Delivering sustainable solutions in a more competitive world
Assessment Tools for SEA
Freeman Cheung
Chairman, Hong Kong Institute of Environmental Impact Assessment
18 June 2005
Workshop on Strategic Environmental Assessment
Delivering sustainable solutions in a more competitive world
Introduction
• More sophisticated assessment techniques are now available for environmental assessment
• The recent development of the computer modelling techniques using Geographical Information System (GIS) has assisted the development of assessment tools for EIA
• Regional Air Quality Model
• Noise Mapping Software
• GIS-based Habitat Map
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Air quality models for EIA
• simple Gaussian dispersion models
• other numerical models (plume/puff models of various complexity)
• physical modelling (wind tunnel)
• regional photochemistry air dispersion model
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P A T HR e g io n a l A ir Q u a lity M o d e l
P A T HR e g io n a l A ir Q u a lity M o d e l
Pollutants in the Atmosphere and their Transport over Hong Kong (PATH)
• PATH Modelling System commissioned by EPD in 1996 and delivered in 2001
• state-of-the-art system, custom-built for HK from existing US components and thoroughly validated
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AIVSAircraft Inventory Verification Study
• Airborne meteorological and air quality measurements• A total of 14 flights in November 1997• Results used in PATH verification• Comparison of pollutant fluxes on the inflow and outflow SAR borders provides a check on the total HK emissions
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Meteorological data Boundary and Initial
ConditionsParameteric dataGeophysical data
Mesoscale Windfield Model (MM5)
Transport and Chemistry Model (SAQM)
Interpretation and Evaluation
3-D Measurement Data
Analysis Package
PATH’s Modelling Framework
EmissionModel(EMS-95)
Emission factors, activity and surrogate data
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PATH modelling domains
• five nested domains
• grid spacing of 0.5, 1.5, 4.5, 13.5, 40.5 km
• 49 x 49 grids and recently extended to 97 x 97 grids
• unequally spaced vertical layers extend up to 25 km a.g.l. The lowest layer only 20 m deep
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SAQM49x49nestedgrids
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Emissions
• comprehensive HKSAR and regional emissions databases
• separate datasets for:• point sources• motor vehicles• marine emissions• biogenic emissions• all other area sources
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Delivering sustainable solutions in a more competitive world
Delivering sustainable solutions in a more competitive world
Example: wind field & O3 concentrations
20 August 1996
4.5 km grid
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Examples of Regional Air Quality Modelling for SEA
• Site search and EIA for the proposed HEC 1800 MW power plant at Lamma Extension
• CTS-3 SEA: Assess impacts of different vehicular emissions control measures, and different transport and population development scenarios by means of comprehensive air quality modelling
• PATH was used to assist in the development of emission control strategy for the Pearl River Delta Region
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HEC 1800MW Power Station EIA Study
• PATH modelling of HKSAR air quality impacts
• several emissions scenarios developed
• AQO compliance demonstrated for the worst case meteorological scenario (1 hr and 24 averages) and by means of the PATH ‘annual average episodes’
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Base case SO2 time series for 26-28 June 1995, assumed as the worst-case scenario for the HEC power station EIA
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SEA for the Third Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-3)
• many transport and population development scenarios tested
• detailed, 10 vehicle-class traffic forecast for each model grid cell used to estimate vehicular emissions under different growth scenarios
• separate scaling up or down of other emissions (power stations, area sources, marine)
• innovative use of model results for assessment: modelled increments (2016 scenario – 1997 base case) added to actually measured 1997 concentrations
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NO2
annual conc.2016 – 1997
high growth(high end)CTS-3 scenario
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Noise Exposure System
• ERM was commissioned by EPD in 2000 to
undertake a two years Study “Investigation Study
for Review of the Acoustical Environment Due to
Infrastructure Projects in Hong Kong (Contract
39/2000)”
• The worldwide trend to communicate
environmental noise information to the public
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Requirements of the Noise Exposure Model
Collate noise information for the territory
Identify and quantify the scale of noise problems
Evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures
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Data Inventory for the NES
• Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
• Road Network (Linked to BDTM and ATC data)
• Building Locations and Heights
• Podiums
• Enclosures
• Barriers
• Ground Surface
• Weather Stations
• Noise Grids for 4 heights for Lden, Ln, Ld, Le and L10
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Some Statistics….
