Urban and road developments
The creation or modification of road infrastructure can have a significant impact on the surrounding air quality. On an urban scale, the modification or creation of a commercial zone , a concerted development zone (activity and housing) or an eco-district can also have a significant impact on the air quality in the project area.
As such, road infrastructure and urban development projects are subject to Article L122-1 of the Environmental Code, which requires the project owner to carry out a systematic environmental assessment or after examination on a case-by-case basis.
During this assessment, the effects on air quality can be taken into account in accordance with the regulations applicable to road infrastructure, through an air and health study of the impact study .
In this context, Airea applies the methodology described by the technical note of February 22, 2019 relating to the consideration of the health effects of air pollution in impact studies of road infrastructures and its methodological guide (which replaces the circular of February 25, 2005).
With the achievement of several hundred air and health sections, Airea has a multidisciplinary team enabling it to carry out services relating to each of the 4 levels of study prescribed by the regulations:
Collection of existing data
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Counting exposed populations in the study area
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Location of vulnerable sites
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Location of industrial activities
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Assessment of local emissions
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Analysis of local air quality monitoring network measurements and local air pollution prevention plans
In-situ measurement campaigns
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Measurement of the main air pollutants (NO₂, benzene, PM₁₀, PM₂₅, PAHs, heavy metals, etc.) using passive sensors, continuous analyzers, NF EN 12341 active samplers, etc.
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Measurement of “emerging” pollutants such as 1,3 butadiene, ultrafine particles (UFP) or black carbon (BC) using passive sensors, continuous analyzers, CPC, aethalometer...
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Interpretation of results according to meteorological conditions, local context and regulations
Estimation of project effects on emissions
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Modelling of emissions and energy consumption using TREFIC™ software (Copert V database)
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Comparison between scenarios: initial state, future state with and without project
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Calculation and analysis of collective costs linked to air pollution and the greenhouse effect
Estimated health effects of the project
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2D and 3D modeling of ambient air concentrations in the study area (AERMOD and CALMET-CALPUFF models)
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Calculation of the pollution/population index (PPI) in the study area and cartographic representation
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Health risk assessment (HRA) at vulnerable sites or at any point in the study area
Avoidance, reduction and compensation (ERC) measures
Airea has carried out a number of bibliographical studies on the subject on behalf of ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, enabling us to offer our customers expert advice and support on avoidance, reduction and compensation (ERC) measures, both general and specific, adapted to each project.
Estimation of road traffic emissions
In-situ measurement campaign
Mapping of concentrations of measured pollutants
Comparison of concentrations to regulatory values
Modeling of concentrations
Calculation of IPP and cartographic representation
Focus on the LOTI balance sheet
The regulatory framework (art. L.1511-6 of the French Transport Code) requires major transport infrastructure projects to undergo a review of their socio-economic and environmental effects : an interim review within a year, and a final review within 3 to 5 years of commissioning.
These ex-post assessments, also known as “LOTI assessments” because they are required by the French Law on Inland Transport (LOTI) of December 30, 1982, are the responsibility of the project owner, and must be made public after receiving the opinion of the French General Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development (CGEDD).
Concretely, the assessment must make it possible to analyze and explain the differences between the forecasts in the investigation file prior to the Declaration of Public Utility (DUP), a document which was communicated to the public, and the actual observations after the infrastructure was put into service. as well as verifying compliance with the State's commitments.
In this context, Airea carries out all the services necessary to feed the "air quality" assessment before and/or after the commissioning of the road project (forecasted impacts of the project on air quality by modeling, verification of forecasts by carrying out in-situ measurement campaigns).
