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Kingston Air Quality Initiative at Bard College Reports After Six Years of Monitoring

The Center for Environmental Sciences and Humanities at Bard College (CESH) is pleased to announce the release of the third annual Kingston Community Air Quality report, released by the Kingston Air Quality Initiative (KAQI) after six consecutive years of research and data collection. The report shows a slight increase in annual air pollution (as measured by particulate matter (PM2.5)) in 2025, and clear differences in street-level exposures to air quality based on location within the city. 

“This unique annual report shows that, though our air still meets EPA standards annually, we did see a small upswing in air pollution last year, likely due to increased wildfire smoke plumes and woodburning in our airspaces. We also were able to detect differences in air pollution exposure over time depending on what area of Kingston people frequent,” said Eli Dueker, Director of Bard’s Center for Environmental Sciences and Humanities.  “The good news here is that KAQI is now being joined by communities across the Hudson Valley in that effort, as the Hudson Valley Community Air Network continues to grow. As a community, we are very well-poised now to take these findings and create good practices and policies to protect our access to clean air to breathe.”

KAQI began in January 2020 as a partnership between Bard’s Community Sciences Lab and the City of Kingston Conservation Advisory Council’s Air Quality Subcommittee. Since then, Kingston residents and Bard College students, staff, and faculty have facilitated both indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring projects throughout the Hudson Valley. The first air quality study of its kind in Kingston, KAQI’s monitoring efforts focus on a regional assessment of air pollution as measured from the rooftop of the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center on Broadway in Kingston.

“We are so proud to be part of this incredible partnership for 6 years. To have this constantly building local data set and analysis really gives us a greater understanding of not only our local conditions, but the local impacts from regional influences. And even better, we are able to really see these impacts on different time scales- like short term blips from the 4th of July, to long term seasonal trends. This first hand data source provides reliable information to help guide our community both on daily decisions and on long term planning,” said Julie L. Noble, Project Manager and Sustainability Coordinator at City of Kingston

This is the second year that Hudson Valley Air Quality Coalition (HVAQ) has joined in producing the report, marking the second annual “Kingston Community Air Quality Report,” which is based on data produced through the Hudson Valley Community Air Network (HVCAN), a regional, community-powered outdoor air monitoring project. The newly released 2026 Community Air Quality Report for Kingston will be used as a model for other municipal areas where HVCAN has sensors. These annual air quality reports are intended to emulate the Drinking Water Quality reports that are issued by municipalities every year.

Additionally, the success of KAQI has led to an expansion of air quality initiatives in the Hudson Valley. HVCAN partnered this year with Ulster County to install 17 new ground‑level air quality sensors at libraries, town halls, and community centers across the county. The sensors will provide the community with real‑time information about local air pollution and offer free alerts through JustAir, a platform that notifies users when air quality becomes unhealthy and again when conditions improve. 

KAQI’s main monitoring efforts focus on a regional assessment of air pollution from fine particulate matter (PM2.5), made up of microscopic particles from burnt fuel that are released into the air from oil burners, gas burners, automobiles, cooking, grilling, and both indoor and outdoor wood burning. PM2.5 particles are so tiny, they stay suspended in the air for long periods of time, allowing them to travel long distances before depositing. When these particles are inhaled, they can enter the bloodstream through the lungs, creating or worsening health issues. There is no safe level of exposure. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that “small particulate pollution has health impacts even at very low concentrations – indeed no threshold has been identified below which no damage to health is observed.”

Residential wood burning is the largest source of PM 2.5 in Ulster County. It is responsible for more than half of emissions from all sources combined (including all types of vehicle emissions and all types of fuel source emissions). Burning wood is more polluting than burning oil, gas, or coal. After six years of comprehensive monitoring in Kingston, we continue to uncover valuable insights into our air quality and its connection to our daily activities and decisions as citizens. 

"The continued and steadily expanding presence of air quality monitors through HVCAN, Bard CSL and UAlbany has already made a difference in people's daily lives in Kingston and the Hudson Valley:  residents have access to real-time, local information that can help them know, for example, whether to avoid strenuous outdoor activity, stay indoors with windows closed and air conditioning on, or to mask up when outside.  In the past, Kingston residents had to rely on data that were collected far from where we live. This rare, community-based  air quality project provides accurate, reliable information that is allowing us to recognize the extent and nature of the pollutants here in Kingston. We know that woodsmoke is the largest overall contributor to PM 2.5 in Ulster County, and having data better positions us to advocate for policies that are more protective of our health and that of the planet," said Lorraine Farina, Director of HVAQ. 

