AQIs turn complex pollution data into a simple, single indicator. Zephyr® Lite displays this through its LED light band, which changes colour in real time to show current air quality at a glance.
The Default AQI
By default, Zephyr® Lite uses the European Air Quality Index (EU AQI) to calculate and display air quality levels. The device updates the AQI every 5 minutes, using the pollutant measurements collected during the previous five minutes. Zephyr® Lite always shows the highest (worst) pollutant level from that period, so the AQI reflects the pollutant that poses the greatest risk at that moment.
The EU AQI colour bands and pollutant thresholds can be found in the table below.
AQI Band | LED Colour | PM₂.₅
(µg/m³) | PM₁₀
(µg/m³) | Ozone O₃ (µg/m³) | Nitrogen Dioxide NO₂ (µg/m³) |
Good | | 0–5 | 0–15 | 0–60 | 0–10 |
Fair | | 6–15 | 16–45 | 61–100 | 11–25 |
Moderate | | 16–50 | 46–120 | 101–120 | 26–60 |
Poor | | 51–90 | 121–195 | 121–160 | 61–100 |
Very Poor | | 91–140 | 196–270 | 161–180 | 101–150 |
Extremely Poor | | >140 | >270 | >180 | >150 |
Other AQIs
In addition to the default EU AQI, Zephyr® Lite can be configured with other AQI schemes to suit different locations or project needs. This means organisations can use AQIs that match local regulations, industry requirements, or internal health and safety guidelines.
Custom AQIs Already Available
EarthSense currently supports a number of optional AQI configurations beyond the EU standard. These include:
- 🇮🇳 CPCB National Air Quality Index (Indian AQI)
Custom AQIs are available on request and may be subject to additional configuration costs. If your project requires a bespoke AQI configuration, our team can support this as a custom integration — email sales@earthsense.co.uk to find out more.
🇮🇳 CPCB NAQI (Indian AQI)
The Indian AQI is available as an optional configuration for Zephyr® Lite. When enabled, the device updates the LED colour every 15 minutes, using the pollutant hourly average up to that point. This approach follows CPCB guidance on averaging periods while still providing timely feedback through the device’s LED band.
The NAQI colour bands and pollutant thresholds can be found in the table below.
AQI Band | LED Colour | PM₂.₅ (µg/m³) | PM₁₀ (µg/m³) | Ozone O₃ (µg/m³) | Nitrogen Dioxide NO₂ (µg/m³) |
Good | | 0–30 | 0–50 | 0–50 | 0–40 |
Satisfactory | | 31–60 | 51–100 | 51-100 | 41–80 |
Moderately Polluted | | 61–90 | 101–250 | 101-168 | 81–180 |
Poor | | 91–120 | 251–350 | 169-208 | 121–280 |
Very Poor | | 121–250 | 351–430 | 209-748 | 281-400 |
Severe | | >250 | >430 | >748 | >400 |
Need Support?
If you have questions about AQIs, configuring custom schemes, or enabling additional AQI options for your Zephyr® Lite devices, our team is here to help.
You can contact us at support@earthsense.co.uk or speak to your EarthSense account manager.