ATMO-PLAN for harmonized air quality modelling

Available roads with traffic volumes in the Hungarian version of ATMO-Plan

ATMO-Plan is an online user interface on top of the ATMO-Street modelling chain. It allows users to configure ATMO-Street input, launch model simulations on a high performance computer and visualize and analyse the modelling results.

ATMO-Plan is used to support the preparation of urban air quality plans in the context of the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive and by air quality consultants preparing air quality impact assessments for compliance with environmental planning regulations.

ATMO-Plan offers authorities a tool to harmonize the modelling approach in their region. The software is configured with all input data to run the baseline scenario for a specific location. The user interface offers a lot of flexibility to create additional scenarios targeting:

Road traffic
Residential emissions
Industrial point sources

The integrated road traffic emission model FASTRACE applies COPERT emission information to turn road traffic volumes into emission information.

In order to be customized for a specific country, the adequate input data must be integrated into the application. The Hungarian version of ATMO-Plan includes gridded PM (particulate matter) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) emissions from different types of heating appliances over Hungary with a 1 km by 1 km horizontal resolution. The road traffic volumes originate from the available national and municipal datasets.

What can we change in the traffic module to create a scenario?

traffic network (delete/insert roads)
number of vehicles
traffic fleet, types of vehicles
vehicle speed

What can we change in the residential heating module to create a scenario?

increase energy efficiency of buildings
modernization of heating appliances without changing the fuel type
changing the heating appliances and also the fuel type

In the residential heating module of ATMO-Plan there is no emission calculation. The residential emissions are involved as emissions from different types of combustion appliances and a scenario means the scaling of the maps (or the sum of the maps) according to the chosen measure. The traffic module calculates the emissions for every scenario with FASTRACE. As a result, ATMO Plan calculates the changes in concentrations of the main air pollutants due to the emission reduction measure introduced in the scenario over a selected urban area.

The change in the yearly mean PM10 concentrations over Tatabánya due to a domestic heating-measure expressed as percentage values. The measure involved replacing 75% of biomass stoves and boilers with gas and 5% with non-combustible appliances in a central area of the city.

ATMO-Plan is only available to those who are registered as users. To register or to get more information about the tool, please send an email to atmoplan [at] met.hu (atmoplan[at]met[dot]hu).