How It Works

From existing lamppost
to active air cleaner.

Four stages. One sleeve. No excavation. The full technical story of how we transform Britain's existing street infrastructure into a distributed clean air network.

The System

Everything in one sleeve.

The Clean Air Initiative retrofit unit integrates air filtration, solar power assist, satellite connectivity, and environmental sensing into a single round cylindrical tube that fits over the existing lamppost stub.

01
The Retrofit Tube

A 300–400mm composite or marine-grade aluminium sleeve that slides over the existing 6-foot (1.8m) existing post stub left in ground lamppost power stub. Secured with tamper-resistant locking collars. Available in standard RAL colours to match local street furniture specifications.

Installation by existing lamppost maintenance contractors — the same teams that change bulbs and service street lighting. No specialist skills. No heavy plant. No road closures.

Diameter
300–400mm outer · fits all standard UK lamppost stubs
Height
1,200mm — occupies the stub section below the main column
Material
Marine-grade aluminium (6061-T6) or GRP composite
Finish
Polyester powder coat · standard RAL colours
Weight
Under 35kg complete assembly
Installation
One MEWP, two operatives, one day per post
existing column Solar Film Filtration Stack Intake Grille 1,200mm 300–400mm
02
Four-Stage Filtration

Air is drawn in through the ground-level intake grille at 100–200mm above pavement — the height where pollution is most concentrated. It passes through four filtration stages before being exhausted as clean air above head height.

The filtration cartridge is a single modular unit, designed for tool-free replacement during routine maintenance visits. Target replacement interval: 6–12 months.

Polluted air in Stage 1 · Electrostatic Pre-filter Removes large particles PM10+ Stage 2 · HEPA H14 99.995% PM2.5 removal Stage 3 · Activated Carbon NO₂ and VOC adsorption 40–70% Stage 4 · TiO₂ Photocatalytic UV-A activated · breaks down residual NO₂ Clean air out Fan 300–500 m³/h
Filtration Detail

Four stages. Maximum removal.

Each stage targets a different class of pollutant. Together they achieve near-total removal of the most harmful particles and gases from processed air.

1
Electrostatic Pre-filter
Charges incoming particles electrostatically, causing them to adhere to the filter media. Removes large particles (PM10 and above) and reduces loading on downstream filters. Self-cleaning mesh. Replaced as part of cartridge service.
>90%
removal of particles >1 micron
2
HEPA H14 Filter
High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter to EN 1822 H14 standard. Primary PM2.5 removal stage. Differential pressure sensor monitors filter loading and triggers replacement alerts when saturation threshold is reached.
99.995%
removal of particles ≥0.3 microns
3
Activated Carbon Filter
Granular activated carbon (GAC) bed. Removes NO₂, VOCs, and odorous compounds by adsorption. Replacement interval 6–12 months depending on local NO₂ concentration. 2–4kg of GAC per unit.
40–70%
NO₂ removal from processed air
4
TiO₂ Photocatalytic Layer
Titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating activated by integrated UV-A LED array (365nm). Breaks down residual NO₂, VOCs, and biological contaminants through photocatalytic oxidation. Produces no ozone at UV-A wavelengths. TiO₂ coating permanent — UV LED replaced on service schedule.
50–75%
combined NO₂ removal (stages 3+4)
Connectivity

Starlink — the backbone
that makes it scalable.

The single biggest barrier to deploying smart technology across millions of existing lampposts is data connectivity. Running fibre to every post would cost thousands per lamppost and require extensive pavement works. Starlink eliminates this entirely.

🛰 Starlink 100–500Mbps P1 Starlink P2 Starlink 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh £10–18 per post per month connectivity cost
1 per 8–15
Starlink terminals required — shared across a mesh group via BLE
100–500Mbps
Download speed — sufficient for real-time data, public WiFi, and OTA updates
100%
UK coverage — no geographic limitation on deployment anywhere in Britain
Power Budget

Within existing circuit capacity.

Each unit draws 50–140W net from the existing street lighting circuit — well within the 250–500W capacity of a standard UK lamppost installation. Solar film offsets 30–60% of grid draw.

Component power draw at full operation
Fan (full speed)
60–80W
Filtration electronics
20–30W
Sensors & controller
5–10W
Starlink terminal
15–25W
LED light head
30–50W
Solar offset
−50–150W
Net grid draw
50–140W
Circuit capacity of standard UK lamppost: 250–500W. Net draw is within capacity for the vast majority of installations.
Clean Air Initiative lamppost retrofit — before and after Left: standard 120mm round tubular UK lamppost. Right: Clean Air Initiative retrofit at 200mm — same profile, slightly wider, solar wrap outer skin, louvre vents, existing post stub preserved in ground. Standard lamppost 120mm diameter Clean Air Initiative 200mm diameter · same profile ground level foundation 120mm ground level foundation — untouched 200mm Same lantern head Starlink inside Solar panel wrap = outer skin Louvre vents air intake Locking collar Existing post stub stays in ground Barely noticeable from the street 120mm to 200mm — less than a hand width difference. Same round profile. Same lantern. Same colour. Just slightly wider.
02
Four-Stage Filtration

Air is drawn in through the ground-level intake grille at 100–200mm above pavement — the height where pollution is most concentrated. It passes through four filtration stages before being exhausted as clean air above head height.

