EcoSense
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EcoSense(Environmental Impact Assessment Model) is an Impact Assessment Model that supports the assessment of priority impacts resulting from emission of pollutants to the atmosphere. It is a modular software system that integrates different models. It incorporates a database holding information on model specifications such as chemical equations, dose-response functions, technology, emission scenarios, specific damage costs and detailed geographical/spatial information (on EU and european non-EU countries). Pollutant dispersion and chemical transformation are simulated by three air transport models on a local and regional scale.
Impacts and damage costs can be estimated for the following four areas: 1. human health (life expectancy, morbidity) 2. materials (mostly building material: e.g. limestone, sandstone, paint, zinc) 3. crops (yield change, need for liming, fertilising)
The module on ecosystems (indicators for the exceedance of critical loads for acidification and eutrophication) is currently being updated.
The Model specifications such as the receptor data, the dose response functions or monetary values can be modified by the user.[1]
Result
Model Versions:
Different versions of EcoSense are distinguished by application mode:
- Single Source (effects from single sources, e.g. power plants, can be estimated),
- Line Source (effects from a single transport activity can be estimated),
- Multi Source (effects from emissions of whole sectors and countries can be estimated))
- EcoSenseLE (EcoSense Lookup Edition)
Typical Model Applications:
- Simulation of impacts of emissions to air primary and secondary particles, NOX, SO2, CO, heavy metals, POPs on human health, agricultural crops, and material surface area of buildings.
- Assessment of external costs with the aim of internalisation
- Support for cost benefit analysis for measures and directives aiming to protect human health
- Assessment of technologies, identification of advantages and weak points
- Use of monetised values of damage as sustainability and welfare indicators[1]
Standard Model Specification:
EcoSense is a modular software tool that combines a number of models specified within different modules. It incorporates a relational database holding information on model specifications such as chemical equations, dose-response functions, technology, emission scenarios, costs and detailed geographical/spatial information (on EU and european non-EU countries).
The Reference Environment Database can be considered as the core element of EcoSense. It provides data on the distribution of possible pollutant receptors, information on meteorology and a European wide emission inventory. Geographical information is organised using the EMEP co-ordinate system (gridcells of 2500 km2 and 100 km2). The Reference Environment Database also contains elevation data for the whole of Europe on a 10 x 10 km grid. Together with the geographical data (precipitation, wind speed and wind direction) this is used to run the air transport models.[1]
Emissions:
The basis for each calculation represent the comparison of impacts and damage costs derived for two complete emission situations in Europe. This procedure is necessary in order to be able to consider the chemical formation of secondary pollutants via non-linear reaction schemes in the atmosphere. An Emission Scenario Database provides data on the annual background emissions of substances related to harmful secondary pollutants: SO2, NOx, NMVOC, NH3. For the definition of the case scenario, the emissions are have to be specified. In the single and transport version this is done by giving respective data on the technology which is to be anlysed. In the multi-source version the background scenario includes additionally emissions of further substances which can be changed for the definition of the case to be analysed, e.g. the emissions of the agricultural sector in Germany can be reduced by a certain percentage. Three different air transport models are implemented: on a local scale ISC (Industrial Source Complex short term model), on a regional scale WTM ( Windrose Tradjectory Model) which includes the formation of secondary particles, acidifying and eutrophying substances and SROM (Source Receptor Ozone Model) which is applied to assess Ozone concentration on a regional scale.[1]
Damage:
Resulting concentration or deposition fields from the air quality modeling are evaluated together with geographically detailed information on the receptor distribution. In line with the objects at risk the receptors are population, agricultural crops, building materials and ecosystems. Physical impacts are established by the exposure-response models of the corresponding module. These impacts include increased mortality, morbidity, crop losses and increased maintenance effort for surface material at building facades. Where possible the physical impacts are evaluated in monetary terms using values that are provided in an additional part of the relational database. Impacts of pollutants (primary and secondary particles, SO2, CO, benzene, BaP, O3 and others) are considered for the following objects at risk:
1. human population:
- reduction in life expectancy due to long and short term exposure to pollutants;
- morbidity effects such as chronic bronchitis, non-fatal cancer, congestive heart failure, asthma attacks, respiratory hospital admissions, cough for different parts of the population, e.g. asthmatics, children, adults, population above 65 years, and for the total population,
2. building materials:
- ageing of galvanised steel, limestone, mortar, sandstone, paint, rendering, and zinc for utilitarian buildings,
3. crops:
- yield change for wheat, barley, rye, oats, potato, sugar beet, rice, tobacco, sunflower seed,
- increased need for liming,
- fertilising effects.
