SAMHE FAQ

Find answers to commonly asked questions using the search tools below.


  • Background

    • Thanks so much for your interest in SAMHE! We are delighted to hear that you'd like to get involved.

      Registration to receive a SAMHE monitor closed on 31 May 2024 but schools can still benefit from the SAMHE teaching resources. See our get involved page for more information.

      If your school already has a SAMHE monitor, please note that the Web App will remain fully operational until at least January 2030.

      The support that we can offer SAMHE schools will reduce after 31st July 2024, when our current research funding ends. But don't worry - almost nothing else will change! We hope to receive additional funding in the future to extend and expand SAMHE, but even if we don't, you will be able to keep using your monitor and the Web App for many years to come.

      If your school has a SAMHE monitor, and it is not connected yet, please see our getting started page for help.

    • That's a great question! Our starting point is that because we know indoor air quality can affect our health, and children & staff spend a lot of time at school, we should try to learn more about the air quality in our UK schools.

      Our primary hypothesis is that involving pupils and staff in monitoring their air quality might be a sustainable way to gather school air quality data at national scale - if that works, we have many more detailed hypotheses to test with the data (for example, that the age of a building and the usage of a classroom might have an important effect on the air quality within, or that most classrooms can be adequately ventilated if staff are trained to manage their classroom ventilation).

      A secondary hypothesis is that our methods will, at the very least, raise awareness of air quality issues in some of the next generation - that cannot be a bad thing, and perhaps it will increase the likelihood of satisfying our primary hypothesis!

    • SAMHE has been designed to be used flexibly. You're free to use SAMHE however best suits you - you might use SAMHE during your lessons, with extra-curricular groups, or as part of extended project work. We know that in some schools our monitors will only be used infrequently and that's fine. Providing the monitors are plugged in and connected to the WiFi they still give us really useful data.

      For ideas about how SAMHE might work in your school take a look at our teacher testimonials video.

      Please note that although the research team's initial funding came to an end in July 2024, the SAMHE Web App will remain operational until at least January 2030 so you can continue using SAMHE in your teaching for years to come.

    • For an explanation of what the numbers on your monitor mean take a look at our guidance on monitor readings.This page has information on reference levels for each of the metrics we measure which will help put the readings into context. For more detail about what monitor readings mean in practice, and what you can do if these values concern you, take a look at our Resources. In particular, you might like to start by reading our About Air Pollution and ventilation guidance pages.

    • SAMHE is using AirGradient One monitors with custom firmware developed specially for our project. The monitors measure levels of carbon dioxide, particulate matter, total volatile organic compounds, temperature and relative humidity, all of which is displayed on the monitor screen in realtime. The concentration of CO2 detected determines the combination of monitor LEDs displayed.

      All information gathered by the monitors is transmitted to the SAMHE Web App via WiFi connection where it is made available to schools to explore in more detail.

      For more information about the AirGradient One monitor, including full technical specifications, visit the AirGradient website.

    • Yes! Based on the recommendations of the teachers we worked with during our 'Pioneers phase' we have developed a 15 minute presentation to assist you in introducing the project to interested parties at your school (and beyond)! Our template introductory presentation is linked from the Resources page.

    • For a summary of what we know about the links between CO2 levels, cognition and concentration head to our Air Pollution and Health page.

    • For information about how outdoor air pollution can affect indoor air quality see our About Air Pollution page.

    • For information on the relationship between air quality and transmission of illnesses such as COVID-19 please see our Air Pollution and Health page.

    • Corsi-Rosenthal boxes are a low-cost but effective air filter which you could build for your school. Instructions have been provided by Clean Air Classrooms. If you wanted to, you could see if there are any differences in monitor readings before and after installation.

  • What does the monitor measure

    • The SAMHE monitors measure particulate matter (PM2.5), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), along with temperature and relative humidity. For more information about what we're measuring, why we're measuring it and how to make sense of your monitor's readings why not check out our guidance on interpreting monitor readings.

    • Data on the SAMHE monitor screen is in real time and is updated every minute. There is a slight delay of up to 2 minutes between what you see on the monitor and what you will see in the Web App.

    • It is not impossible but it is unlikely. Trees do give off lots of particular matter (PMs); for example, tree pollen is a PM but the particles tend to be relatively big. Most types of pollen would be expected to show up more in measurement of PM10 (we said 'relatively big' because PM10 is particles up to 10 microns in size, that is 1/100th of the millimetre on your ruler!). The SAMHE sensors measure PM2.5.

    • This is certainly something you could explore. We would expect that CO₂ levels and PM levels would go up as pupils move around more (more CO₂ due to heavier breathing, and more PM as dust from surfaces gets back into the air).

  • Access to data

    • Your school can see the data from your monitor, and so can researchers on the SAMHE project team. Other researchers will also be able to access your monitor's data subject to authorisation by the project team.

    • Other schools cannot see your data. We sometimes share average data from groups of schools and provide it to you as an average, but you'll never be able to identify which school the data came from.

  • Accessing the Web App

    • Yes, you can access monitor readings via the Web App using any web-enabled device, as long as you have your username and password. However, it has been designed to look best on either a tablet or computer. No matter what kind of device you are using you can find the SAMHE Web App by heading to https://samhe.org.uk/app. The SAMHE app is a 'Web App' as opposed to a 'native' app which means it operates within a browser, rather than being something you need to download from an app store

    • Yes, as long as they have their username and password.

    • Yes, if they wish to and they have their username and password

    • Unfortunately not, but if someone gives us more funding in the future, it is something we'd consider.

  • Interacting with the monitor

    • For advice on where to put your SAMHE monitor please refer to our guidance on monitor placement.

