Project Overview
Air quality monitoring in a city environment presents a complex product development challenge. A device must survive outdoors, operate continuously, maintain reliable sensor performance, communicate data across a distributed network and be simple enough to install quickly across varied urban locations.
The AirPublic platform was developed as a purpose-built environmental monitoring system rather than an off-the-shelf sensor box. Denovi supported the project from early engineering definition through to working hardware, enclosure development, firmware behaviour, manufacturing preparation and deployment support.
The final product incorporated cellular connectivity, low-power LoRaWAN RF communication and a custom sensor array capable of monitoring CO₂, oxygen, nitrogen compounds, particulate matter, VOCs and noise levels. These sensing capabilities were integrated into a bespoke internal architecture using custom PCBs, wiring looms and a purpose-designed casing system.
The Technical Challenge
The core challenge was to create a platform that could deliver reliable year-round environmental monitoring while remaining practical to manufacture, install and maintain. The device had to support 24/7 operation, tolerate long-term exposure, protect sensitive electronics and generate consistent data in real-world airflow conditions.
This required more than placing sensors inside a weatherproof enclosure. The casing had to support the movement of air through the sensor array while protecting internal electronics from environmental stress. Fluid dynamics, sensor placement, airflow stability and contaminant exposure all had to be considered as part of the product architecture.
The design also needed to support rapid deployment. Working with AirPublic, Croydon Council, Digital Catapult and The Things Network, the system had to be practical for field installation in urban environments. This created design requirements around mounting, service access, cable routing, RF performance, power behaviour and assembly efficiency.
Design and Engineering Approach
Denovi worked in a highly collaborative structure, iterating both the engineering objectives and the product design as the project evolved. This allowed the team to balance the ambitions of the sensing platform with the practical realities of budget, manufacture, connectivity and deployment.
The enclosure was developed specifically for the project, with CAD-led design exploration used to define the housing geometry, internal layout, sensor positioning and mounting strategy. Particular attention was paid to how air would pass through the unit, how electronics would be protected and how the system could be mounted across different city locations without requiring a complex installation process.
Inside the unit, Denovi developed a custom electronics architecture built around multiple PCB assemblies and a dedicated wiring loom. This made it possible to integrate a wide range of sensors while maintaining a controlled internal layout and a serviceable build structure.
The communications architecture combined cellular connectivity with low-power LoRaWAN RF communication, enabling the system to support flexible deployment models and resilient data transmission. RF considerations informed antenna placement, enclosure decisions and the overall internal arrangement of electronics.
Firmware was developed specifically for the unit to support continuous monitoring throughout the year. The embedded system needed to manage sensor readings, data capture, communication behaviour and long-running device reliability. The firmware design reflected the practical requirement for a monitoring product that could operate consistently without constant manual intervention.
Durability was a major part of the engineering work. Sensor and electronics lifetime were considered from the outset, including the use of specialist protective coatings to help preserve long-term performance and support a target operating life of up to ten years.
Manufacturing and Deployment Considerations
The project was a strong example of minimum viable product thinking applied to a technically demanding hardware system. The goal was not to over-design a theoretical product, but to rapidly develop a deployable platform that could be tested and used in a meaningful civic context.
Denovi supported parts sourcing, rapid prototyping, PCB fabrication, wiring loom development, assembly planning and production preparation. The mounting system was designed for the realities of urban deployment, where speed, flexibility and robustness are critical.
This required close attention to how the units would be assembled, transported, mounted and maintained. The design process considered not only technical performance, but also the operational experience of the people installing and supporting the devices.
Outcome
The project delivered a bespoke air quality monitoring platform capable of supporting distributed environmental sensing across Croydon. It demonstrated how a multidisciplinary product development process can move quickly from concept to deployed IoT hardware while still addressing complex technical constraints around sensing, connectivity, power, enclosure design and long-term performance.
For Denovi, the project represents a complete end-to-end capability story: from environmental product concept and physical design through to electronics, firmware, manufacture and deployment.