Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas
IETU NEWS
w w w. i e t u . k a t o w i c e . p l
No 10, July 2013
IETU in the European Commission’s Programmes
In 2013, like in the previous years, most of
IETU’s research activities are financed from
the European Commission’s funds. At the
moment we are involved in 12 research and
development projects, financed under the
EU 7th Framework Programme, Innovative
Economy Programme, Life+ and Central
Europe Programme.
IETU has been participating in the
European Union research programmes since
1994 and so far has realised over 30 projects. This year international consortia with
IETU’s participation are involved in 6 EU FP7
projects which will end in the years 20142016. These are:
- TIMBRE – Tailored Improvement
of Brownfield Regeneration in Europe
- PREPARED – Adaptation of water and
sewage management to climate changes
- DEMOCLOCK – Demonstration of a Costeffective CO2 Capture Technology
- IRCOW – Innovative Strategies for
High-grade Material Recovery from
Construction and Demolition Waste
- THERMACO – Smart Thermal Conductive
Al MMCs by Casting
- ECOPOL – Accelerating Eco-innovation
Policies.
In 2014 IETU will begin the realisation of a new
project: Phyto2Energy – Phytoremediation
Driven Energy Crops Production on Heavy Metal
Degraded Areas as Local Energy Carrier, also
within the FP7: Marie Curie Industry – Academia
Partnerships and Pathways.
Soon two projects financed by the Central
Europe Programme (CircUse – Circular
Flow Land Use Management) and Life+
(ENVEUROPE – Environmental Quality and
Pressures Assessment across Europe: the LTER
Network as an Integrated and Shared System for
Ecosystem Monitoring) will come to an end.
The scope of research includes environmental management, revitalisation of the
areas degraded by industry and implementation of eco-innovations and environmental technologies. IETU’s research activity
is focused on the application of developed
organisational solutions in environmental management at a local, regional and
European level. I hope, that the possibilities
offered to the research units by the Horizon
2020 Programme will enable us to create
– in cooperation with our foreign par tners research projects of a European dimension.
Horizon 2020 aims to maintain the balance
between large and small scale projects,
which is beneficial for us as in these small
scale projects IETU’s chances seem to be
much higher.
Dr. Janina Fudała
Deputy Director for Research and Development
[email protected]
Land recycling, or how to use urban space wisely
Christophe Ebermann, Central Europe Joint Technical
Secretariat
The Conference Sustainable Urban Land
Use, summing up the Circular Flow Land
Use Management project (CircUse), was
held on 27-28 May 2013, gathering over
120 representatives of science, communal
administration and professional organisations. Dr. Anna Starzewska-Sikorska, project coordinator, points out that CircUse,
while searching for a better perspective
to continue urban transformation, takes
a full-scale look at the revitalisation issues in the aspect of environmental pro-
tection, social issues, economy, spatial
planning, architecture, landscape, as well
as culture and management at a local, regional or national level.
The main goal of the CircUse project
is strengthening the post-industrial site
management systems by applying the circular flow land use management method
in the cities.
to be continued on page 4
In this issuse:
IETU in the European Commission’s Programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 1
Visit to Piekary Śląskie – green area developed under
the project
Land recycling, or how to use urban space wisely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 1
in2in – meteorological modelling at IETU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 2
ZiZOZap – Integrated Support System for Management and Protection
of Water Dam Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
The project is implemented through the Central Europe
Programme co-financed by the ERDF
Let’s protect children from lead and cadmium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
IETU WIADOMOŚCI
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www.ietu.katowice.pl
in2in – meteorological modelling at IETU
A new computing cluster, purchased under the in2in project, will enable performing complex
parallel calculations in a relatively short time. Therefore, the MATLAB specialist software
and two meteorological models: Weather Research and Forecasting (weather forecast) and
Chimere (air pollutant transport model) may be used for air quality assessment, meteorological
modelling as well as other complex computing tasks.
To analyse environmental phenomena dependant on the meteorological conditions the
data concerning spatial distribution and time
variability of a meteorological phenomenon
are required. For instance, to determine the
contaminant transport trajectory it is essential to know a three-dimensional wind field
and the changes of the field in time. It can be
obtained through modelling of meteorological parameters taking into consideration the
applicable physical laws.
Before 2007 IETU used meteorological
data modelled in other centres. In 2007 the
assemble of a MM5 computing cluster was
started. The MM5 cluster consists of five
quad-core computers and enables generating four-dimensional meteorological data for
Poland.
In this way, the following data were obtained:
1.
