Technology-Driven Air Quality Monitoring Gains Traction in Detroit
JustAir, a Detroit-based startup cofounded by Darren Riley leverages data and technology to provide hyperlocal air quality insights, largely in urban areas. By deploying a network of air monitors, JustAir delivers real-time data that communities, policymakers, and environmental justice groups can use to push for meaningful action. With funding from initiatives that include Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, the company is building systems that aim to transform how cities like Detroit manage air quality challenges. SBN Detroit interviewed Riley to learn about the broader implications of air quality monitoring, the challenges of implementing these systems, and how accessible data can drive public health improvements and policy changes. Q: Why is air quality monitoring critical in urban environments like Detroit? A: Detroit has a history of industrial pollution and high traffic volumes, especially in areas like Southwest Detroit, where I live. These factors contribute to some of the worst asthma rates in the country. Traditionally, air quality data has been collected on a regional level, offering only a broad overview. But air pollution isn’t uniform across a city – it can vary dramatically from one block to the next. Localized data helps us understand where the worst impacts are happening, who is most affected, and when conditions are at their worst. This kind of granular information is essential for designing targeted interventions going forward. Q: How does air quality monitoring technology work? A: Traditional air monitoring relies on a handful of monitors spread across a large area, often providing limited insights. Our software facilitates and integrates multiple air monitors within a single area, sometimes scaling up to 50 or 75 units. These monitors collect data in real time, creating a detailed picture of air quality at a hyperlocal level. We don’t manufacture the monitors ourselves – we work with partners to deploy them. Our software acts as the brain, aggregating data and managing the network. The idea is to provide actionable insights that can help residents, and, also down the road, policymakers and stakeholders in cities like Detroit better understand their air quality challenges and begin to determine how to better manage them. Q: What is an example of your work in Southeast Michigan? A: We have a three-year contract with Wayne County, which, before this partnership, had just seven or eight monitors managed by EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy). We added 100 monitors across the county so now every community has at least one monitor. Residents can sign up to get alerts – they can subscribe to individual monitors in their area or around a particular school or place of worship, etc. They can set when they want to receive alerts. This is a customizable service and it’s free – anyone can visit JustAir.app/signup right now and sign up to receive those alerts. The county Department of Health Human & Veterans Services is our lead partner on this project and they’re diving into the data to better understand the air across the community. They’ll be able to use this information to improve the health, safety, and well-being of county residents. Q: What unique challenges do urban environments like Detroit face in addressing air quality? A: Urban air quality is influenced by a combination of mobile sources – like cars and trucks – and stationary sources, such as factories. Detroit’s high traffic volume, especially near international border crossings, adds to the problem. Wind patterns also play a role; on certain days, pollution can settle in specific neighborhoods, exacerbating the issue. Q: How does technology, particularly AI, help address these challenges, and what opportunities do you see for the future? A: Currently, we leverage AI to ensure the validity and accuracy of our data. This is crucial for providing communities with reliable information. We’re now moving into the next phase, where we aim to use AI to recommend actionable solutions for mitigating air quality issues. AI allows us to dig deeper into the root causes of pollution. It helps us analyze data patterns—such as specific pollutants, weather conditions, and wind patterns—to pinpoint sources of air pollution with greater confidence. By marrying environmental context with real-time data, we can provide more accurate insights. Looking ahead, the goal is to utilize these rich data sets to empower communities and policymakers to take informed action. We’re on the cusp of this now. Q: What are the challenges of deploying and maintaining air quality monitors in urban environments? A: Deployment involves hurdles like site selection, insurance, and technical logistics. Maintenance can be another challenge – we need to ensure data accuracy at all times. Our software includes an automated quality assurance system to detect and flag issues, ensuring the community gets reliable information. Q: JustAir recently received funding from Google. How will this investment be used? A: We’re one of ten companies nationwide to receive this funding, which is a great validator for us. Google conducted thorough technical due diligence, confirming that our technology is on the right track. We’re using the funding to enhance our AI capabilities, particularly in integrating contextual data with air quality metrics as I spoke about. The funding allows us to explore new solutions that can help inform and enforce public health policies. Q: How do you measure the success of your air quality monitoring initiatives? A: We have both short- and long-term metrics. In the short term, we focus on network reliability and user engagement—how often people access the data and whether they find it valuable. High engagement is a strong indicator that the information is meeting community needs. In the long term, we aim to measure health outcomes and policy impacts. For example, are asthma-related emergency visits declining in neighborhoods with high air quality awareness? Are cities using our data to implement more effective policies? Q: What does the future look like for JustAir? A: We’ve scaled significantly since launching three years ago, now partnering with 20 organizations across seven states. The future is about leveraging these networks to drive outcomes — working
EV Infrastructure Has Funding – When Will There Be Stations?
