Urban Environmental Management
Systems
| ECOSIM An environmental management information system that integrates monitoring and simulation for environmental decision support in urban areas. The project developed and demonstrated an environmental decision support system based on a modular and distributed client-server architecture. It uses a wide-area network technology and the Internet to connect clients, monitoring networks, and high-performance model servers. |
The ECOSIM project, targeting the administrative bodies of cities, has developed software modules in a client-server architecture. The modules enhance the use and integration of a cluster of models in an Environment Information System to forecast pollution levels of air and water. The specific benefit of this system is that the integration component allows the use of complicated models in a day-to-day operational condition, without involving the user in a specific implementation of the Leicester Area Traffic Control Room models (i.e. specific hardware and software models, computer capacity, great know-how on the model). Allowing the user an interactive access to data and indicators calculated via the models, this facility gives a solid base for decision making. The additional tools of ECOSIM employing a common interactive graphical user interface ease the manipulation and display of acquired information and increases the efficiency of the end user in the daily routine. Authorities in urban areas will be able to evaluate the effects on air and water quality of industrial and other developments with increased confidence and accuracy.
| EFFECT Forecast of poor local air quality is done in real or near real-time. Air pollution 'hot spots' are highlighted by integrating air quality modelling with real time information on traffic flows, pollutant concentrations and meteorological conditions and an emissions database. |
The EFFECT project develops an Air Quality Monitor and Management System for city administrations, deploying integrated networks of sensors measuring pollution, meteorological and traffic data. The enhanced AIRVIRO Air Quality Model, giving near real-time predictions of air quality, is used together with Traffic Demand Strategies to reduce pollution levels. A consultation process using an Environmental Management Board was also developed. The innovative benefit of the project is the creation of a comprehensive system (hardware, software, specifications, protocols and procedure) which can be applied in different cities to assess their air quality monitoring and management systems and to identify possible improvement of the existing systems.
Other important results are better knowledge of local air quality through the accurate forecasting of pollution hotspots, and the consequent selection of appropriate traffic control strategies. The use of variable message signs and radio broadcasting are efficient means to inform the public of the hotspot locations and to change partly the travelling behaviour of the public. In such a case, the benefit is improved air quality in hotspot locations. The modular system can be installed over a series of phases to provide an output consistent with the investment available.
The EMMA project specifically targets the city and municipality administrative bodies, focussing on products such as hardware sensor (Mini Sodar), on software integrating Air quality surveillance, Meteorological and Traffic networks, on planning and operational tools and web server. The modular system can be installed over a series of phases to provide an output consistent with the investment available.
| EMMA Information on air quality are provided. Daily air quality forecasts are produced describing current, 24 hour and 48 hour ahead levels to anticipate the need to implement emergency restrictions and minimise the effect of false alarms. |
In addition the project EMMA devoted part of its actions to an analysis of air quality standards, which has resulted in a handbook and CD on air quality monitoring. These offer a synoptic guide for public administrations and for other users on information and characteristics of diffe rent pollutants and their influence on the human health. Guidance is provided on how to set up the infrastructure required for monitoring, modelling and forecasting air quality. It also explains the importance of building and using air quality indicators in a simple and universal terminology to make the general public aware of air quality conditions. The book may also be used for educational purposes.
During EMMA, common software systems were adapted to the various needs of cities in four different climatic conditions to fo recast air quality for the next 24 and 48 hours and to inform the public of the quality of air. The main result is the availability of air quality forecasts which are disseminated to the network managers, health professionals and the public, allowing informed choices and actions to be made. The impact of the results was tested by using questionnaire surveys which assessed travel habits and attitudes tow a rd s air pollution. They were carried out in January 1996 and repeated in January 1998. The objective was to assess whether people's travel habits and habits have changed as a result of the increased amount of air quality information available. The surveys revealed that over 30% were aware of a pollution incident and 15% responded in some way.
Other related applications of using the results of the EMMA project have been indicated in Leicester and in Genoa. In particular, during a EU DGVII supported EUROTOLL project, the Leicester Environmental Road Tolling Scheme (LERTS supported by the UK Department of Environment,Transport and Regions) used EMMA, Radio and VMS to inform volunteers (as well as the public) to choose whether to transfer to a 'Park and Ride' service for their commuter journey into the city centre. In Genoa the forecasts are used to provide an early advice to the Mayor about the introduction of restrictions required by legislation where the exceedance of Statutory Air Quality limit values are anticipated. Further integration work is being undertaken at Leicester within the DGXIII – IADS project EQUAL.