The filtration cartridge is a single modular unit, designed for tool-free replacement during routine maintenance visits. Target replacement interval: 6–12 months.

Polluted air in Stage 1 · Electrostatic Pre-filter Removes large particles PM10+ Stage 2 · HEPA H14 99.995% PM2.5 removal Stage 3 · Activated Carbon NO₂ and VOC adsorption 40–70% Stage 4 · TiO₂ Photocatalytic UV-A activated · breaks down residual NO₂ Clean air out Fan 300–500 m³/h
Filtration Detail

Four stages. Maximum removal.

Each stage targets a different class of pollutant. Together they achieve near-total removal of the most harmful particles and gases from processed air.

1
Electrostatic Pre-filter
Charges incoming particles electrostatically, causing them to adhere to the filter media. Removes large particles (PM10 and above) and reduces loading on downstream filters. Self-cleaning mesh. Replaced as part of cartridge service.
>90%
removal of particles >1 micron
2
HEPA H14 Filter
High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter to EN 1822 H14 standard. Primary PM2.5 removal stage. Differential pressure sensor monitors filter loading and triggers replacement alerts when saturation threshold is reached.
99.995%
removal of particles ≥0.3 microns
3
Activated Carbon Filter
Granular activated carbon (GAC) bed. Removes NO₂, VOCs, and odorous compounds by adsorption. Replacement interval 6–12 months depending on local NO₂ concentration. 2–4kg of GAC per unit.
40–70%
NO₂ removal from processed air
4
TiO₂ Photocatalytic Layer
Titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating activated by integrated UV-A LED array (365nm). Breaks down residual NO₂, VOCs, and biological contaminants through photocatalytic oxidation. Produces no ozone at UV-A wavelengths. TiO₂ coating permanent — UV LED replaced on service schedule.
50–75%
combined NO₂ removal (stages 3+4)
Connectivity

Starlink — the backbone
that makes it scalable.

The single biggest barrier to deploying smart technology across millions of existing lampposts is data connectivity. Running fibre to every post would cost thousands per lamppost and require extensive pavement works. Starlink eliminates this entirely.

🛰 Starlink 100–500Mbps P1 Starlink P2 Starlink 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh £10–18 per post per month connectivity cost
1 per 8–15
Starlink terminals required — shared across a mesh group via BLE
100–500Mbps
Download speed — sufficient for real-time data, public WiFi, and OTA updates
100%
UK coverage — no geographic limitation on deployment anywhere in Britain
Power Budget

Within existing circuit capacity.

Each unit draws 50–140W net from the existing street lighting circuit — well within the 250–500W capacity of a standard UK lamppost installation. Solar film offsets 30–60% of grid draw.

Component power draw at full operation
Fan (full speed)
60–80W
Filtration electronics
20–30W
Sensors & controller
5–10W
Starlink terminal
15–25W
LED light head
30–50W
Solar offset
−50–150W
Net grid draw
50–140W
Circuit capacity of standard UK lamppost: 250–500W. Net draw is within capacity for the vast majority of installations.
BEFORE AFTER ground foundation unfiltered pollution 🛰 Starlink inside same appearance Solar wrap clean air out ↑ ↓ polluted air in LOCKING COLLAR existing post stub ground level foundation untouched ✓ NO₂ -->
02
Four-Stage Filtration

Air is drawn in through the ground-level intake grille at 100–200mm above pavement — the height where pollution is most concentrated. It passes through four filtration stages before being exhausted as clean air above head height.

The filtration cartridge is a single modular unit, designed for tool-free replacement during routine maintenance visits. Target replacement interval: 6–12 months.

Polluted air in Stage 1 · Electrostatic Pre-filter Removes large particles PM10+ Stage 2 · HEPA H14 99.995% PM2.5 removal Stage 3 · Activated Carbon NO₂ and VOC adsorption 40–70% Stage 4 · TiO₂ Photocatalytic UV-A activated · breaks down residual NO₂ Clean air out Fan 300–500 m³/h
Filtration Detail

Four stages. Maximum removal.

Each stage targets a different class of pollutant. Together they achieve near-total removal of the most harmful particles and gases from processed air.