Three years ago, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress allocated $5 billion in federal funding to establish the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. This initiative aims to develop charger networks across each state to support electric vehicles (EVs). Of this funding, $110 million was earmarked for Michigan, covering the period through fiscal year 2026. However, the state has not yet seen the installation of any new power stations. As part of this effort, Red E Charging LLC – an EV infrastructure developer and charging network based in Detroit – has been awarded several NEVI contracts to install and manage in Michigan and a number of other states. SBN Detroit interviewed Red E Charging Founder Abass El-Hage about the timeline, barriers, and factors specific to Michigan regarding power station installation. Q: Since the announcement in 2021 of the $5 billion in federal funding just 11 EV stations have been installed across seven states, with none in Michigan to date. From your perspective, why is this? A: There are several reasons. First, this is a new process and it took time to get organized, generate RFPs, and kick it off. RFPs were published at the end of last year and contracts were awarded early this year. Setting up the necessary paperwork is tedious and time-consuming, and around public funds, there is just a lot of due diligence required. There are also multiple and varied requirements around bonding that can take another six months to sort out. Identifying appropriate locations for the charging stations with the right amenities on the property that’s willing to host can be time-consuming. On top of that, regardless of how long the paperwork takes, working with the utilities and getting the right equipment and resources in place can take six months to a year. It’s simply an arduous process that takes time. Q: Do the requirements vary from state to state? A: Yes. Every state is different when it comes to execution under NEVI. In Texas and New Mexico, the NEVI process is pretty straightforward, but Texas has issues with utilities that can slow things down. I would say Michigan is the middle of the road. And the biggest hurdle here is the strict bonding requirements. Not every state requires bonding, but Michigan requires a five-year bond that’s not run of the mill. Q: Outside of NEVI projects, is every state different? A: Yes. Incentives are different in every state. Utilities are different. In Michigan, we are lucky to have DTE and Consumers Energy. They have been helpful and proactive, and they facilitate a lot. EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) and the EPA have been helpful in Michigan as well, helping to create infrastructure in off-highway locations that are still easily accessible at reasonable rates. Q: In Michigan, are the challenges different in the Upper Peninsula compared with the Lower Peninsula? A: Yes. With every project there are financials, and in the UP there are fewer people, there is less traffic, and therefore less charger usage. It’s harder to justify a project when you don’t make the money back as fast. Additionally, utilities in the Upper Peninsula impose demand charges, which are flat fees added to the electric bill. These charges can be quite substantial. When considering these costs, the financial viability of a project often becomes questionable. Q: How do you view the transition from gas to electric vehicles being understood and received by the public? A: It’s a mixed bag. I think there is still a stigma around charging and how difficult and inconvenient it could be. It’s a misconception in my opinion. I drive from Detroit to Chicago regularly and along that route, I can stop to charge just like stopping for gas. Also, I think there’s been mixed messaging to the public by the auto industry – especially here in Detroit. When there are recalls, or if an automaker commits to building x amount of EVs and then scales back, this sends mixed signals to the public. Q: How many contracts in Michigan has Red E Charging been awarded and what is the status? A: We’ve been awarded 12 NEVI contracts all over the state and an additional 60 fast charger projects across the state for EGLE and utilities. As I explained, the paperwork along with bonding requirements plus environmental approvals, site checks, and more make this a slow process. But we have notice to proceed and are moving forward with the first few now, so these will be underway. The actual installation takes just about two weeks. We were also awarded a project outside of NEVI with the City of Detroit to install public-facing chargers throughout the city. Q: Michigan aims to have enough infrastructure for 2 million EVs on the roads by 2030. Do you think this is possible? A: Yes, I think it can happen. DTE and Consumers Energy are very helpful when it comes to single-family and multifamily homes. It’s cost-effective to have a charger at your home. That drive from Chicago to Detroit I talked about … I think by the end of the year there will be chargers every 20 miles or so, eliminating any planning needed because people will feel confident they can stop whenever they need a charge. I think in the near future the logistics involved in an EV experience will be no different than driving a gas-powered vehicle. It’s just a different thing fueling the car. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on sustainable business practices in and around Detroit.
