On April 26th we hosted EMISSIONS & AIR QUALITY Smart Class 2023 at Greencoat Place Conference Centre, London. This Smart Class offered a fresh take on deploying the latest digital technology-enabled solutions, data-driven strategies and best practices to improve urban air quality and drive down emissions and air pollution in our cities and regions.
As usual, our videographer has captured the keynotes and innovator presentations on film for additional stakeholders to enjoy post-event!
If you meet our regular delegate qualification criteria but were unable to join us on the day, just complete the short application form at the bottom of this page and we’ll give you complimentary access to the presentation videos, recordings and slides.
Our inspirational keynotes and innovator speakers included: Angela Halliwell, Head of the Carbon and Air Quality Group at National Highways; Daniel Marsh, Programme Manager for the Centre for Low Emission Construction at Imperial College London; Ella Patel, Technical Presales Consultant at Vortex, part of Marston Holdings; Hannah Winstanley, Senior Director for the EMEA Client Services Centre at Brightly, a Siemens Company; and Vanessa Ambler, Owner and Managing Director of We Care 4 Air.
The Smart Class also featured thought provoking Q&As, engaging roundtable sessions hosted by the innovator teams (which, in addition to the speakers, included the contributions of Nick Ruxton-Boyle from Vortex/Marston Holdings, Daniel Mills and Mark Rowe from Brightly, and Alex Sugden and Kathy Sutton from We Care 4 Air) and further networking opportunities over breakfast, drinks and a cooked lunch.
There was invaluable delegate input into these discussions on behalf of key stakeholders such as Transport for London (TfL), Cross River Partnership, Department for Transport, National Highways, CLEC, City of London Corporation, Hackney Council, London Borough of Barnet, London Borough of Ealing, London Borough of Islington, London Councils, Medway Council, Oxford City Council, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, Epping Forest District Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Herefordshire Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Surrey County Council, Warwickshire County Council, Waterman Group, WSP and more!
Topic highlights included:
- National Highways’ journey to date on delivering their net zero plan and air quality programme – Route from strategy to innovation;
- Corporate emissions, maintenance & construction emissions and road user emissions;
- Supporting net zero customer journeys – From active travel schemes to bus and coach plans;
- Readying the road network for electric vehicles – Project Rapid;
- Managing speeds to reduce emissions and improve air quality;
- Trialing filter-based technologies to remove nitrogen dioxide and fine dust from ingested air;
- New (publishing by May 9th) National Highways’ environmental sustainability strategy – A vision of the future highlighting the intersectionality of carbon, nature and communities;
- Why is now the time to implement a clean air project?
- Deciding on your goal – From school streets, air quality management areas, clean air zones, low emission zones and low traffic neighbourhoods, to community outreach, legislative compliance, carbon neutrality and ESG;
- How to take the first step to implementing a successful clean air project;
- The importance of monitoring pre and post project delivery to validate environmental outcomes;
- Harnessing real-time data to inform clean air strategies;
- Case study – Cardiff Council: Enhanced hyper local air quality monitoring network;
- Case study – British steel manufacturer: Personal tracking, vibration monitoring, noise monitoring;
- Using connected asset management to improve air quality and measure and track emissions from highways operations and maintenance activities;
- Enabling smarter assets to deliver sustainable communities – Examples ranging from air quality sensors on street lights to carbon sequestration from parks and green spaces;
- ISO 55000 – A framework to manage assets across their whole lifecycle in a sustainable and consistent way;
- Carbon intensity and the economic, social and environmental value of an asset – e.g. carriageways, pipes, traffic signals, bollards, signs, verges, bus stops, CCTV, fencing, bridges, street furniture, waste bins, cycleways, trees, play areas, light rail, allotments, gullies and drains, footways, road markings etc;
- United nations SDGs – 17 sustainable development goals to transform our world;
- Green infrastructure, liquid trees and classroom climate use case;
- Air quality impacts from construction and demolition;
- Route map to net zero construction – How is this achieved by an industry that is currently diesel dependent?
- Why is emissions inventory important?
- Imperial College London’s cutting edge research with HS2 and other partners to create diesel free construction sites;
- Alternative fuel trials;
- Exhaust retrofit technology;
- Clean air gas engines and engine telematics;
- Energy storage-recovery systems and energy management systems;
- The future of electric;
- Hydrogen dual-fuel vehicles, hydrogen fuel-cell power generators and the potential of hydrogen to decarbonise sectors;
- Policy influence – e.g. GLA low emission zone for construction machinery, removal of diesel tax incentives, BEIS funded innovation competitions and impact of urban health lobbying for change;
- Anti-idling tool kits;
- Air quality and smart cities – Innovation, design and education;
- Lessons for the UK from the daunting air quality challenges across South East Asia;
- Eco Delta Smart Village, Busan – Case study;
- Urban challenges and the role of zero emission delivery zones;
- The human factor – Monitoring, surveys, education and behaviour change;
- Cabinet innovations – Air flow, heat reduction, sustainable materials, IoT sensors etc
Those qualifying to receive the presentation videos and rich media content from this event include commissioning, procurement, trialling, partnering and policy leads, senior influencers, strategic decision makers, environmental managers, programme managers and planners from local authorities (e.g. city, borough, metropolitan, district and county councils); public and private transport operators/service providers; sub-regional transport bodies, combined authorities, integrated transport authorities and passenger transport executives; freight and logistics operators; airports and port operators; vehicle manufacturers; energy providers; potential partners from industry (e.g. retail, construction, manufacturing and waste management sectors) and healthcare; DfT, Defra, EA, BEIS, DHSC and supporting national agencies; prime contractors etc.
Register your details via the “Download form” below to receive a unique link enabling complimentary access!