1
Electrostatic Pre-filter
Charges incoming particles electrostatically, causing them to adhere to the filter media. Removes large particles (PM10 and above) and reduces loading on downstream filters. Self-cleaning mesh. Replaced as part of cartridge service.
>90%
removal of particles >1 micron
2
HEPA H14 Filter
High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter to EN 1822 H14 standard. Primary PM2.5 removal stage. Differential pressure sensor monitors filter loading and triggers replacement alerts when saturation threshold is reached.
99.995%
removal of particles ≥0.3 microns
3
Activated Carbon Filter
Granular activated carbon (GAC) bed. Removes NO₂, VOCs, and odorous compounds by adsorption. Replacement interval 6–12 months depending on local NO₂ concentration. 2–4kg of GAC per unit.
40–70%
NO₂ removal from processed air
4
TiO₂ Photocatalytic Layer
Titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating activated by integrated UV-A LED array (365nm). Breaks down residual NO₂, VOCs, and biological contaminants through photocatalytic oxidation. Produces no ozone at UV-A wavelengths. TiO₂ coating permanent — UV LED replaced on service schedule.
50–75%
combined NO₂ removal (stages 3+4)
Connectivity

Starlink — the backbone
that makes it scalable.

The single biggest barrier to deploying smart technology across millions of existing lampposts is data connectivity. Running fibre to every post would cost thousands per lamppost and require extensive pavement works. Starlink eliminates this entirely.

🛰 Starlink 100–500Mbps P1 Starlink P2 Starlink 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh £10–18 per post per month connectivity cost
1 per 8–15
Starlink terminals required — shared across a mesh group via BLE
100–500Mbps
Download speed — sufficient for real-time data, public WiFi, and OTA updates
100%
UK coverage — no geographic limitation on deployment anywhere in Britain
Power Budget

Within existing circuit capacity.

Each unit draws 50–140W net from the existing street lighting circuit — well within the 250–500W capacity of a standard UK lamppost installation. Solar film offsets 30–60% of grid draw.

Component power draw at full operation
Fan (full speed)
60–80W
Filtration electronics
20–30W
Sensors & controller
5–10W
Starlink terminal
15–25W
LED light head
30–50W
Solar offset
−50–150W
Net grid draw
50–140W
Circuit capacity of standard UK lamppost: 250–500W. Net draw is within capacity for the vast majority of installations.
BEFORE AFTER ground foundation unfiltered pollution 🛰 Starlink inside same appearance Solar wrap clean air out ↑ ↓ polluted air in LOCKING COLLAR existing post stub ground level foundation untouched ✓ NO₂
02
Four-Stage Filtration

Air is drawn in through the ground-level intake grille at 100–200mm above pavement — the height where pollution is most concentrated. It passes through four filtration stages before being exhausted as clean air above head height.

The filtration cartridge is a single modular unit, designed for tool-free replacement during routine maintenance visits. Target replacement interval: 6–12 months.

Polluted air in Stage 1 · Electrostatic Pre-filter Removes large particles PM10+ Stage 2 · HEPA H14 99.995% PM2.5 removal Stage 3 · Activated Carbon NO₂ and VOC adsorption 40–70% Stage 4 · TiO₂ Photocatalytic UV-A activated · breaks down residual NO₂ Clean air out Fan 300–500 m³/h
Filtration Detail

Four stages. Maximum removal.

Each stage targets a different class of pollutant. Together they achieve near-total removal of the most harmful particles and gases from processed air.

1
Electrostatic Pre-filter
Charges incoming particles electrostatically, causing them to adhere to the filter media. Removes large particles (PM10 and above) and reduces loading on downstream filters. Self-cleaning mesh. Replaced as part of cartridge service.
>90%
removal of particles >1 micron
2
HEPA H14 Filter
High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter to EN 1822 H14 standard. Primary PM2.5 removal stage. Differential pressure sensor monitors filter loading and triggers replacement alerts when saturation threshold is reached.
99.995%
removal of particles ≥0.3 microns
3
Activated Carbon Filter
Granular activated carbon (GAC) bed. Removes NO₂, VOCs, and odorous compounds by adsorption. Replacement interval 6–12 months depending on local NO₂ concentration. 2–4kg of GAC per unit.
40–70%
NO₂ removal from processed air
4
TiO₂ Photocatalytic Layer
Titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating activated by integrated UV-A LED array (365nm). Breaks down residual NO₂, VOCs, and biological contaminants through photocatalytic oxidation. Produces no ozone at UV-A wavelengths. TiO₂ coating permanent — UV LED replaced on service schedule.
50–75%
combined NO₂ removal (stages 3+4)
Connectivity

Starlink — the backbone
that makes it scalable.