Creating a Closed-Loop Supply Chain for Recycling in Michigan
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) is working to grow a Michigan circular economy through recycling. Matt Flechter, recycling market development specialist at EGLE, says recycling programs in Michigan involve building a strong supply chain so the valuable commodities that businesses need make their way from the curb to new products. SBN Detroit spoke to Flechter to find out more. Q: Tell me about your role when it comes to recycling. A: For the past 22 years, I’ve been working toward the goal of helping Michigan regain a leadership position in recycling. I work for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), and my role is focused on recycling market development. This essentially means making sure there is a process in place for the materials that are put into dumpsters by manufacturers and businesses to make their way into sorted waste materials and then into reproduction, ultimately to make new products that are developed in Michigan. This sounds straightforward in its most basic terms, but recycling is a complex system. It takes motivated individuals to know that there is a better use for the materials that are being disposed of. It takes investing in the collection and hauling of materials. It takes reproduction and remanufacturing, and it takes having a market: end users that then purchase and/or use those materials. The last piece of this complex puzzle is ensuring that there are entities in place for each part of the cycle – and that they are connected – creating a fully functional closed-loop supply chain. Q: What are the biggest challenges? A: Recycling markets are diverse. Materials consist of plastic, paper, organics, and glass, and each has its own supply chain. Some have ready-made markets. Corrugated cardboard is an example here, as it can be bailed and sent to paper manufacturers for reuse. Finding markets to create a demand pull for a material like glass is more challenging. Another challenge is the geographic location of the manufacturers involved in the reproduction because transportation of materials can get costly. Also, many of these end markets are startups, and they need support and innovation, and new uses to create demand-pull. Good examples of these are Pivot Materials and NexTiles. For all of this to work, and for manufacturers and businesses to move from the use of non-recycled materials to recycled materials, there must be a consistent supply of these materials. So, the supply chains we are building need to be closed-loop, local, and robust. Q: How do EGLE and NextCycle Help? A: To address each part of the cycle I described, EGLE created NextCycle, and we collaborate with partners such as Centrepolis, Michigan Recycling Coalition, and Resource Recycling Systems, a global consultancy. We have made amazing strides in the last couple of years – with momentum coming from our NextCycle initiative. NextCycle is an incubator and accelerator and is designed to connect entrepreneurs, companies, organizations, and communities to technical support, financial resources, and capacity building for recycling, recovery, and reuse initiatives. If someone comes to us with a new idea, that company first applies to one of the NextCycle challenge tracks. There are five challenge tracks: Roads, Public Sector, Recycling Supply Chain Solutions, Organics Solutions, New Innovations, and Technology. They are then selected into a cohort or a team and we provide several areas of support, including technical assistance, research data, business development, funding opportunities, an extensive network, customized mentorship, and more to help get the idea to the next level. We have worked with over 60 teams, and it’s an exciting time when it comes to recycling. Q: How so? A: We are seeing a resurgence and interest in making sure Michigan has a strong circular economy, primarily because there are new people at the table focused on climate goals and deciding how they are going to tell their businesses’ sustainability story. Historically waste and recycling have been seen as an afterthought – we have a problem and now need to fix it. Businesses today are starting to look at fixing the problem before it’s created, which is a big paradigm shift that’s exciting. There is a lot of growth in this sector and there are threads of it in every business in Southeast Michigan. Every business is faced with choices and options to address the triple bottom line. This is also creating new business opportunities. There are broader-based coalitions working to expand recycling access, such as the Polypropylene Coalition and the Food Service Packaging Institute. There are also new people looking to fund. No longer is it just the government growing the recycling system. This increased participation and the growth of the end markets are exactly what is needed for success. Q: What Southeast Michigan businesses are you working with? A: I can give a few examples here. On the collection side, Pink Elephant Events provides zero-waste event services and waste diversion to the events industry, businesses, and nonprofits in Southeastern Michigan. They collect products for reuse, then calculate the impact, so that the business having the event can show a tangible “win’ toward their sustainability goals. An example on the processing side is Glacier. This California-based company identified Michigan as the best place to invest in deploying its innovative robotics technology. We connected them to two materials recycling facilities (MRF)s in Michigan to do so – SOCRRA in Troy and RRRASOC in Southfield – and provided grant funding. An example of end-use is Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC). We helped them to secure funding for equipment to more efficiently turn waste textiles into new products. We are starting to see a truly circular economy forming. The new businesses are feeding off of each other and multiplying. Q: Where does your passion come from? A: There is a huge amount of work to be done in recycling, but it’s a labor of love. I can see the growth potential now. There is funding to grow markets and that has created a clear process and
