funds. Only seven per cent said they would crowdfund.

The events are part of Access to Finance, a broader nationwide initiative in partnership with SBCI, Sage, BPFI, AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB to support more businesses to improve financial management skills. Since its launch last year, it has already supported just under 2,000 businesses, with 40 per cent of those at the start-up stage.

The event is free, but booking is essential hhttps://www.enterprisenation.com/find-something/show-me-the-money-cork/

Funders available at the event include:

 

Mags Fullen, head of mortgages and business banking at the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), said: “BPFI and our member banks are delighted to support the ‘Show me the Money’ event Cork. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in Irish society, accounting for around 60% of all employment in the economy. According to the CSO, most of these businesses, over 92%, are what we call micro enterprises, employing less than 10 people. It is absolutely vital that we support these small businesses, not only at the start-up phase but also to support them to grow and thrive, and it’s clear that access to appropriate funding plays an important role in this regard.

“Considering there are many different options available, we hope that this event will help business owners by providing a pathway to the information and support they need.”

Suzanne Sweeney, head of strategy, finance and operations at the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), said: “Increasing access to finance, promoting sustainability and enabling small businesses to grow and prosper are our core objectives and define everything we do in the SBCI.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the Irish economy and play a vital role in job creation and innovation. However, they often face difficulties accessing financing due to limited collateral or high-interest rates. Our role is to provide dedicated financial support to Irish businesses by making it easier for them to get the finance they need to grow, innovate and prosper.

“Events, like ‘Show me the Money’ are vital to help businesses understand and demystify the wide range of fundings options available to them.”

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, said: “What is the best kind of finance for your business and how do you go about accessing it? Our Show me the Money event in Cork will help busy founders work out exactly that by listening to experts from different areas of finance.

“There are a dazzling array of routes to investment – venture capital investors, angel investors, crowdfunding, banks and alternative lenders.  We’ve got them all in one room so that small businesses can ask questions and learn the best route for themselves.”

The Access to Finance programme continues through to Summer,  with an online library of eLearning materials on how small firms can access funding and grow.

Dyson releases major data study of indoor pollution levels in Irish homes

Dyson unveils the results of its first Global Connected Air Quality Data project. The project analyses indoor air quality information collected by 2.5m Dyson purifiers from 2022 to 2023 to measure air quality in real homes across the world, to a high degree of granularity, breaking down pollution into gas and particle pollutants, and profiling trends over days, months, seasons and the full year. The data comes from Dyson purifiers connected to the MyDyson app; the volume of data exceeds half a trillion data points and paints a precise picture of indoor air quality in cities and countries globally to help build understanding and awareness of indoor air pollution.

From a wealth of data, this project focuses on two types of pollutant – PM2.5, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

PM2.5 refers to particles as small as 2.5 microns in diameter, 1/25th the diameter of a typical human hair. These particles are invisible to the naked eye, can be inhaled and are an area of increasing scientific and health research. Sources include combustion, wood burners, or gas cooking and heating – pet dander, ash and dust.

VOCs are gas pollutants including Benzene and Formaldehyde which can be emitted from activities like cleaning or gas cooking as well as from products including deodorants and body sprays, candles, furniture and furnishings.

“Our connected air quality data allows us insight into the real problem of indoor air pollution in homes across the world. This gives us a direct understanding of the challenges Dyson purifiers face in real environments and the knowledge to engineer ever-better machines to tackle those challenges. But the data we capture isn’t just an engineering tool – on an individual basis, this data is shared back through the MyDyson app in real-time and via monthly reports, to help our owners improve their air quality understanding.” – Matt Jennings, Engineering Director for Environmental Care

“We all think of air pollution as being an outdoor or roadside problem. Indoor air pollution research is growing but continues to be underdeveloped. Dyson’s findings give us a valuable insight into the real pollution levels in homes across the world, helping us to understand the patterns of pollution daily, monthly, and seasonally. The Dyson data is an incredibly powerful education tool and the opportunities for positive impact are boundless – understanding the pollution around us is the first step to reducing our pollution exposure.” – Professor Hugh Montgomery, Chair of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, and Chairperson of Dyson’s Scientific Advisory Board

Nearly all homes experienced indoor air quality worse than outdoor with Ireland peaking in December and March but Dublin city specifically peaked in January and March.

All but four of the countries studied exceeded outdoor PM2.5 levels for six months or more. In February, most countries experienced the largest gap between indoor PM2.5 as compared to outdoor, where indoor exceeded outdoor levels by the highest proportion compared to all other months.  All but four countries studied exceeded outdoor PM2.5

Ireland ranked 28th globally for indoor/outdoor ratio of PM2.5 levels with China, Austria, and Spain at the top.

DUBLIN CITY SHOWED NEARLY DOUBLE WHO GUIDELINE PM2.5 LEVELS   

The city of Dublin had slightly higher levels of PM2.5 than the rest of the country with the average being 9.81 µg/m3 PM2.5, which was still below the global average.  However, this measurement still exceeded the WHO long term exposure guidelines of what is deemed safe long term PM2.5 levels.  In fact, Dublin came out as having nearly double the amount of what WHO guidelines for PM2.5 levels are. In Dublin city in January 20022, 12.54 µg/m3 PM2.5 levels were documented, which is 2.5 times over what the WHO guidelines suggest.

December and March saw the highest spike of PM2.5 levels in homes in Dublin.

Dyson air purifier data showed that winter across all countries was the most polluted season indoors overall. Given that 90% of our time is spent indoors, the results showed PM2.5 peaked throughout the colder months with January being the most polluted month globally.

Evening pollution was higher than any other time of day in most countries, including Ireland, with spikes between 7pm and 11pm recorded on Irish Air Purifiers. This stat coincides with the time of day that many people spend in their homes.

Exposure is the measure of air pollution concentration over time, which within the air quality research community is a key consideration – a spike of air pollution (a very high level for a short period of time) is not necessarily worse than prolonged exposure to ‘poor’ or even ‘fair’ air quality. Therefore, data from Dyson purifiers suggests that this longer, more polluted period may account for increased exposure to PM2.5 in homes.

Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) levels in Ireland

European cities also top the rankings of VOC levels indoors: Munich takes top spot, followed by Beijing, and then its fellow German cities – Cologne in 3rd and Berlin 4th.

Dublin and Madrid are particularly high – occupying spaces 11 and 12, both higher than Shenzhen, Busan, Tokyo, Manila, Hong Kong SAR and other larger EMEA cities like Paris, London and Amsterdam.

Dublin, Paris and Milan rank above megacities like Tokyo and Seoul, and above all US cities as well as London.