Sensing Change: Heat and Air Quality in the Gorbals

About the Project

The project brings together researchers from the University of Glasgow and the Crossroads Youth and Community Association to explore how residents experience changes in temperature and air quality in their neighbourhood.

Located on the edge of Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ), the Gorbals faces climate-related challenges including rising temperatures, dense construction, reduced greenspace, and increased traffic. The project combines environmental sensing with community storytelling to understand how these conditions affect daily life and how citizen-generated data can support local climate resilience.

Aims

The project aims to:

• Map patterns of heat and air quality across the Gorbals using static and portable sensors.
• Compare citizen observations and lived experiences with scientific measurements.
• Create a four-layer dataset combining:
  • Historic weather records
  • Static sensor data
  • Portable sensor data
  • Community observations collected through the communiMap app
• Translate findings into a creative art installation that communicates the data in an accessible and meaningful way.

What the Project Will Do

• Install static sensors to monitor air quality and temperature at community sites across the Gorbals.
• Recruit and train 10 to 15 local residents as community scientists to carry portable Airbeam sensors while going about their daily routines.
• Use the communiMap citizen science app to combine community stories and observations with sensor data.
• Hold participatory workshops involving residents, researchers, and artists to interpret and visualise findings.
• Work with artists to create an artistic representation of the data for local display and a wider exhibition planned for 2027.

Impact

The project intends to:

• Strengthen Glasgow’s ability to design socially informed climate adaptation measures.
• Demonstrate how community storytelling and sensor science can be combined for citizen-led environmental monitoring.
• Share findings with Glasgow City Council’s Sustainability Team and other partners to inform future urban planning and climate adaptation strategies.

Partners

Crossroads Youth and Community Association

• Frankie Frankgate
• Dani Waddell

University of Glasgow Team

• Dr Florence Halstead (Project Lead)
• Prof. Qunshan Zhao
• Dr Mingyu Zhu
• Prof. Ria Dunkley
• Dr Sarah Gambelll
• Xingyi Du

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