PICE Talk by Arthur Elessa Etuman

Title: From urban form to individual exposure: Modeling urban air pollution and environmental inequalities with the OLYMPUS modeling platform

Abstract:

In our approach, we employed an integrated modelling framework to understand urban air pollution exposure. Initially, it utilizes demographic modeling based on population characteristics from large-scale surveys, creating a realistic population distribution that influences urban mobility and energy demand. The transportation modeling segment analyzes passenger and freight transport demand, incorporating data from national surveys and commercial records via the FRETURB-SIMTURB model. Concurrently, the energy demand assessment calculates energy needs for various building types, using detailed consumption patterns and structural properties. The emissions estimation phase synthesizes mobility and energy consumption data to calculate emissions in accordance with European Environment Agency standards. These emissions are integrated with territorial data to create inputs for the CHIMERE model, enabling regional air quality simulations with high-resolution scenario-specific diagnostics. our approach refines these data to account for concentration gradients between urban measurements and background levels. The project envisions urban scenarios for 2030-2050, assessing public policies, transport infrastructures, and behavioral changes to model urban structures, travel patterns, and energy consumption. This iterative process adjusts model assumptions and parameters, refining data on congestion and urban logistics. The CHIMERE model then simulates air quality, with innovative techniques to achieve individual-scale resolution.

Our approach provides a comprehensive understanding of air quality dynamics in the Île-de-France region, simulating various urban scenarios to reveal the impacts of different planning strategies, policies, and behavioral changes. Key findings include identification of high pollution areas, exposure risks for demographic groups, and potential health implications. This nuanced understanding of air quality at both regional and individual scales offers valuable insights for urban planning and policy decisions, aiming to improve air quality and public health outcomes.

In conclusion, our approach contributes significant insights into urban air quality management, emphasizing the complex relationship between urban planning, policy decisions, and air pollution. The findings advocate for strategic urban development to address air quality challenges and provide a foundation for further environmental and public health research.

Presenter: Dr. Arthur Elessa Etuman