Meteorological data for the Silesian
Voivodship for the SINZAP pollution dispersion model, used in the air quality assessment performed for the Voivodship
Inspectorate for Environmental Protection
in Katowice,
2.
Meteorological data for the Czech
Republic-Poland border region for model
ling emissions and concentrations of
PM10 and PM2.5 under the project
Improvement of the air quality in the
Czech Republic-Poland border region,
3.Meteorological data to determine the influx
of PM10 and PM2.5 to the areas of Diabla
Góra, Gdańsk and Katowice stations used
in the project Analysis of air pollution with
PM10 and PM2.5 taking into considera-
A. 2010-01-25, 10:00 AM - 11.00 PM
B. 2010-01-26, 11.00 PM till 2010-01-27, 2.00 PM
(248-741 mg/m3)
Fig.1. Model trajectories of PM10 flux
into the Katowice area
tion the chemical composition of dust and
influence of natural sources, made for the
General Inspectorate for Environmental
Protection.
In the coming years, the MM5 model
was replaced with a more complex Weather
Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. It
was activated in 2011 on the MM5 cluster. It
was used to analyse the impact of the height
of a surface mixing layer on the occurrence
of high dust concentrations in 2011 in the
areas of the Silesian Voivodship and the
Moravian-Silesian Region.
At present, meteorological modelling is
performed on a new SYBILLA cluster, which
was implemented under the in2in project.
The forecast time was shortened from 4.5
to 1.5 hours. Figure 1 illustrates precipitation and wind field forecasts based on wind
speed and direction measured at the METAR
stations.
Detailed information is available on the
website: www.in2in.pl
Fig. 2. Wind field and precipitation forecasts for Poland
Dr. Czesław Kliś
Atmospheric Research Department
[email protected]
The project: Development of IT infrastructure for collection, processing and analyses of environmental data (in2in) is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund
under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme.
IETU NEWS
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www.ietu.katowice.pl
ZiZOZap – Integrated Support System for Management and Protection
of Water Dam Reservoir
The results obtained during the study of the
Goczałkowicki reservoir and its surroundings can be
used by the local municipal authorities. The University
of Silesia, coordinator of the ZiZOZap project, carried
out negotiations concerning the cooperation in this
area with the authorities of Chybie, Czechowice,
Goczałkowice, Pszczyna and Strumień, as well as
the Pszczyna County Office. The cooperation documents were formally signed on the 16th January
2013.
Within the two years of the realisation of the
Integrated Support System for Management and
Protection of Water Dam Reservoir (ZiZOZap)
project, the researchers gathered nearly 10.5 million
of data from the carried out measurements and their
number is constantly going up. The database contains the results of hydrological condition studies,
hydrogeological data, studies of physic-chemical
conditions of water and bottom sediments, as well
as ecological indicators and hygienic indices on the
condition of flora and fauna in the reservoir and its
surroundings.
The scientists have completed the realisation of
two out of nine planned research tasks: the analysis
of archival data and the research monitoring, which
gave the basis to assign the areas for the operational
monitoring.
UŚKA – research boat enabling scientists to investigate the Goczałkowice Reservoir
As pointed out by Dr. Paweł Miguła from the
University of Silesia, the project coordinator: The
data, gathered in database systems are used for
modelling the reservoir’s performance. We analyse
the optimal solution scenarios to reduce conflicts
resulting from diverse functions of water reservoirs.
On the basis of the obtained research results and
water management scenarios, a numeric model of a
water dam reservoir is being developed. It will enable
the current assessment of qualitative and functional
condition of the reservoir as well as simulations and
forecast of its changes. Practically, the reservoir
models system will enable predicting the quantitative and qualitative changes in water resources, influencing water treatment processes and predicting
water fertility and other changes in the reservoir and
the surrounding ecosystems.
More information can be found at: www.zizozap.pl
Wanda Jarosz
Promotion Department
[email protected]
Project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme.
Let’s protect children from lead and cadmium
Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas in cooperation
with the Piekary Śląskie City Council has been implementing a project funded by the National Fund for
Environmental Protection and Water Management:
Let’s Protect Children from Lead and Cadmium –
Assessment of Preschoolers’ Exposure in Piekary
Śląskie.
Piekary Śląskie is one of the cities in the Silesian
Voivodship which are heavily polluted by toxic metals
emitted by industry. Concentrations of cadmium and
lead in soil exceed the limit values established for residential areas and agricultural soils. Despite the metal
emission reduction lead and cadmium compounds
still pose a significant threat, especially for sensitive
children population.
The aim of the project is to protect the preschool
children from harmful influence of toxic metals occurring in the environment.