The single biggest barrier to deploying smart technology across millions of existing lampposts is data connectivity. Running fibre to every post would cost thousands per lamppost and require extensive pavement works. Starlink eliminates this entirely.

🛰 Starlink 100–500Mbps P1 Starlink P2 Starlink 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh £10–18 per post per month connectivity cost
1 per 8–15
Starlink terminals required — shared across a mesh group via BLE
100–500Mbps
Download speed — sufficient for real-time data, public WiFi, and OTA updates
100%
UK coverage — no geographic limitation on deployment anywhere in Britain
Power Budget

Within existing circuit capacity.

Each unit draws 50–140W net from the existing street lighting circuit — well within the 250–500W capacity of a standard UK lamppost installation. Solar film offsets 30–60% of grid draw.

Component power draw at full operation
Fan (full speed)
60–80W
Filtration electronics
20–30W
Sensors & controller
5–10W
Starlink terminal
15–25W
LED light head
30–50W
Solar offset
−50–150W
Net grid draw
50–140W
Circuit capacity of standard UK lamppost: 250–500W. Net draw is within capacity for the vast majority of installations.
BEFORE AFTER ground foundation unfiltered pollution 🛰 Starlink inside same appearance Solar wrap clean air out ↑ ↓ polluted air in LOCKING COLLAR existing post stub ground level foundation untouched ✓ NO₂ -->
02
Four-Stage Filtration

Air is drawn in through the ground-level intake grille at 100–200mm above pavement — the height where pollution is most concentrated. It passes through four filtration stages before being exhausted as clean air above head height.

The filtration cartridge is a single modular unit, designed for tool-free replacement during routine maintenance visits. Target replacement interval: 6–12 months.

Polluted air in Stage 1 · Electrostatic Pre-filter Removes large particles PM10+ Stage 2 · HEPA H14 99.995% PM2.5 removal Stage 3 · Activated Carbon NO₂ and VOC adsorption 40–70% Stage 4 · TiO₂ Photocatalytic UV-A activated · breaks down residual NO₂ Clean air out Fan 300–500 m³/h
Filtration Detail

Four stages. Maximum removal.

Each stage targets a different class of pollutant. Together they achieve near-total removal of the most harmful particles and gases from processed air.

1
Electrostatic Pre-filter
Charges incoming particles electrostatically, causing them to adhere to the filter media. Removes large particles (PM10 and above) and reduces loading on downstream filters. Self-cleaning mesh. Replaced as part of cartridge service.
>90%
removal of particles >1 micron
2
HEPA H14 Filter
High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter to EN 1822 H14 standard. Primary PM2.5 removal stage. Differential pressure sensor monitors filter loading and triggers replacement alerts when saturation threshold is reached.
99.995%
removal of particles ≥0.3 microns
3
Activated Carbon Filter
Granular activated carbon (GAC) bed. Removes NO₂, VOCs, and odorous compounds by adsorption. Replacement interval 6–12 months depending on local NO₂ concentration. 2–4kg of GAC per unit.
40–70%
NO₂ removal from processed air
4
TiO₂ Photocatalytic Layer
Titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating activated by integrated UV-A LED array (365nm). Breaks down residual NO₂, VOCs, and biological contaminants through photocatalytic oxidation. Produces no ozone at UV-A wavelengths. TiO₂ coating permanent — UV LED replaced on service schedule.
50–75%
combined NO₂ removal (stages 3+4)
Connectivity

Starlink — the backbone
that makes it scalable.

The single biggest barrier to deploying smart technology across millions of existing lampposts is data connectivity. Running fibre to every post would cost thousands per lamppost and require extensive pavement works. Starlink eliminates this entirely.

🛰 Starlink 100–500Mbps P1 Starlink P2 Starlink 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 💡 Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Primary Node (Starlink terminal) Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh Group of 5 secondary nodes via BLE mesh £10–18 per post per month connectivity cost
1 per 8–15
Starlink terminals required — shared across a mesh group via BLE
100–500Mbps
Download speed — sufficient for real-time data, public WiFi, and OTA updates
100%
UK coverage — no geographic limitation on deployment anywhere in Britain
Power Budget

Within existing circuit capacity.

Each unit draws 50–140W net from the existing street lighting circuit — well within the 250–500W capacity of a standard UK lamppost installation. Solar film offsets 30–60% of grid draw.

Component power draw at full operation
Fan (full speed)
60–80W
Filtration electronics
20–30W
Sensors & controller
5–10W
Starlink terminal
15–25W
LED light head
30–50W
Solar offset
−50–150W
Net grid draw
50–140W
Circuit capacity of standard UK lamppost: 250–500W. Net draw is within capacity for the vast majority of installations.