KAQI also found that air quality measured from a rooftop is helpful as a regional air quality indicator, but that street-level air quality often has worse air quality, since PM 2.5 and other air pollutants can settle and move more slowly amongst city buildings. This phenomenon has confirmed the need for more street-level sensors in all Kingston area neighborhoods to be able to help the community make informed decisions when it comes to air quality. 

One consistent observation over the past six years is the seasonal trend of higher PM 2.5 concentrations in the winter and summer months, likely attributable to wood and fuel used for heating and recreation. Another critical factor and ongoing research subject is atmospheric inversions and their implications for ground-level air pollution in Kingston. These events occur when surface level air parcels are unable to rise up, trapping air pollution at ground level. Given Kingston's location in the Hudson Valley, where air circulation is restricted, awareness of these events is crucial for informed decision-making to mitigate air pollution. 

As we continue to research the complexities of air quality management, it's essential for Kingston residents to stay informed and engaged. By adopting sustainable practices, supporting clean energy initiatives, and advocating for policies that prioritize air quality, we can work together to create a healthier environment for all. More details about KAQI’s findings can be found at the Center for Environmental Sciences and Humanities website: https://cesh.bard.edu/csl/kaqr/

The Center for the Environment Sciences and Humanities at Bard College, through the Community Sciences Lab, has been working on a handful of air quality related projects centralized around community needs and concerns. These include:

• Neighborhood-level air quality monitoring, through the fast-developing Hudson Valley Library Air Quality Network. Using outdoor real-time air quality monitoring devices stationed at public libraries, air quality data is free and accessible online. If any libraries are interested in joining, please reach out to [email protected].
• In partnership with SUNY-Albany and the EPA, conducting indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring in homes with woodsmoke, mold and structurally-related air quality challenges.
• In partnership with SUNY-Albany, tracking air pollutants such as Ozone, Black and Brown Carbon, and VOCs from HVCAN’s four Hudson Valley regional air quality stations. 

For more information or ways to get involved, please visit https://cesh.bard.edu/

Post Date: 08-25-2026

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Bard College Residences Honored With Passive House Certification for Energy Efficiency

Bard College is pleased to announce that all four of the residence buildings of its North Campus Residence Complex on the College’s Annandale campus have achieved the Passive House Certification from the Passive House Institute (PHI), an organization that sets rigorous energy-efficient building standards. Certification from PHI is recognized worldwide as one of the most demanding and respected standards in building science, requiring commitment, collaboration, and attention to detail from the owner, design team, and construction team alike. This achievement reflects Bard’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, which the College has prioritized and invested in for over 30 years.

“Bard is pleased to be an early adopter among US institutions of higher education to have been awarded the PHI certification for a residential complex of this size,” said Taun Toay, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Bard College. “In combination with our decades of leadership in the use of geothermal heat exchange systems, we are making strides to reach our pledge to be a climate neutral institution.”

The new residence halls are completely geothermal, with each building connected to a wellfield of 14-17 boreholes to provide high-efficiency heating and cooling, and are some of the most energy efficient buildings on campus. Bard College has been a leader and early adopter of geothermal and heat pump technology, with systems dating to the late 1980s. Nearly 50% of the main campus building area utilizes geothermal technology for heating and cooling, accounting for over 40 buildings on campus, and it is the default for all new construction projects. There are over 630 geothermal wells across campus, hidden beneath the surface.

Bard’s North Campus Residence Complex and the Maya Lin Performing Arts Studio, both of which opened this year, continue Bard’s legacy of pursuing sustainability best practices. Bard’s Office of Sustainability also leads multiple initiatives, including the conversion of the existing Stevenson Library to geothermal heating and cooling, a campus-wide commitment to renewable energy (including over 1MW of on-site solar capacity and developing a micro-hydro system at its Saw Kill Creek dam), and upgrading nearly all interior and exterior lighting to LED, to bring the College closer to fulfilling its pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.

Additionally, the North Campus Residence Complex, constructed in collaboration with architecture firm KPF, design studio CIVILIAN, and project management firm DBI Projects, was honored earlier this year with a 2026 DOE Better Projects Award, which recognizes innovative, industry-leading accomplishments in implementing energy, water, and waste saving measures. The North Campus dorms and the Stevenson Library received 2026 ACEC awards for engineering excellence.

Post Date: 08-05-2026