{"id":31967,"date":"2024-07-18T13:45:13","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T05:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/?p=31967"},"modified":"2024-09-22T19:12:10","modified_gmt":"2024-09-22T11:12:10","slug":"in-the-fight-for-clean-air-interview-with-achim-haug-founder-of-airgradient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/en\/blog\/in-the-fight-for-clean-air-interview-with-achim-haug-founder-of-airgradient\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Fight for Clean Air: Interview with Achim Haug, Founder of AirGradient"},"content":{"rendered":"

Air pollution is a problem that affects us all. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 9 out of 10 people in the world breathe polluted air, which contributes to 7 million premature deaths each year. Achim Haug, founder of AirGradient, decided to do something about it. Inspired by the “burning season” crisis in northern Thailand, Haug created affordable and accurate air quality monitors that can be used by anyone, anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From left: Achim Haug and Dominik Schraner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What got you interested in air quality monitoring?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It actually began during a sabbatical in Northern Thailand. In that region, they experience what is known as the “burning season,” essentially a fifth season characterized by widespread wildfires and agricultural burning. In 2019, this hit particularly hard. I vividly remember looking out from my house and seeing the hill opposite engulfed in flames. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, I was volunteering at my children’s school, and the pervasive air pollution was having a massive impact on the community. The operations of the school slowed down significantly as the health of the children and staff was compromised. Witnessing this firsthand made me realize the profound effect that air quality has on daily life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought that by installing monitors in each classroom, the school management could better understand and address the air quality situation. This marked the beginning of our journey into air quality monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did AirGradient choose to monitor air quality in Northern Thailand?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The focus on schools in Northern Thailand arose quite naturally from the circumstances. We didn’t embark on this project with a detailed business plan or profit-driven motives. The primary driver was the pressing problem of air pollution that the local community, including younger children with developing lungs, was suffering from. In such a vulnerable demographic, the adverse effects of poor air quality are even more pronounced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing this issue in the environment I was already immersed in\u2014my children’s school\u2014felt like the most immediate and impactful step we could take. The initial project was a direct response to an urgent need, rather than a calculated business move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was difficult in the early days of AirGradient?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started our efforts at the school my children attended, about a year before the COVID-19 pandemic. We had just developed our first air quality monitor and were gearing up to introduce it to more schools. However, the pandemic disrupted our plans significantly. Schools shut down, making it impossible to continue installations and demonstrations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many schools faced financial difficulties due to the pandemic, and air quality concerns understandably took a backseat to more immediate challenges. The combination of limited access to schools and the overshadowing urgency of COVID-19 made it difficult to gain traction initially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How did AirGradient start as a small project and become a global air quality company?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inspiration behind AirGradient<\/a> was a confluence of several factors. Primarily, there was the glaring issue of severe air pollution impacting the community directly. My personal interest in technology and its potential to contribute positively to environmental issues also played a crucial role. From the beginning, our approach was rooted in a desire to make a meaningful impact. Starting with educational institutions and embracing open designs, it felt natural to progress toward a larger scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The transition from a small volunteer project to a global company was driven by the success and feedback we received along the way. We remained committed to the principles of open-source hardware, which allowed us to share our designs freely and empower communities to build and use their own monitors. This philosophy continues to define AirGradient and sets us apart in the market.<\/p>\n\n\n