The research is carried out among 4-5 years’ old
children from all kindergartens in Piekary Śląskie.
Parents/caretakers receive information on the child’s
health condition including the lead and cadmium exposure assessment, and in the case of the increased
blood concentrations of these metals – recommendations of relevant preventive measures. They also
receive some educational materials.
Within the educational activities an electronic
educational-information package “How to Protect
Children from Lead and Cadmium?” was prepared
to be uploaded on the websites of all kindergartens.
Moreover, a training course “How to Protect Children
from Lead and Cadmium?” was prepared, which will
be available on the IETU e-learning platform. On the
basis of questionnaires, the knowledge of the Piekary
Śląskie citizens on threats posed by toxic metals and
preventive actions to be taken will be assessed.
The obtained results will be sent to the Piekary
Śląskie City Council to be used for establishing proper
directions of the developed preventive measures.
Dr. Elżbieta Kulka
Environmental Risk Analysis Department
[email protected]
Project Implementation
Cooperation
The project is co-financed by the National
Institute for Ecology
of Industrial Areas
Piekary Śląskie
City Council
Fund for Environmental Protection
and Water Management
IETU NEWS
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Land recycling, or how to use urban space wisely
continued from page 1
7th International Conference on
This method is an economical and spatial
planning tool for communities, but it can
also be a useful tool on a regional scale.
It is an instrument suppor ting balanced
land management, taking into consideration economical, social and environmental goals. The project, realised from
2010 to 2013, is an application project
and contributes to the development of
balanced spatial management methods,
taking into account the needs of environmentally-friendly spatial recycling.
The CircUse consor tium consists of 6
research units and 6 local administration
representatives from Austria, the Czech
Republic, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and
Italy. The project is coordinated by the
Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas.
With the application of the worked out
method and the new tools for its implementation development scenarios for
6 pilot areas in Austria, Germany, Italy,
Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic
were prepared.
The pilot area in Poland was Brzeziny
– a district of Piekary Śląskie, in the
case of which not only an action plan
was prepared, but also a 14-hectares’
post-industrial area was developed, creating a green recreational ground. During
the Conference Mr. Zenon Przywara,
Vice-President of Piekary Śląskie, said:
We planted 400 trees, created over 1
kilometre long footpath running through
the gully. You can play chess, volleyball;
there are some sandpits and a cycling
path. We will continue developing this
area, new paths will be built as well as
an energy garden, where we will plant
energy species, i.a. Sida hermaphrodi
ta. Management of the 120 hectares’
post-industrial land in the Brzeziny district was handed down to the EkoPark
co-partnership.
Detailed information is available on the
website: www.circuse.eu
Innovative Solutions
for Revitalisation
of Degraded Areas
Ustroń, 2-4 October 2013
Deadline for the submission
of abstracts 1 July 2013
Registration of participants
20 September 2013
www.revitare-conf.pl
Organizers
Honourary patronage
Media patronage
Wanda Jarosz
Promotion Department
[email protected]
Recommended IETU’s publications
Sustainable Consumption Strategies in the European
Union this is a publication of Dr. Beata Michaliszyn focuses on sustainable consumption and the ways of its development. The authoress, in the four chapters of her book,
takes up the topic of theoretical, legal and political aspects
of the European Union sustainable development concept,
essence and indices of sustainable consumption, its strategies, including a comparative analysis and assessment of
this concept in Great Britain and Poland.
Publishing house: Ekonomia i Środowisko,
ISBN: 978-83-61643-29-6.
The book is available free of charge at the Authoress
[email protected]
(Editors)
Scientific successes
of IETU’s employees
We are pleased to announce that on the 4th of
June 2013 our colleague Mr. Jacek Krzyżak defended his Doctor’s thesis entitled “Supported
Phytostabilisation of Heavy Metals in Soils”.
His supervisor was Dr. Grażyna Płaza,
Professor of IETU. The defence took place
at the Institute of Environmental Protection
Engineering at the Wrocław University of
Technology. The dissertation received positive
reviews, and during a public discussion the
candidate held professional discussions with
the members of the Institute’s Scientific Board.
The Board granted Mr. Jacek Krzyżak a scientific degree of a Doctor of Technical Sciences
in Environmental Engineering. Congratulations
and the best wishes of further successes in the
scientific work.
(Editors)
Editorial staff: Wanda Jarosz, Ewa Cimander-Staszak – Promotion Department
Contact phone: +48 32 254 60 31 ext. 136, 280, email: [email protected]
Photos: M. Grucka, W. Jarosz
Translation: Mirosława Cyrana-Szram, Katarzyna Łoskot
IETU NEWS
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