Chester-based air quality monitoring company Butterfly Air has launched Spiro, an outdoor air quality sensor designed to complement its existing indoor monitoring systems.
The solar-powered device connects via 4G and LoRaWAN networks and samples air quality metrics at intervals between 1 and 15 minutes. The outdoor monitor integrates with its indoor sensors through a unified platform, allowing building managers to view both datasets simultaneously.
Spiro, from the Latin spirare, meaning ‘to breathe’, is a robust, solar-powered outdoor monitor that connects via 4G and LoRaWAN networks. It samples key air quality metrics at intervals ranging from 1 to 15 minutes, protected by a sun cover that also creates a laminar airflow path for accurate sensor readings.
The outdoor monitor integrates with the company’s indoor sensors, allowing building managers to view both datasets simultaneously, through a single, integrated platform. The Butterfly dashboard and app translate complex data into actionable insights, powered by AI that suggests practical improvements.
The company explain that this dual capability allows buildings to ‘breathe intelligently.’ By knowing exactly when outdoor air is clean enough to bring inside, Butterfly’s system can reduce mechanical ventilation and rely more on smart indoor air purification.
In trials at Imperial College London, this approach indicated that energy savings of up to 40% could be achieved while maintaining exceptional indoor air quality.
Co-founder Ali Munro said: ‘Our goal has always been to make healthy air visible, understandable and actionable. With Spiro, we’re not just monitoring air – we’re enabling buildings to breathe smarter.’
Butterfly’s hardware is produced in the UK using recycled materials, significantly reducing carbon footprint and particulate emissions compared to virgin materials.
The Antenna & Morpho IAQ devices have a swappable sensor pod which supports a circular economy, minimising waste.
Butterfly Air was founded in 2018 and named because of the observation that the appearance of butterflies is a sign of healthy air. The company developed its indoor sensors – designed to meet international building standards including WELL and CIBSE requirements – in association with Imperial College London.
Butterfly Air’s sensors feature colour-coded interfaces intended to make air quality data accessible to non-technical users.
The company have recently been nominated for the 2026 Earthshot prize by Blue Earth’s Guy Hayler, while Ali Munro has been picked as one of 13 female founders to watch in 2026.
For more information visit: www.butterfly-air.com
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