Extrium

Extrium's Managing Director, Nigel Jones, is joining the EIC's Green Data Webinar panel on 14 December 2020, to explore the impact of Covid 19 on environmental data management.

The panel will explore how the pandemic has led to an urgent need to analyse, use and combine different data sets to gain a rapid understanding the spread and impact of the virus, and its impact on a breadth of social and environmental factors. This has created both challenges and opportunities for the way we manage and use environmental data.

The event is being organised by The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) and is part of a series of webinars, sponsored by the Natural Environment Research Council, exploring COVID-19's impact on environmental data management, innovation and a green economic recovery, and environmental data and the future of planning.

Free booking and further information is available at: http://eic-uk.co.uk/event/green-data-webinars/

Extrium will be presenting at the Institute of Acoustic's rescheduled Acoustics 2020 during the week of 5-9 October 2020. Managing Director, Nigel Jones, will present 2 forward looking papers focussing on the future of environmental noise modelling policy and its relationship with related disciplines and the changing face of technology.

The first paper, on Monday 5 October, will focus on work undertaken for the Welsh Government in updating the Synergies and Conflicts between Noise and Air Quality. The presentation will focus on the findings of Extrium's recently published report.

The second paper on Friday 9 October explores the opportunities and requirements for the future of noise modelling that are brought about by changes in the digital and geospatial data landscape

Extrium has been commissioned by Public Health England to develop a new Toolkit for environmental noise burden of disease assessments.

The project will see Extrium working in conjunction with the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability (CEHS) at the University of Leicester to deliver a new digital calculation tool that will enable the accurate quantification of the health effects of noise in the UK, taking into account relevant interventions.

The tool will be draw upon the project team's expertise in digital and geospatial data science in noise, air pollution and health data. The tool, which is to be developed in R along with associated guidance, will allow PHE to perform burden of disease and comparative risk assessments associated with environmental noise exposure at local up to national scales.

The project is due to be concluded in March 2021.

Extrium's Manging Director, Nigel Jones, will be joining an expert panel at a joint BSi/IoA workshop to engage more widely with potential users of the proposed new BSi British Standard for the Calculation of Sound Levels Outdoors (CLSO). The IoA / BSi Future of Road and Rail Noise Modelling in the UK workshop will take place on 22nd March 2020

Nigel is a founding member of BSi Committee EH/001/02 Transport Noise which has been looking at the development of a potential new standard for the Calculation of Sound Levels Outdoors (CSLO). The aim of the new Standard will be to align with the emerging digital data infrastructures we see in transport, planning and health.

Nigel will lead discussion of the relevance of digital environmental data in the development of the new standard. Topics will cover changes in the way of working and looking at the role modelling and data choices play in our ability to gain knowledge on environmental noise and its health effects. Nigel will also consider the effect of different modelling scales and levels of detail and will look at international and national data standards and initiatives of relevance to noise modelling.

Extrium is delighted to see the publication of Extrium's report “Update of the synergies and conflicts between air quality and noise".

The report provides a valuable update to research undertaken nearly 20 years ago, by considering how noise and air quality intervention measures might interact with one another – whether they act in synergy, or in conflict. The report provides an integrated framework to enable noise interventions to be considered alongside air quality interventions included in current air quality guidance.

The wide-ranging report, which was drafted in conjunction with several industry experts, also identifies international best practice examples of combined air quality and noise action planning are also identified. Recommendations are also presented for ways in which the planning process and technical delivery of projects can be improved using digital geospatial tools to facilitate an integrated approach to air quality and noise management.

The full report is available at: https://gov.wales/update-synergies-and-conflicts-between-air-quality-and-noise-report

Extrium is providing geospatial analytical services to a residents group in Tunbridge Wells to help them understand the implications of a proposed local plan.

The historic Spa Town of Royal Tunbridge Wells has expanded in recent decades. The old road layout, combined with the historic location of schools, the selective school's policy and location of workplaces causes high levels of congestion in the towns arterial transport routes. This in turn leads to high pollution levels – the Borough Council has declared an Air Quality Management Area which also coincides with several Noise Important Areas.

Extrium are utilising government schools, admissions and transport open data to model correlations between school catchments, residential settlements, congestion and pollution. The analysis will enable residents to understand the potential effects of new house building on the town's transport infrastructure and local environmental quality and to provide an evidence-based response to the local plan consultation.

