LONDONDERRY — It was a perfect fall day in front Moose Hill School Tuesday afternoon as locals gathered for the long-awaited opening of the state Department of Environmental Services' newest air monitoring facility.

The station, which consists of a two-story red shed and a smaller outbuilding, has been operating on school grounds since 2011, but local and state officials only recently added the site's finishing touches, such as signs aimed at educating interested passers-by.

DES representative Jessica Morton said the Londonderry location plays an important role in the process of air monitoring due to its centralized location in the southern part of the state, which is densely populated and is highly traveled by commuters, by both land and air.

Similar stations are set up in Lebanon, Keene, Portsmouth, Laconia, Pembroke, Nashua, Rye, Peterborough, Green's Grant, Woodstock and on top of Mount Washington.

The Londonderry station, which is powered by rooftop solar panels, monitors the air for pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and small particle pollutants.

The station's equipment also records weather conditions such as outside temperatures, wind speed and direction, rainfall, atmospheric pressure and humidity.

DES representative James Martin said the school location would serve dual purposes, as it can offer a variety of educational resources to local school children. During Tuesday's open house, a small group of Advanced Placement Environmental Science students from nearby Londonderry High School were among those in the audience.

“We're trying to engage students in the whole process,” said Martin.

A computer monitor, tucked behind a Plexiglas window at the main station, provides the most current updates to citizens.

On Tuesday, the air quality was ideal, Martin noted.

“We've got a nice breeze going through; this has just been the perfect day,” he said.

Acting Air Resources Director Craig Wright said the state's air quality is, for the most part, pretty good most of the time, but the goal is to keep it that way.

“We do have the occasional day when it's best for those with asthma, the elderly or the very young to stay indoors, however,” he said.

DES Commissioner Tom Burack said one of the biggest challenges of keeping the local air-monitoring station functional is to regulate the building's temperature during extreme weather.

“The building is insulated so we can keep the equipment warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” he said.

Burack reminded everyone that preserving the state's air quality is something we all play a role in.

“Every one of us can make a difference,” he said, urging citizens to avoid idling their vehicles, keep their vehicles well-maintained, use energy-efficient electronic devices and turn off lights when not in use.

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April Guilmet may be reached at AGuilmet@newstote.com.