BlockDox Wins Share of £1m Funding from Mayor of London’s Resilience Fund

BlockDox has been selected as a Finalist

Mayor of London, Air Quality Challenge, Nesta, Finalist, Blockdox

BlockDox has been selected as a Finalist and will be working with Lambeth Council on a project tackling air quality

Blockdox is delighted to have been selected as a finalist in the Mayor of London Resilience Fund Air Quality Challenge, from amongst the UK’s best innovators. The Mayor’s Resilience Fund is delivered in partnership with  Nesta Challenges and funded by the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP). 

As London slowly emerges from the pandemic, the impact that poor air quality and air pollution can have on our health is still at the forefront of everyone’s mind. This ongoing concern prompted the Mayor Resilience Fund to quickly react by organising a challenge to find viable solutions to the problem at hand. The goal is to help reduce vulnerable residents’ exposure to air pollution in Lambeth’s Borough. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It has been a very challenging time for Londoners but I am confident these innovators and their partners will find creative solutions that push London forward into recovery and keep our city resilient and robust for years to come.”

Air pollution is a serious problem in the UK, especially in larger cities such as London. The Lambeth Borough of London is a case in point. With high levels of air pollution, the borough has been matched with BlockDox to develop a  suitable solution to improve health and air quality. Being London’s most touristic borough, Lambeth’s air pollution current situation is mostly caused by dense emissions being released from vehicles, commercial and residential buildings as well as constructions and machineries. Oftentimes, outdoor pollution affects the quality of the air we breathe indoors especially in confined spaces such as offices and stores so it is important to understand what outside air contains. Additionally, as we have seen with COVID-19, vulnerable residents are at greater risk of developing heart and lung conditions as a result of regular exposure to poor and polluted air.

Managing Director of Nesta Challenges, Tris Dyson, said: “The panel of judges had a formidable task before them, with many impressive applications, and they have selected an inspiring cohort of companies to help boost our city’s resilience. We are very excited to support these teams to develop their solutions and support London’s recovery this year.”

Recently, the Air Quality Action Plan Report brought to light the seriousness of Lambeth’s air pollution situation by unveiling appalling figures: nitrogen dioxide concentration limits weren’t met and in some areas, levels of PM10 and PM2.5 have exceeded the acceptable amounts (as of 2016). 

In light of the above, The Mayor Resilience Fund has launched an Air Quality Challenge, looking to seriously address and find a solution to air pollution exposure. 

BlockDox is proud to have been competitively selected as a a Finalist  in this challenge. BlockDox will help Lambeth control its air quality by providing insights and analytics into PM2.5 levels as well as other pollutant particles. This will help Lambeth understand where to target air quality interventions to promote a healthier environment for the local communities.