Breathe Bronx

Inspiration

Children are uniquely vulnerable to air pollution, and school buses are a major hidden source of exposure. Studies show in-cabin pollution levels are 5–10x higher than ambient air, with diesel exhaust linked to asthma and long-term lung damage. In NYC, 150,000 students ride buses daily, yet fleet electrification is far behind schedule. Our team wanted to create a solution that protects kids now while accelerating progress toward clean, electric school transportation.

What it does

Breathe Bronx combines data and action in three steps: Analyze historical data of ambient air pollution around schools. Pilot in-cabin air quality monitoring with low-cost sensors, generating real-time alerts for schools (e.g. turn on HEPA filters, move PE indoors, nurse outreach). Scale the program to more schools and cities, pairing sensor data with funding opportunities (EPA Clean School Bus, NYSERDA) to electrify routes and improve air quality. The platform also connects communities to existing tools like NYC’s Citizens Air Complaint program, making data actionable for parents, schools, and policymakers.

How we built it

We gathered existing datasets (NYC Community Air Survey, 311 idling complaints, EPA AirNow, PurpleAir nodes) and designed a workflow which would fuse these with local school-level sensor readings. We created role-specific dashboards and alert systems for school staff, parents, and policymakers. Our roadmap starts with a Bronx pilot (3–5 schools), where asthma burdens are highest, then expands to other boroughs and cities.

Challenges we ran into

There is a huge data gap: we found historical data about the ambient air pollution but could not distinguish specific data about idling school buses.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Designing a three-phase roadmap (analysis → pilot → scale). Prototyping a multi-audience framework so officials, parents, and policymakers each get the information they need. Identifying potential funding and enforcement levers (EPA grants, ConEd PowerReady, NYC Clean Trucks Program, Citizens Air Complaint). Building a solution that bridges grassroots advocacy, public health and education systems, and city agencies.