Extrium are delighted to have played a key role in the production of the England Round 3 Strategic Noise Maps, which have been published by Defra today.

The maps cover Road and Rail noise sources and have each been published for 3 indicators: Laeq, 16h, Lden and Lnight.

Extrium led the production of the Road noise map, performing all input data sourcing and preparation as well as noise calculations in a record 4-month timeframe. The timescales were achievable due to Extrium's streamlined data management processes which have been developed over the last 15 years.

The England Rail noise maps also saw Extrium producing all input data, a process undertaken in close collaboration with the Network rail and other organisations in the rail industry. Extrium worked in partnership with the rail industry to automate data flows from rail industry databases directly to the 3-dimensional noise model.

The final noise maps can be seen on Extrium's England Noise and Air Quality Viewer

Extrium has completed an updated environmental noise exposure analysis for Wales.

The analysis follows the production of the Round 3 strategic road, railway and industry noise maps for Wales, which were also produced by Extrium for the Welsh Government.

The analysis compares the changes in exposure to environmental noise between 2012 and 2017 and considers exposure for the Lden and Lnight indicators in the vicinity of major transport sources and within agglomerations.

The exposure statistics were generated using automated property level demographic data across Wales.

The report is available: https://gov.wales/estimated-environmental-noise-levels

Extrium prepared and presented two papers at ACOUSTICS 2018 in Cardiff. The papers are available below:

Updating the synergies and conflicts between air quality and noise action planning presented by Nigel Jones available here.

The future of strategic noise mapping-intelligent design to support intelligent policy presented by Matthew Burdett available here.

Extrium Director, Nigel Jones, has joined British Standards Committee EH/001/02 Transport Noise.

Nigel has been invited to provide expertise in geographic science and environmental modelling, reflecting his knowledge gained through delivering many environmental noise mapping projects and assisting the European Commission with the new Common Noise Assessment for Europe (CNOSSOS-EU).

Nigel has worked closely with the implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive for the last 15 years and has provided advice to policy makers as well as directing some of the world's largest noise mapping projects. He has worked with the European Commission on the development of CNOSSOS-EU since 2009 and has recently led the development of CNOSSOS-EU software and databases which will underpin delivery of the Environmental Noise Directive from 2018 onwards.

Nigel's expertise in the technical aspects of noise modelling and mapping as well as broader knowledge of licensing, open data, project design and future technology will be available to the Committee.

The RSSB (formerly the Rail Safety and Standards Board) has appointed Extrium to support the implementation of Round 2 Noise Action Plans in England.

Under terms of the England Noise Action Plans for Agglomerations and the Noise Action Plan for Railways (including Major Railways), published by Defra in 2014, the Department for Transport and the Rail industry – including ORR, Network Rail, Freight and Passenger Train Operators – will examine railway noise Important Areas and form a view about what measures, if any, might be taken in order to assist with the implementation of the Government's policy on noise. This process is facilitated by RSSB.

The project will involve identifying noise mitigation measures and options at over 600 locations across the English rail network where relatively high noise exposure has been identified, following the strategic noise mapping project completed by Extrium in 2013 on behalf of Defra.

The results of the noise mapping and locations of Important Areas can be seen in the Extrium Noise Viewer.

Extrium, the specialist environmental and geospatial consultancy, has been awarded a three-year framework agreement by Government Procurement Service

Government Procurement Service is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, providing procurement savings for the UK public sector as a whole and specifically to deliver centralised procurement for Central Government Departments.

Effective from 1st May 2012, the Environmental and Sustainability Advice, Support and Delivery Services (ESASDS) framework enables Extrium to provide policy and technical advice on noise and statutory nuisances to all parts of the UK Public Sector.

Nigel Jones, Managing Director of Extrium, said, “We are delighted to have been appointed as a supplier to the ESASDS Framework and fully support Government Procurement Service's objectives of delivering centralised procurement and savings for the UK public sector at this time of austerity. This success reflects Extrium's ability to deliver innovative and policy relevant solutions and will serve to support the company's continued expansion

Notes on Extrium
Extrium offers a range of specialist environmental and geospatial services, based around an in depth knowledge and understanding of European and domestic environmental policy and related technical requirements.

