Finding concise, objective solutions to complex environmental problems
Finding concise, objective solutions to complex environmental problems
Services
Emission Inventory Development
Emission inventory development at all temporal and spatial scales including in support of photochemical air quality model simulations. Examples include national planning emission inventory development for Canada; facility-level inventories for roadways, airports, shipping ports, rail yards and oil sands mining/extraction operations; and US regulatory plan development including State Implementation Plans. Pollutant/species include criteria pollutants, greenhouse gases and toxic compounds.
Data Analysis
Analysis of emissions and ambient measurement data. Emissions test data include laboratory, certification, product line and in-use field testing in support of compliance validation and for identifying key modeling variables of significance. Development of the interface between emissions test data and emission inventory software development.
Software Design / Review / Training
Design of emission inventory estimation and processing software; review of data sources used to populate regulatory environmental models. Programming platforms/languages include FORTRAN, Visual Basic, database (SQL/Access/SPSS) and spreadsheet. Examples of software developed or reviewed include MOVES, EMFAC, NONROAD, MOBILE, OFFROAD and EPS. Development of spreadsheet tools includes a "best-practices" emission inventory analysis tool for lead (Pb) emissions from piston-engine aircraft.
Regulatory Impact Analyses
Completion of impact analyses (emissions, costs, health impacts) for both the regulator and the regulated industries. Completion of stakeholder review of proposed and final environmental rulemakings for on-road and off-highway vehicle, engine and equipment manufacturers as well as transportation fuel producers. Evaluation of regulatory alternatives for stakeholder consideration. Preparation of formal commentary as part of rulemaking process.
Lifecycle Analyses, Conventional and Renewable Fuels
Application of lifecycle analyses of transportation fuel development using GREET, Biograce and GHGenius models to determine criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas impacts. Technical evaluations to support renewable, low-carbon fuel applications for California, U.S. EPA and European Union. Statistical analysis of fuel parameters and fuel additives to evaluate environmental impact of parameter variation.
Compliance Planning
Development of environmental compliance and product planning for on-road and off-highway vehicle/engine manufacturers (new sales) and fleet owners (in-use).
Guidance Methods / Peer Review
Development of guidance emission inventory methods for individual mobile source sectors and for processing inventories for photochemical model applications. Completion of independent, expert peer reviews of various transportation sector sources and transportation fuel production for the U.S. EPA, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Coordinating Research Council.
Air Quality Modeling
Application of steady-state Gaussian dispersion models for micro-scale air quality modeling. Experience includes roadway and facility evaluations using CALINE, CAL3QHC, CAL3QHCR, ISC and AERMOD.