• 2,000km trafficable road (>2,000 AADT)
• ~1,100 km2 study area
• 6.8M inhabitants
• 80,000 residential buildings
• 0 – ~1,000 m elevation
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Road Treatment Illustration
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Road Treatment (Traffic Composition)
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Model
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Reality
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Processing Overview
• Railway tracks
• Road centreline
• Airport
• Building footprints
• Podiums
• Barriers
• Enclosures
• Spot heights
• Contour lines
• Rivers
• Slope tops/bottoms
• Vegetation (ground absorption)
Obstacles
Input Processing Output
Emitters
• # of vehicles
• Speed
• Vehicle weight
Traffic Model
Noise Exposure Software
Calculates noise levels in different areas using inputs
Level of exposure estimated for various areas
Decisions made on mitigation/planning based on results
GI
S
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Road Noise Contour @ 4m above ground level
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Delivering sustainable solutions in a more competitive world
Conflict Map
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80m above ground
18m above ground
40m above ground
4m above ground
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Noise Exposure
• Project requirement to estimate percentage of population exposed to excessive noise
• Assigning noise levels to each building facades
• Data used include Census Map and Building Type Dataset
• Use street block population data and building block volume to estimate number of people affected
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Histogram of Noise Levels vs Population
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
35dB
40dB
45dB
50dB
55dB
60dB
65dB
70dB
75dB
80dB
85dB
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No. of People Exposed to Road Traffic Noise Levels >
70 dB(A)
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000EA
STER
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Summary
• One of the largest scale noise mapping exercises in the world
• Integrated GIS and Noise Model for better visualisation of the noise environment
• A very useful tool/platform to develop 3D graphical presentation of information to encourage public participation
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GIS-based Habitat Map
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Lowland ForestFung Shui Forest
Freshwater/Brackish Wetland
Fishpond/Gei Wai Mangrove Seagrass Bed
Intertidal Mudflat Natural Watercourse
Habitat Type
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Delivering sustainable solutions in a more competitive world
%a
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File: c1750_29aug02.aprDate: 29/08/02
FIGURE 8.4a Environmental Resources Management
Kwu Tung North DNA - Habitat Map
HabitatsActive Dry Agricultural LandInactive Dry Agricultural LandActive Wet Agricultural LandInactive Wet Agricultural Land
PondActive Fish PondInactive Fish Pond
Marsh
Lowland ForestGrassland - Shrubland Mosaic
PlantationOrchardDevelopment AreaWasteland
Stream
%a Bat Roosting Site(X Chinese Bullfrog%U Javan Mongoose(X Narrow-mouthed Frog#Y Painted Snipe Nesting Site#Y Male Painted Snipe with Chicks
Egretry
Species of Ecological InterestAilanthus fordiiPavetta hongkongensis
Fanling Bypass
Study Area (500m from NDA Boundary)
NDA BoundaryNDA Development
KEY
0 0.4 0.8
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File: c1750_29aug02.aprDate: 29/08/02
FIGURE 8.4b Environmental Resources Management
Fanling North NDA - Habitat Map
HabitatsActive Dry Agricultural LandInactive Dry Agricultural LandActive Wet Agricultural LandInactive Wet Agricultural Land
PondActive Fish PondInactive Fish Pond
Marsh
Lowland ForestGrassland - Shrubland Mosaic
PlantationOrchardDevelopment AreaWasteland
Stream
%a Bat Roosting Site(X Chinese Bullfrog%U Javan Mongoose(X Narrow-mouthed Frog#Y Painted Snipe Nesting Site#Y Male Painted Snipe with Chicks
Species of Ecological Interest
Fanling Bypass
Study Area (500m from NDA Boundary)
NDA BoundaryNDA Development
KEY
KilometresN
0 0.4 0.8
• Determine amount of habitat lost
• Refer to total habitat in area of Hong Kong
• Ecological value of habitat
• Presence of rare species
• Effects on Species of Conservation Concern
• Habitat fragmentation/ isolation
• Noise/ human disturbance
• Water quality
Ecological Assessment for NENT Study
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Sewage Treatment Works
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File: C1750_2908_v2.aprDate: 28/08/2002
FIGURE 8.4aa Environmental Resources Management
N
Long Valley - Habitat Map(The boundary of 'Long Valley' as indicated in the report was delineated
based on on the result of the twelve month ecological survey)
Key
Developed Area
HabitatsActive Dry Agricultural LandInactive Dry Agricultural LandActive Wet Agricultural LandInactive Wet Agricultural Land
Pond
Marsh(X Chinese Bullfrog%U Javan Mongoose(X Narrow-mouthed Frog#Y Painted Snipe Nesting Site
Male Painted Snipe with Chicks#Y
Species of Ecological Interest
NDA BoundaryNDA Development
Long Valley
0 100 200 300 400Metres
Area can be used for Habitat Enhancement in Long Valley
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Conclusions
• GIS based assessment tools are non-dispensable tools in strategic environmental assessment and planning
• PATH is a useful tool to compare air quality impact from different development scenarios and to develop control strategies
• Noise exposure system is capable of producing population exposure forecast for different districts for future land use planning
• GIS-based habitat map is used to provide calculation of habitat loss for assessment of the potential ecological impact for strategic environmental assessment