National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark, wins International Green Apple award

A prestigious international award has been presented to The National Environmental Research Institute (NERI), Denmark. NERI was the Gold Winner of the International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice, 2003. The award was presented by The Green Organisation at The House of Commons, London, United Kingdom, November 6, 2003 at a ceremony hosted by the Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt, MP, Secretary of State for Trade & Industry and Minister for Women.

NERI won the award for the THOR integrated model system for air pollution forecasts and management. The THOR system is a low cost, comprehensive and unique integrated air pollution model system. The model system includes several meteorological and air pollution models capable of diverse applications at different spatial and temporal scales. The system is capable of accurate and high resolution three-days forecasting of weather and air pollution from regional scale over urban background scale and down to individual street canyons in cities – on both sides of the streets. Coupling models over different scales makes it possible to account for contributions from local, near-local as well as remote emission sources in order to describe the air quality at a specific location - e.g. in a street canyon or in a park. The system is used for detailed information and warning of the public in cases of high air pollution levels and for policy management (e.g. by emission reduction or traffic scenarios). THOR is furthermore used in connection with urban and background monitoring programs.

The judges’ citation reads:
"An innovative and low cost air pollution model system has been developed as part of the campaign to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution. The system has adaptations from broad and long-range levels, right down to particular problems of individual streets. It also can be adopted for use world-wide."

Further information:

Senior Scientist, Head of Section, PhD, Jørgen Brandt, jbr@dmu.dk

From the award ceremony at The House of Commons, London, November 6, 2003. Simon Fordham, Head of Environment, The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), presents the gold award to Senior Scientist and Head of Section, Jørgen Brandt.

NERI was the Gold Winner of the International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice, 2003. The Green Apple Awards are now in their ninth year and well established as one of the major environmental recognition schemes.