New Brownfield Air Quality Guidance Released

The Institute of Air Quality Management has published its long-awaited Good Practice on Air Quality Monitoring for Brownfield Projects (2025) – the UK’s first dedicated guidance on managing and monitoring emissions during brownfield land remediation.

The new document sets out best practice for measuring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), odour and other air pollutants released during remediation activities, and highlights the importance of dynamic, risk-based monitoring to protect public health and community wellbeing.

A Step Forward for Brownfield Air Quality Management

With the UK’s “brownfield first” approach encouraging redevelopment of previously used land, the guidance provides clarity on how to assess and manage air emissions arising from site clean-up. It calls for collaboration between air quality professionals, contaminated land specialists, planners and developers to ensure air quality is considered from project design through to completion.

The Institute of Air Quality Management emphasises that effective Air Quality Monitoring should be integrated with mitigation measures – creating a live, adaptable strategy that responds to changing site conditions. This proactive approach ensures that emissions are controlled, impacts on local communities are minimised, and remediation progresses efficiently and compliantly.

How Redmore Environmental Can Help

We welcome this updated guidance and are proud to be at the forefront of supporting clients through every stage of brownfield development. Our air quality specialists have extensive experience in designing, implementing and managing comprehensive monitoring programmes for remediation and construction projects across the UK.

We provide tailored air quality and odour services specific to each development, including:

• Ambient Air Quality Monitoring using continuous, real time and Passive Monitoring techniques to quantify volatile organic compounds and other pollutants
• Air Quality Dispersion Modelling Assessments
• Dust and Odour Management Plans
• Odour Dispersion Modelling
• Odour Assessments, including Olfactometry and sniff testing
• Clear, defensible data to support planning and regulatory compliance
• A client-focused approach that minimises unnecessary costs by refining the scope of works as projects progress

Our integrated approach ensures that air quality management is not only robust and transparent but also practical and proportionate, helping clients demonstrate best practice while maintaining project viability.

If you’d like to discuss how our team can support your brownfield or remediation project with tailored air quality monitoring and mitigation advice, please get in touch with one of our consultants today.