    • We encourage you to move your monitor(s) around to collect data about the different rooms in your school and we would recommend that you leave the monitor in each place for a minimum of a week, to allow it to collect data about the conditions of the room that it is in. When you move your monitor it would be really useful to the project team if you can tell us using the Web App when you have moved it and where you moved it to.

    • This is up to you and your school's timetable and other commitments. The SAMHE Web App is designed to be flexible and it is open to you to decide how you'd like to use it, you may have a regular group (e.g. a science club) who can do activities every week or so, or you might have one event a term where you interact with it.

      Measurements from SAMHE monitors, once they have been plugged in and connected to the internet, will be transmitted automatically to our secure database which supports the SAMHE Web App. This means that even just plugging in your monitor gives us useful information, so if you're too busy to interact with it for parts of the year that's not a problem at all.

    • SAMHE monitors require around 15 kWh energy per year - that's about £3.65 per year, using the UK price cap from Jun/24.

    • Ideally not! It's really important for our researchers to know what air quality is like when classrooms are not occupied (and your pupils might find it interesting too!). So please leave your SAMHE monitors switched on at all times, including outside of school hours and over school holidays.

  • Info for pupils

    • Taking part in SAMHE does not count towards UCAS points.

      However, if you are applying to university, for an apprenticeship, or for a job, you can use your participation in SAMHE to enhance your application.

    • Yes - SAMHE is an opportunity to participate as a citizen scientist. This means that you can write in your personal statement about the skills you have used in SAMHE to contribute to real life science research on air quality, such as: problem solving, communication, discussion, investigation, and data analysis.

    • The SAMHE monitor measures carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter, temperature, humidity, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). You can ask your teachers about these if you are interested in learning more. If you are worried about your monitor readings, you might want to complete the data detectives activity to understand more about where these readings might be coming from, and have a conversation with your teacher about these.

      If you are experiencing eco-anxiety, that is anxiety about effects of climate change, Hold This Space is a great tool for support and understanding, and they also have a list of resources that you may find useful.

    • Yes you can! SAMHE is a brilliant tool to use in your EPQ and helps you meet all four assessment objectives (AOs).

      You can use the SAMHE Web App activities to gain an initial understanding of indoor air quality, learn new skills in data handling (AO3) and identify the areas you would like to study further (AO1). The Web App also enables you to download data from the SAMHE monitor for further analysis (AO2). The SAMHE website hosts information about air pollution, air quality monitoring and health and links out to additional resources to support your project (AO2).

      You could use the Web App quizzes to check your knowledge and understanding at the start and end of your project, as part of evaluating your learning (AO4). In addition to your written project report, you could ask to present your findings to school management, to inform the school's air quality/ventilation strategy, and also share your conclusions beyond the school community through the 'Write to your local MP' Web App activity (AO4).

      Some examples of EPQ projects could be:

      • An investigation comparing classroom air quality during Winter and Spring
      • Understanding ventilation via investigation of carbon dioxide levels in classrooms
      • Comparing levels of Particulate Matter and TVOCs in Art and Design classrooms to those of other classrooms
      • Investigating temperature and humidity: applying simple thermal comfort metrics/models to classrooms
      • Methods of improving indoor air quality in classrooms

      If you do use SAMHE as part of your EPQ, please mention SAMHE in your acknowledgements, and ask your teacher to let us know!

    • If you are struggling with your mental health, or are in a difficult situation, it is important to speak to a teacher, parent, carer, or other trusted adult for support.

      If you do not feel that there is a trusted adult to speak to, please consider contacting one of the services below for advice and support:

      • To talk to someone visit Childline or call 0800 1111
      • For 24/7 support with mental health over text messaging, visit SHOUT or text 'shout' to 85258
      • For suicide prevention and support, visit Papyrus or ring the hopeline on 0800 068 41 41
      • For drugs advice and support visit FRANK or call 0300 1236600

      In case of an emergency or suicidal feelings, call Samaritans immediately on 116 123 or the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 (open 24/7)

  • Other

    • One of the key aims of SAMHE is to allow you to improve your understanding of air quality, so we have designed the Web App to enable you to investigate and understand your data, at least as well as we could - you know your school better than anyone else! For example within the Web App, the Data Detectives activity will help you find patterns in your data and identify possible causes. Our Resources Page is also a great starting point if you've got questions about how to interpret your monitor's data.

    • You'd probably see an increase in CO₂ levels and perhaps also an increase in relative humidity as little bits of spit come out of your mouth!

    • The short answer is no. Read on for the longer answer! Every time you breathe out, you release carbon dioxide. But this carbon dioxide comes from food that was produced by photosynthesis, as everything we eat is ultimately based on plants. Sometimes this is obvious, for example, if you eat a carrot or some rice, but this is also true for things such as meat, for example, cows are fed on grass or soya. When we eat food, our body converts this into energy, water and carbon dioxide. So the plants we eat (or the animals we eat have eaten) have absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and our bodies then convert this back into carbon dioxide, so there is no extra CO₂ being added.

      By contrast, when fossil fuels like coal or gas are burned, this releases CO₂ into the atmosphere which has been locked up for millions of years, contributing to rising CO₂ levels and climate change.

Get In Touch!

If you want to stay in touch by signing up for our newsletter, please complete the form below. (If you want to access the teacher resource pack, have a specific query about data, collaboration or media, please visit our Get Involved page to find out who to contact)

If you are under 13 then please ask your parent, carer or your teacher to submit this form on your behalf. If you are over 13 then you can send us a message yourself.

If you are experiencing technical issues with your monitor, please visit our Help Centre or use our Technical Queries Form.

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