Routes to Clean Air 2026
The Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) presents Routes to Clean Air (RTCA) 2026, its annual conference on topics relevant to air quality practitioners and associated professionals. RTCA will take place over two days, 21st and 22nd October, at thestudio, Birmingham.
This year will focus on topics related to air quality measurement, monitoring, and modelling. This follows the IAQM’s decision to absorb topics that were previously covered under the separate Dispersion Modelling User Group (DMUG) and Measuring Air Quality (MAQ) conferences into the RTCA umbrella.
The day will go beyond theory, offering cutting-edge insight on emissions measurement, real-world data, and the practical delivery of clean air solutions across cities and regions. With expert speakers from government organisations, consultancy, and academia, the conference will offer cross-sector perspectives, with a strong focus on what works in practice now and what's going to be needed in the future. It is a unique opportunity to stay ahead of policy, learn from leading projects, and connect with peers tackling the same challenges.
Delegates will also be able to interact with leading companies in the air quality sector. This is your chance to see some of the latest cutting-edge technologies, innovative solutions, and best practices aimed at tackling the challenges associated with air pollution.
The Agenda
The draft agenda will be released very soon, but in the meantime we are excited to give you a preview of what the conference will offer.
Conference sessions on:
- Measurements of Indoor Air Quality
- Indoor Air Chemistry & Emerging Pollutants
- Small-Scale / Hyper-Local Modelling
- Ammonia & Odour
- Ambient Monitoring & Regulatory Evidence
- Regulation in Practice
- National & Global Pollution Modelling
- Research to Application (What's Next?)
Parallel breakout sessions, panel discussions, interactive sessions...
Networking opportunities: drinks reception, 3 course dinner, IAQM awards, and the opportunity to engage with sponsors and exhibitors.
Who will be presenting across the two days?
We have speakers confirmed from:
- Government organisations such as Defra, Environment Agency, Natural England
- Local authorities - Hertfordshire County Council
- Research organisations - Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants (CERC)
- Academia - University of Birmingham, University College London, University of York, Imperial College London
- The Met Office
- Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB)
- And many more...
Who Should Attend?
Air quality consultants | Expert practitioners | Local authority officers | Regulators | Government officers | Academics and researchers | Air quality graduates and PhD/MSc students | Standards agencies and accreditation bodies | NGO and professional body staff | Air quality equipment manufacturers | Trade associations | Industrial operators
Abstract Submissions
Submission of abstracts is now closed.
Thank you to everyone who submitted their abstracts to us, we are currently reviewing them and will announce our new speakers soon. For more information, please take a look at this news article.
Awards Nominations
All IAQM awards are now open for nominations!
Nomination forms will remain open until 5pm on 26th August, after which submissions will be judged ahead of the award ceremony at the conference dinner on Tuesday 21st October. For more information, please take a look at this news article.
Ticket Prices
Ticket Type | 2 days | 1 day | 1 day with dinner |
Super Early Bird Prices (until 30th June unless 25 tickets sold before) | |||
Member | £300 | £200 | £253 |
Standard | £360 | £240 | £293 |
Early Bird Prices (until 31st July) | |||
Member | £340 | £230 | £283 |
Standard | £400 | £270 | £323 |
Standard Prices (from 1st August) | |||
Member | £400 | £270 | £323 |
Standard | £475 | £320 | £373 |
Additional Dinner tickets | |||
Dinner ticket only | £53 | ||
Discounted Rate Tickets
Discounted rate tickets are available to those working for a local authority, NGO/charity, academic institution, students/graduates (graduated after 1st January 2025 and not currently in full-time employment), those who are retired, on a career break, or those who are out of work.
2 days | 1 day | |
Discounted rate without dinner | £200 | £100 |
Discounted rate with dinner | £253 | £153 |
Please Note:
- There is no super early bird or early bird rate for discounted rate tickets.
- All 2-day tickets (excluding discounted rate tickets) include a ticket to the dinner that is taking place on the 21st October.
- For 1-day tickets and discounted rate tickets, dinner tickets must be added separately if you wish to attend.
If you would like some help in making a business case to attend, why not make use of our Business Case to Attend Routes to Clean Air 2026 document? Simply fill in the blanks and adjust to your own circumstances.
Exhibitors
Cambustion's 50-series of gas and particle analyzers combine ultra-fast response times with enhanced levels of sensitivity. This allows investigations into the real emissions exposure from vehicles and other sources from the roadside on a breath-by-breath basis. These fast-response analyzers open up possibilities for identifying gross emitters within regular traffic; this information can be used to guide enforcement bodies and local air quality teams on how to further reduce air pollution by targeting significant contributors. Find out more on Cambustion's website.
Founded in 1961, WWF is the world’s leading independent conservation organization working in more than 100 countries to create solutions to the most important environmental challenges facing the planet so that people and nature can thrive. Find out more on the WWF website.
Would you like to exhibit at, or sponsor, Routes to Clean Air?
Routes to Clean Air attracts consultants, air quality practitioners, leading manufacturers, local authority officers and regulators, academics, and researchers providing an excellent opportunity for organisations to interact with their target audience of experts and buyers. This conference is a platform for expert practitioners to share knowledge, therefore there are a limited number of spaces for exhibitors.
Benefits of exhibiting:
- Exhibition stand with 1 attendee
- Branded banners displayed in exhibition space
- Logo with hyperlink on the event webpage
- Thank you from the conference Chair
Download our Exhibitor and Sponsorship information below.
Venue & Accessibility
Full address: thestudio, 7 Cannon Street, Birmingham, B2 5EP. A map and directions to the venue are available here.
We will be utilising several spaces at the venue – Explore, Discover and the Atrium are all fully accessible. However, the Smile and Think rooms, which may be used for some optional 1:1 sessions, are accessible only by a short set of stairs. Full information can be found on thestudio website.
If you anticipate needing any type of assistance to fully participate in the conference, please email Sian Kear at events@the-ies.org to discuss further.
Nearby Hotels
- Premier Inn City Centre (New Street Station) - 2 min walk from the venue
- Premier Inn City Centre (Waterloo Street) - 3 min walk from the venue
- Britannia Hotel Birmingham New Street Station - 3 min walk from the venue
- Travelodge Birmingham Central Moor Street - 5 min walk from the venue
Header Image Credit: © Bob via Adobe Stock