2030 Districts Network International Summit Held in Detroit
During Oct. 4-6, 2030 District directors and building owners, and members will convene for the 2030 Districts Network International Summit, which is being held for the first time in Detroit. The event focuses on sharing best practices in sustainability and the greening of buildings across the country and will also shine a bright spotlight on Detroit buildings and the many efforts in place to enhance sustainability in the city. “I’m really excited not only to meet with other District directors in person and get fresh perspectives and ideas but also to show off and share the work we’ve been doing to the world,” says Connie Lilley, director of the Detroit 2030 District. “I think there will be a level of pleasant surprise among our cohorts from around the country.” In addition to roundtables, presentations, and meetings to be held at Huntington Place, the largest LEED-certified venue in Michigan. The group will attend events and tours encompassing several key buildings, including the Renaissance Center, which is heavily involved in reducing carbon emissions; the Guardian Building, which is taking steps to reduce energy; the Central Mobility District and more. A welcome reception – which is open to the public – is being held at the Zero Net Energy Center to kick off the summit. The reception is expected to draw up to 250 people. The reception’s keynote speaker is Liesl Eichler Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). We spoke to Liesl to get her insights on the summit, the 2030 Districts, and the work that’s being done in Detroit. Q: From your perspective, what is the importance of the 2030 Districts Network International Summit and the impact on the city of Detroit? A: The 2030 Districts network is a powerful catalyst across the globe in bringing local community and business leaders together to achieve ambitious climate and sustainability goals. Michigan is lucky to have three 2030 Districts in our state—Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and, of course, Detroit. Hosting the 2030 Districts Network International Summit in our state’s biggest city will increase awareness of the network and engage more Michiganders in this vital movement. It is also an opportunity to showcase the leadership and creative problem solving that has blossomed in Detroit and other Michigan cities and learn from peers from across the country and the world so we can put best practices into action here. The solutions being pioneered in Detroit and in other 2030 Districts, can serve as roadmaps for other communities to reduce their carbon pollution while providing good jobs and more vibrant, resilient neighborhoods. Q: What is the relevance of having it held in Detroit for the first time? A: Detroit has a proud and unique history. As home to the global auto industry, it boasts a strong manufacturing heritage. It is located in the heart of both the industrial Midwest and the Great Lakes Basin, which is home to roughly 20% of the Earth’s fresh surface water. Among U.S. cities with populations over 100,000, Detroit has one of the highest percentages of Black residents. It also has a large geographic footprint relative to its total population. For all these reasons, Detroit’s success as 2030 District can provide a powerful demonstration and proving ground for transitioning to carbon-free economy in a way that creates good jobs, advances justice and equity, improve air quality and public health, protects our water and other environmental assets, and builds vibrant places to live. Q: What are you looking forward getting out of the conference? A: I am looking forward to connecting with businesses and community leaders who are ready to double down on helping Michigan reach ambitious climate goals, namely, to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. In addition, we are always looking to beg, borrow, and steal good ideas from other states and places—particularly innovative solutions that others have already tested, refined, and perfected. So, in my networking at the summit, I will look for new partners and fresh approaches to our climate and sustainability work. Q: Overall how does the work of the 2030 Districts tie into your work? A: The work of 2030 Districts intersects with EGLE’s mission to protect Michigan’s environment and public health in too many ways to mention here. The most direct and obvious connection point is our climate and energy work. Shortly after taking office in 2019, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer created the State of Michigan’s first Office of Climate and Energy. The following fall she directed our department to develop the MI Healthy Climate Plan—our state’s plan to fulfill her commitment to transition the entire Michigan economy to carbon neutrality by 2050. As with 2030 Districts, the MI Healthy Climate Plan shines a spotlight on the ambitious interim targets we must hit this decade to reach our mid-century goals. And it, too, focuses on our built environment with “Repair and Decarbonize Homes and Businesses” serving as one of its six core pillars. More specifically, it calls for a 17% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment by 2030 (as well as an increase in clean electricity generation to 60% in that timeframe). As director of EGLE and the chair of the Council on Climate Solutions, which helped us draft the plan, I know that action at the community level and in the private sector will drive decarbonization, alongside policy change and funding from the state and federal governments. That’s why EGLE has worked closely to support 2030 Districts through our State Energy Office grant programs and event sponsorships. Additionally, through EGLE’s Catalyst Communities program, we’ve engaged directly with Michigan’s 2030 Districts and seen firsthand the innovative solutions they have developed and the unique challenges they face. Q: What excites you the most regarding the work the 2030 Districts-Detroit is doing? A: To reach our climate goals we need to prioritize near-term progress and we need to leverage the resources of the private sector to create real action at the local level. The 2030 Districts-Detroit is doing all
