Braving the Cold: Expanding Berlin’s Environmental Monitoring Network

Discover how we braved the cold to install new air quality, noise, and traffic monitors, boosting real-time data for a cleaner, smarter future.

A Chilly Start to 2025

January and February in Berlin are notoriously gray and bitterly cold. Most people seek refuge indoors, staying warm and cozy as they wait for the return of long summer days. But for the team at Net4Cities, this is the season for action—no matter the weather. In the first quarter of 2025, we are hard at work installing a suite of instruments to expand Europe’s air quality, noise, and traffic monitoring networks. In Berlin, luck was not on our side. Despite clear, sunny skies, temperatures plummeted to -5°C during installation. With half-frozen hands and feet, we mounted several state-of-the-art noise monitors, traffic counters, and air pollution monitors on the Berlin Monitoring Network (BLUME) measurement containers and brought them online.

What Does Installation Look Like?

It varies depending on the type of instrument, its purpose, and its design. Fortunately, modern monitoring devices are becoming increasingly user-friendly, sometimes as simple as plug-and-play. For instance, with our noise sensors—the Cirrus Quantum—or our Telraam traffic counters, the installation is remarkably straightforward: securely attach the device, plug it in, and it’s ready to go. Once powered, the instruments immediately begin recording data, transmitting it via built-in SIM cards to a cloud-based database. The data is then accessible in real-time, a feature that enhances usability for scientists, policymakers, and citizens alike.

Challenges of Cold-Weather Installation

However, even with these simplified designs, installation isn’t always a walk in the park — especially in freezing temperatures. It still requires old-fashioned elbow grease and a reliable set of power tools. Wrangling metal straps to secure devices to poles is no easy task at -5°C. The cold makes everything more challenging: plastic zip-ties snap more easily, metal parts are painfully frigid to the touch, and fingers quickly grow numb and clumsy.

The digital side of things isn’t always seamless either. In theory, modern instruments should connect effortlessly, but in practice, minor issues—like SIM card connectivity or firmware glitches—can bring the process to a frustrating standstill. And when you’re shivering on a rooftop, the last thing you want is to be on hold with technical support, listening to elevator music.

Looking Ahead

Yet, all the effort is worth it once the data starts streaming in. Seeing real-time information on air and noise pollution, aligned with local traffic patterns, provides immediate validation of the hard work. Over time, this data will form a comprehensive dataset, offering valuable insights for research and policy-making. Soon enough, the frosty memories of installation will melt away, replaced by the fiery anticipation of new discoveries. And as the datasets grow, so too does our excitement for the future.

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