Bus shelter doubles as air purifier and COVID-19 filter

A multi-disciplinary team has developed an air purification system that doubles as a bus shelter

Spotted: One major question with trying to find a solution to polluted urban environments is whether it is possible to purify air out in the open. Now, Hong Kong-based company Sino Group and global built environment powerhouse Arup have unveiled a research project that could provide an answer. They have developed an air purification system that doubles as a bus shelter and which uses filtration to clean open air.

The air filter, dubbed City Air Purification System 2.0 (“CAPS 2.0”), works by drawing air in, and then passing it through a multi-HEPA filter and a cutting-edge Plascide air sanitiser, to remove both fine suspended particles and airborne bacteria, allergens, fungi and coronavirus. The system is also designed to build up positive pressure to create an air curtain, which acts as a barrier against pollutants for those inside the bus shelter. 

The CAPS 2.0 was tested over a two-week period on a busy Hong Kong street. A smart control system enables real-time monitoring, data comparison, and interactive displays, which provide live information on weather, air quality and bus schedules. Over the test period, empirical data showed an average reduction of 40 per cent in the concentration of air pollutants in nearby areas.

Arup’s Dr Jimmy Tong has noted that the empirical data showed “encouraging results with significant improvement in concentration of pollutants. […] the air purification system allows simultaneous production of air currents in between buildings and roads which generate wind channels to improve roadside ventilation in addition to purifying air through filtration.” Andrew Young, Associate Director of Innovation at Sino Group, told Springwise that “The CAPS 2.0 is a testament to how connecting like-minded local partners can accelerate innovative solutions for real-life challenges.”

Globally, air pollution is a major problem. In fact, the World Health Organisation ranks air pollution as the single largest environmental health concern in the world. To tackle this, innovators are working on a huge variety of options to reduce it. These range from roadside barriers that deflect the pollution away from pedestrians, to a window that doubles as an air purifier. Ultimately, however, we will only find a permanent solution by tackling the use of fossil fuels.

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