The EUROAQ project was not a technological project but one which gathered good air quality management practice from six cities in the EU and central Europe. The project provides key lessons and recommendations in relation to the local application of national air quality strategies and the p reparation of local long term air quality management plans. Also considered by the project are the limitations in the use of short term air quality management plans. Methods for the use and dissemination of public information and methodologies.
| EUROAQ The publication of models of good practice for air quality management for adoption by Member States and Municipalities. It also developed instruments for adoption by Member States and Municipalities which ensure the delivery of the sustainable atmosphere envisaged by the regulatory structure. |
The project concluded with the publication of a report, the formalisation of dialogues between national and local government and the development of pilot project with EU members state and participating cities.
The HEIS MUC project, involving a broad spectrum of customers, has developed sophisticated software tools for data gathering and display in order to build a public environmental information service. The system runs on existing GIS and SGML software, i.e. ARC/INFO,ArcView, SDE-db, and integrates textual, database and geographic data. The information accessed through in-house workstations and LANs, public-access-terminals, city info columns/Info Kiosk and www/internet.
| HEIS-MUC The system supports the administration of information gathering, compilation, and the release of environment and health information to different end users in the Munich area. Main thematic issues are : air, water, landscape, waste and noise. Database and GIS tools are used for data management. Digitised (www-intranet/internet, infokiosk, public screen panels) and printed outputs (e.g. yearbooks, atlas) are produced regularly. |
The concrete impacts and benefits of the system are to supply free information about the state of the environment,to educate the actors involved and to increase public awareness of environmental issues. In supplying improved and more accessible health and environmental quality information, the system gives to the customer a more cost effective data collecting, management and handling system, and a lower cost, wider and faster diffusion of information. The use of standard GIS software with minor enhancements helps reducing development and implementation costs, while SGML gives considerable benefits by integrating maps and database-data into texts. Information and "soft policies" measures, according to the project, are one of the most important instruments for changing public attitude and political awareness in environmental issues.
The IOZIP project,directed at city administrations, consists of a matched and robust database system which collects historical ranges of environmental datasets. Statistical figures of these data are also available on line for the public.
| IOZIP The system supports the administration of information gathering, compilation, and release of environment information to the Prague area. Main thematic issues are : air, water, landscape, waste and noise. Database and GIS tools are used for data management. Digitised (CD, www-intranet/internet) and printed outputs (e.g. yearbooks, atlas) are regularly produced. |
The concrete benefit of this system is that it represents the only environmental database for the city of Prague available on line and with an open architecture allowing the addition of different types of modules, models and information. The system also has an enhanced visual interpretation of the data and information provided by model outputs helping the city administrators to support their decisions on environmental and traffic matters. An integrated system for traffic flow simulation, air pollution modelling and decision support,developed in a distributed HPC network is the main result of the SIMTRAP project.
SIMTRAP uses the dynamic traffic simulation tool DYNEMO and the 3D air quality model DYMOS.The project integrates both modules in a remote HPCN (High Performance Computing and Networking) environment – a parallel computer enabling the detailed simulation of an area of sufficient geographical extent (approx. 100 x 100 km). Interpretation and visualisation of results takes place in a local 3D GIS system. Communication takes place using existing computer networks and protocols.
| SIMTRAP The system integrates advanced simulation models for dynamic traffic flow and 3D photochemical air quality modelling implemented on parallel computers. A decision support system includes GIS functionality, statistical analysis tools, a n embedded expert system, and a multi-criteria optimisation tool. An easy-to-use multimedia user interface and the fast and interactive response made possible by HPCN technology provide a powerful tool for urban traffic and environmental planners. |
The Waternet project, addressing its output to water supply companies in cities and administrative bodies, has developed different software modules. These include a data fusion system for monitoring water pollution and a data acquired validation tool. The latter system is based on three methods: low level validation; synchronisation and missing data filling;the system allows the automatic adjustment of the parameters of the three methods (configuration) based on knowledge of the process behaviour. An innovative development of the system is the use of advanced information technologies and/or approaches for data acquisition and production of information from data. The system used such techniques as advanced data validation (e.g. Fuzzy) and data fusion (e.g. Kohonen maps). Also to be mentioned is the Decision Support System embedded in an agent-type distributed architecture.
| WATERNET A technology designed to monitor general water quality, to minimise the monitoring of point sources and the protection of drinking water intakes. The methods applied consist of an intelligent aggre gation and simplification of the vast amount of environmental measurement data, of an assessment and interpretation of the river state and its evolution, and a presentation of information of different levels of abstraction to specific but widely varying user classes. |
The benefits are the early indication of pollution events, trough on-line monitoring and assessment, and the associated possibility of faster reaction time. This increases the throughput and the continuity of water production by avoiding unnecessary or too-late shut-downs of the production line.
The concrete result of the project is a tool which is currently in use at two sites and being installed at further sites, which reduces the risk in the monitoring of large scale systems by providing the operator with real time high level assessments of the actual situation.
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