Walker-Miller Energy is Working to Achieve an Equitable Clean Energy Economy
SBN Detroit interviewed Dr. Brandy Brown, Chief Innovation Officer of Walker-Miller Energy Services, a Detroit-based energy efficiency company focused on equity in the clean energy economy, on her role in guiding the development of advanced energy projects, workforce development, and equitable mobility solutions. Prior to joining Walker-Miller, Dr. Brown served as Climate & Energy Advisor within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy. Additionally, Dr. Brown serves as part of the Environmental Justice faculty for the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability and as an appointee to Michigan’s National Resources Trust Fund Board. Q: You recently took on the position of Chief Innovation Officer at Walker-Miller, which is a new role for the company. What is involved in this? A: It’s so much fun I can’t believe I get paid to do it! Every day the work we are doing here is positively impacting the Walker-Miller team, the Detroit community, and beyond. Tangibly, this role comes with two main tenets; The first is thought leadership focused on the issues we need to overcome to achieve an equitable clean energy economy. This involves pushing topics and asking hard questions while coaching with love. It also involves asking folks to understand the impact of what they are doing so we don’t create the same inequalities that we’ve created for the last 100 years. It’s also about asking people to be cognizant of what structures exist now, what we are rolling out into the future, and thinking about the distribution, meaning will everyone benefit, and who’s going to bear any potential burdens? The second is talking to business leaders and people in the policy world to make sure that the new services being made available are inclusive and equitable for all. We constantly need to ask ourselves, does this product work in a home in a marginalized community? Also, are we talking to anyone in the communities themselves to share awareness of solutions coming down the pipeline? Often awareness is not being built at the time we are rolling out new solutions and technology, and that’s a misstep. I am actually a good example here. Fifteen years ago, I did not have the means to make changes to my home to increase its efficiency. But since I was working within the energy community I was aware of innovations and that awareness allowed me to plan and prepare my home for these changes. We need to intentionally communicate with all communities. Q: What immediate goals have you identified for Walker-Miller and what are you currently working on? A: I’m focused on the company internally and where I can provide support to the team and act as a bridge-builder to connect this team to my network. I’m following Carla Walker-Miller here, as she does this so naturally. I’m also working to identify impactful strategies we can roll out in the next year or two. To date, we’ve launched two. The first is Equitable Mobility Consulting. As electric vehicles become a more common mode of vehicular transportation, we are seeing more requests for EV infrastructure such as planning around where charging is going, and where vehicles may live. A lot of the work that follows falls in what I call prosperity zones where people can afford such things. We need to think about equity down the line. So, we’ve developed this consulting to point folks in the right direction when planning infrastructure. We are also involved in electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) installations and supporting communities on how to be intentional and mindful as they are planning. Second, we’ve created an Equitable Research and Consulting area of our business. This is an internal group that is operationalizing equity with energy efficiency programs and helping companies think about how to track and measure it. A big aha moment for us was realizing that equity is context-dependent. Meaning that it’s constantly changing, therefore we can’t just measure once. We have to listen to the community and their needs on a continuum because it’s fluid. Q: What are your longer-term goals at Walker-Miller? A: A large focus for us now and in the future is the equitable distribution of wealth creation. When we think of equity and the benefits of clean energy and clean energy transformation, we have to recognize that this shift is opening doors to wealth creation. And it’s difficult to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth creation. Walker Miller is approaching this by identifying business creation. Meaning that we are recruiting small and diverse businesses and giving them opportunities to become powerful in this space. This is very much a forward-thinking view. The steps we take now will reap great benefits ten years down the road. Q: What are other challenges you face? A: There is not enough time in a day. From sun up to sun down, there is so much to do and so many conversations to have. But that’s what makes it exciting. I think we have an opportunity in front of us to make a more concerted effort in working together. We can no longer look at our communities and think, this person will handle HVAC and this program will handle windows and that person will handle EV. We all have to be working together and we also all have to understand the process – what needs to be done first. You can give a home clean energy but if it’s not weatherized it’s an exercise in futility. Ben Dueweke, Walker-Miller’s Director of Community Partnerships is a master at this. He excels at setting up programs and the pipeline, getting residents fully weatherized, and then getting them into more clean energy. We are focusing on a few houses and a few blocks at a time with the goal to ultimately transform the city. Q: What drives your passion here? A: When I had my first child, and then my second, and then became a single mother with limited income and was faced with getting my life
