Novi Sad, Serbia’ s second largest city, faces increasing air pollution due to urban growth, traffic, residential heating and nearby power plants. In order to improve public health and urban sustainability, the city needed a robust air quality monitoring system. This was to be integrated into the Smart City platform and collect hyperlocal data to guide evidence-based policies, reduce pollution and protect its growing population.

To combat increasing pollution, Novi Sad installed 80 Bettair nodes in two phases; 40 are already in key areas such as the historic center, main traffic routes and suburban neighborhoods. Strategic points were chosen to capture hyperlocal data in areas with high public interaction and exposure to pollution: historic center, busy access routes and peripheral residential areas. The data, managed by the secure IoT platform DunavNET, allows analyzing pollutant sources and planning specific measures such as promoting electric vehicles and renovating heating systems.

The implementation made Novi Sad a regional leader in Smart City initiatives and air quality innovation. Authorities were trained to apply data-driven policies and interventions focused on reducing emissions from traffic, heating systems and power plants.

It was the first time hyperlocal air quality sensors were deployed in Serbia, creating a benchmark for other European cities and paving the way for more accurate and effective monitoring on the continent.

By addressing pollution challenges, citizen well-being and environmental awareness were strengthened. The second phase will include open data that will increase transparency, drive innovation and support long-term sustainability goals.