Extrium is already an established and trusted advisor and supplier to the public sector, including the European Commission, European Environment Agency, Defra, Welsh Government, Highways Agency and Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland.

Notes on Framework
Under the new Framework Agreement Government Procurement Service customers will be able to purchase environmental and sustainability advice, support and delivery services, covering a wide range of areas.

The framework agreement was designed in consultation with Government stakeholders, including Defra and the Environment Agency, and is for use by public-sector bodies, including central government departments and their Arms Length Bodies and agencies, non departmental public bodies, NHS bodies and local authorities.

Contact
Wendy Dray: +44 (0)1892 704042; wendy.dray@extrium.co.uk

Extrium were invited to present a paper at the ESRI (UK) Annual Conference 2010 showing how Geographical Information Systems can shape a sustainable future. London Hilton Metropole, London (10-11 May 2010).

This presentation can be downloaded by clicking here

Extrium has recently worked with Defra to analyse the potential noise impacts of the 10 mph speed increase being considered by the Department for Transport.

DfT recently announced their intention to consult on raising the national speed limit on motorways from 70 to 80 mph. In advance of this consultation, Extrium, as part of their Acoustic Modelling and GIS Advice contract, was commissioned by Defra to investigate the potential scale of the impacts in terms of the quantity of roads impacted and potential number of dwellings affected.

Extrium, in close consultation with Defra, designed and carried out a national scale spatial analysis project. This involved the careful selection and preparation of datasets including the detailed OS MasterMap Integrated Transport Network Roads and AddressLayer2 data products. Extrium also designed the analytical methodology which included the development of scripts to automate aspects of the analytical environment, in order to maximise efficiency and to help Defra meet a tight deadline.

The entire project, from initial request to final delivery, was completed to specification in less than 3 days. The results of Extrium's work have provided Defra with an objective, evidence based understanding of the potential impacts of the proposed change.

Extrium is proud to announce its accreditation to the internationally recognised quality management system standard ISO 9001:2008. ISO 9001 requires organisations to demonstrate that they have a quality management system in place to ensure consistence and improvement; leading to high levels of performance and customer satisfaction.

ISO 14001:2004, the internationally recognised standard for an organisation's Environmental Management System, has also been awarded to Extrium in recognition for their environmental policy and action plan to manage their impact on their environment.

Certified organisations are committed to continuous improvement and are assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained. By registration to the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards Extrium benefits from streamlining their procedures and brings consistency to their service delivery.

Nigel Jones, Director of Extrium said, “We are delighted to achieve accreditation, gaining recognition for our commitment to quality and the environment and to continuous improvement. This recognition demonstrates we can provide a quality solution from quotation to delivery".

"We are particularly pleased to have been given this accolade at our first attempt which underlines our commitment to our clients and our focus on quality and environmental management," he added.

The award was made through the British Assessment Bureau, a leader in assessing business processes and products against internationally recognised standards.

Extrium has successfully launched a secure website to support the implementation of Noise Action Plans in Wales.

Under the terms of the Environmental Noise Directive and the Environmental Noise (Wales) Regulations (2006) the Welsh Government has an obligation to develop and implement Noise Action Plans. This process requires the exchange of a wide variety of information, much of which is spatial in nature, e.g. the locations of noise hotspots and the locations of proposed quiet areas.

Extrium previously helped implement the first large scale noise maps in Wales in 2007 and worked closely with the Welsh Government in drafting the Noise Action Plans in 2009. By combining this policy knowledge with technical capabilities in web and mapping technology, Extrium has been able to design and develop an online tool that enables registered stakeholders to view and exchange mapped information, reports, ideas and best practice in a secure and user friendly platform.

The website makes clever use of commercial and OGC compliant open source technologies, including Google StreetView, OpenLayers API and GeoServer. Data is served via a WMS feed from various remote servers managed by Extrium and the Welsh Government, to be seamlessly integrated in the website's mapping tool. The website also provides tools which enable and facilitate the transfer of information and knowledge amongst stakeholders, through the use of user login encryption, online databases, forums, file transfer capabilities and live data querying.

As a result of the project, the Welsh Government can quickly convey current information in simple intuitive map format, and stakeholders are able to better understand noise and develop effective noise reduction measures in their area.