The module on ecosystems which is designed to estimate exceedance of critical loads for acidification and eutrophication for terrestrial as well as acidification for aquatic ecosystems is currently being updated.
Corresponding to the spatial simulation the results are also provided in a geographically disaggregated manner.[1]
Main Model Results:
Impacts in physical and monetary terms in the four categories: human population, building materials, crops, ecosystems.
Required technical infrastructure:
EcoSense Europe single source version is available on a license basis. It is a user-friendly modular MS-Windows based software system running on a IBM-compatible PC with a 486 processor (or higher) and a 32 bit Windows operating system with at least 8 MB RAM and 120 MB space available on the hard disk. Most of the model specifications are stored in the database and can easily be modified by the user.
Structure of Input Data:
Exogenous variables and parameters:
All basic parameters which are not directly connected to the specific emission source to be analysed are stored in the relational database. These data include geographical information, meteorological information, air transport models, emission scenarios, dose response functions and monetary values of physical impacts.[1]
Data Sources:
factors for exposure-response models:
- ExternE project series
monetary values of externalities:
- ExternE project series
population distribution, crop production:
- EUROSTAT REGIO database, national statistics,
extrapolation of material stock at risk based on studies for various cities ((European Commission 1995))
meteorological data:
- EMEP
emission data:
- EMEP, CORINAIR[1]
Model Extensions:
Extension by region: Brasil/South America, China, Russia, Ukraine
Extension by medium: Water and Soil model
Links to other Models, Projects, Networks:
ExternE project series: development of Impact Pathway Methodology, development of EcoSense, update and further extension of software and data
GARPII/Greensense: update and extension of EcoSense software
EMEP: grid definition, meteorological data and Source-Receptor matrices for the Ozone model[1]
See also
More information on EcoSense can be found on:
References
Droste-Franke, B., Heck, T., Karnahl, J., Krewitt, W., Malthan, D., Mayerhofer, P., Pattermann, F., Schmid, S., Trukenmüller, A., Ungermann, R., Bickel, P. and Friedrich, R. (2004). EcoSense 4.0, User's Manual. IER University of Stuttgart
Droste-Franke, B., Heck, T., Krewitt, W., Malthan, D., Mayerhofer, P., Pattermann, F., Trukenmüller, A., Ungermann, R. and Friedrich, R. (1999). EcoSense Brazi/Latin America Version 1.0, User's Manual. IER University of Stuttgart.
European Commission (1995). ExternE, Externalities of Energy, ExternE Report Vol. 2, Methodology. European Commission, DGXII, Science, Research, and Development, EUR 16521, Brussels
European Commission (1999a). Externalities of Energy., Vol. 7 Methodology 1998 update. European Commission, DG XII, EUR 19083, Brussels
European Commission (1999b). Green Accounting Research Project II (GARP II). European Commission, DGXII, Science, Research, and Development, Final Report, Contract ENV4-CT96-0285, Brussels
European Commission (2000). ExternE Core/Transport, final report, No. JOS3CT-97-0015, Brussels
European Commission (2003). An applied integrated environmental impact assessment framework for the European Union (GREENSENSE). European Commission DG Research, Energy Environment and Sustainable Development Programme, 5th Framework Programme, Final Report, Contract EVG1-CT-2000-00022, Brussels, July 2003
Heck, T., Krewitt, W., Malthan, D., Mayerhofer, P., Pattermann, F., Trukenmüller, A., Ungermann, R. and Friedrich, R. (1999). EcoSense 2.0, User's Manual. IER University of Stuttgart.
Krewitt, W., Friedrich, R., Greßmann, A., Mayerhofer, P., Heck, T., Trukenmüller, A., Holland, M., Berry, J., Watkiss, P., Boyd, R., Forster, D. and Lee, D. (1999). Models for Air Pollution Analysis. In European Commission: Externalities of Energy., Vol. 7 Methodology 1998 update, European Commission, DG XII, Brussels
Schmid, S., Droste-Franke, B., Heck, T., Krewitt, W., Malthan, D., Mayerhofer, P., Pattermann, F., Trukenmüller, A. and Ungermann, R. (1999). EcoSense - Transport, Version 3.03 T, User's Manual. Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Rationelle Energieanwendung, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart