Air Pollution 2012

20th International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution

16 – 18 May 2012,  A Coruña, Spain

Organiser

Wessex Institute of Technology, UK

Description

Air Pollution 2012 is the 20th international conference in this successful series dealing with Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution organised by the Wessex Institute of Technology.

This successful series first started in Mexico (1993) and continued in Barcelona (1994); Halkidiki (1995); Toulouse (1996); Bologna (1997); Genova (1998); San Francisco (1999); Cambridge, UK (2000); Ancona (2001); Segovia (2002); Catania (2003); Rhodes (2004); Cordoba (2005); the New Forest (2006); the Algarve (2007); Skiathos (2008); Tallinn (2009); Kos (2010) and Malta (2011). These meetings have attracted outstanding contributions from leading researchers from around the world with all papers since 1993 permanently stored in the Wessex Institute eLibrary at http://library.witpress.com.

Air pollution is one of the most challenging problems facing the international community; it is widespread and growing in importance, and has clear and known impacts on health and the environment. The human need for transport,  manufactured goods and services brings with it impacts on the atmospheric environment at scales from local to global. The rate of development of the global economy brings new pressures and the willingness of governments to regulate air  pollution is often balanced by concerns over the economic impact of such regulation. Science is the key to identifying the nature and scale of air pollution impacts and is essential in the formulation of policies for regulatory decision-making.

Technology constantly brings new products to the consumers and with this comes the possibility of creating new contaminants. This development constantly demands research in the field of air pollution in order to better understand, prevent, or bring to acceptable levels, new pollution sources. The process of defining acceptable levels is demanding new research to understand better the impact of long term exposure to various pollutants, or mixtures where separate components can have synergistic effects. Improved knowledge of the effect of pollutants on human health forces periodic review of the regulations for air quality and emissions. Further research for improving monitoring and detection technology is required in order to be able to verify that the current regulations for air quality are satisfied, and to identify areas where further improvements are required.

The goal of this conference is to bring together researchers who are active in the study of air contaminants and to exchange information through the presentation and discussion of papers dealing with the wide variety of topics described below. Case study papers are encouraged. Papers of a more theoretical nature, dealing with advanced mathematical and computational methods, will also be within the scope of the conference.

Topics

• Air pollution modelling
• Air quality management
• Air pollution mitigation
• Aerosols and particles
• Emissions studies
• Exposure and health effects
• Indoor air pollution
• Monitoring and measuring
• Case studies
• Air pollution and energy production
• Air pollution and sustainability
• Emerging technologies

Web Page

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/12-conferences/airpollution-2012.html

Urban Transport 2012

18th International Conference on Urban Transport and the Environment

15 - 17 May, 2012, A Coruña, Spain

Organiser

Wessex Institute of Technology, UK

Description

This international conference on Urban Transport and the Environment has successfully been reconvened annually for the last seventeen years. It has always attracted a wide international spread of delegates and is well established as the premier annual event of its type. It first started in Southampton in 1995; continuing in Barcelona (1996); Acquasparta, Italy (1997); Lisbon (1998); Rhodes (1999); Cambridge, UK (2000); Lemnos, Greece (2001); Seville (2002); Crete (2003); Dresden (2004); the Algarve (2005); WIT campus in the New Forest (2006); Coimbra (2007); Malta (2008); Bologna (2009); Cyprus (2010) and Pisa (2011).

The continuing requirement for better urban transport systems in general and the need for a healthier environment has led to an increased level of research around the world. This is reflected in the proceedings of this well-established meeting which demonstrates the steady growth of research into urban transport systems. The variety of topics covered by the conference are of primary importance for analysing the complex interactions of the urban transport environment and for establishing action strategies for transport and traffic problems.

Transportation in cities, with its related environmental and social concerns, is a topic of the utmost importance for urban authorities and central governments around the world. Urban transport systems require considerable studies to safeguard their operational use, maintenance and safety. They produce significant environmental impacts and can enhance or degrade the quality of life in urban centres. The emphasis is to seek transportation systems that minimize any ecological and environmental impact, are sustainable and help to improve the socioeconomic fabric of the city. Another area of concern addressed by the conference is that of public safety and security, seeking ways to protect passengers while retaining the efficiency of systems.

Topics

• Transport strategies
• Transport modelling and simulation
• Transport safety and security
• Public transport systems
• Land use and transport integration
• Environmental impact
• Rail transport strategies
• Infrastructure
• Transport technologies
• Intelligent transport systems
• Urban transport management
• Environmentally friendly transport modes
• Inter-modal transport systems

Web Page

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/12-conferences/urban-transport-2012.html

Sustainable City 2012

7th International Conference on Urban Regeneration and Sustainability

7 - 9 May 2012, Ancona, Italy

Organisers

Marche Polytechnic University, Italy
Wessex Institute of Technology, UK

Description

This conference aims to address the many inter-related aspects of the urban environment from transport and mobility to social exclusion and crime prevention. The meeting will build on the contributions made in previous conferences, which successfully managed to provide an international view of the problems facing modern cities and their solutions.

Urban areas produce a series of environmental challenges arising from the consumption of natural resources and the consequent generation of waste and pollution, contributing to the development of social and economic imbalances. All these problems, that continue to grow in our society, require the development of new solutions.

The Sustainable City 2012 follows six very successful meetings held in Rio (2000), Segovia (2002), Siena (2004), Tallinn (2006), Skiathos (2008) and A Coruña (2010). The conferences attracted a large number of contributions from participants from different backgrounds and countries. The variety of topics and experiences is one of the main reasons behind the success of the series.

Topics

• Planning, development and management
• The community and the city
• Urban strategies
• Landscape planning and design
• Urbanization of rural areas
• Architectural issues
• Cultural heritage issues
• Waste management
• Case studies
• Environmental management
• Sustainable energy and the city
• Transportation
• Intelligent environments and emerging technologies
• Urban metabolism
• Waterfront developments
• Planning for risk
• Quality of life
• Infrastructures and social services
• Sustainable urban tourism
• Vernacular architecture
• Planning for natural hazards

Web Page

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/12-conferences/sustainable-city-2012.html

Urban Water 2012

1st International Conference on the Design, Construction, Maintenance, Monitoring and Control of Urban Water Systems

25 – 27 April 2012, New Forest, UK

Organisers

Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Wessex Institute of Technology, UK

Description

Water systems in the urban environment comprise supply networks as well as sewage and storm drainage systems. They interact with each other and with water bodies such as rivers, lakes and aquifers, and this interaction affects the quality and quantity of the different systems.

As our cities continue to expand, their urban infrastructure needs to be re-evaluated and adapted to new requirements related to the increase in population and the growing areas under urbanisation. New water systems are also required to reduce the risk associated with floods, network failures and many others associated with inadequate networks. New systems should reduce economic losses and environmental impacts as well as promote a higher degree of reliability to users. Improved management, measurement and control mechanisms are needed to ensure the efficiency and safety of urban water systems.

Topics such as contamination and pollution discharges in urban water bodies, as well as the monitoring of water recycling systems are currently receiving a great deal of attention from researchers and professional engineers working in the water industry. Architects and town planners are also aware of the importance of the interaction between urban water cycles and city planning and landscaping. Management of all these aspects require the development of specialised computer tools that can respond to the increased complexity of urban water systems.

The conference will also discuss legal and regulatory aspects, in addition to more technical problems, involving the design, construction, maintenance, monitoring and control of urban water systems.

Topics

• Surface water and ground water sources
• Water supply networks
• Coping with water scarcity
• Leakage and losses
• Modelling systems
• Optimization and control
• Safety and security of water systems
• Maintenance and repairs
• Water quality
• Water and sustainability
• Water savings
• Water re-use
• Waste water treatment and disposal
• Structural works and infrastructure
• Networks design
• Real time control
• Water quality issues
• Combined sewer overflows
• Storage tanks
• Flood control
• Environmental impact
• Industrial waste water

Webpage

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/12-conferences/urban-water-2012.html

Ravage of the Planet 2011

Third International Conference on Management of Natural Resources, Sustainable Development and Ecological Hazards

13 - 15 December 2011, Malaysia

Organisers

Wessex Institute of Technology, UK
Universiti Teknologi Mara, Malaysia

Description

The success of the two previous International Conferences on Management of Natural Resources, Sustainable Development and Ecological Hazards (Ravage of the Planet), held in Bariloche, Argentina (2006) and in Gordons Bay, South Africa (2009), has led the organisers to reconvene the meeting in Malaysia.

The conference has always been well attended by a substantial group of scientists from all over the world, which underlines the concern of the international community regarding the state of the planet. The basic premise of the meeting is the need to determine urgent solutions before we reach a point of irreversibility.

Our current civilisation has fallen into a self-destructive process by which natural resources are consumed at an increasing rate. This process has now spread across the planet in search of further sources of energy and materials. The aggressiveness of this quest is such that the future of our planet is in the balance. The process is compounded by the pernicious effects of the resulting pollution.

The conference will discuss the objective of reaching sustainability in the framework of all different disciplines in order to arrive at optimal solutions. Hence this meeting is essentially transdisciplinary in order to find appropriate sustainable solutions, i.e. those involving collaboration across a wide range of disciplines. Like the first two, the aim of this conference is to take stock of our situation and try to facilitate constructive principles and policies for a way forward.

Topics

The re-encounter

• Science and humanities
• Arts and sciences
• Science and ethics

Political and social issues

• Social and sociological issues
• Environmental legislation and policy
• International agreements
• Crimes against nature

Planning and development

• City planning
• Regional planning and economics
• Spatial planning
• Sustainable transport
• Resource management
• Tourism and the environment
• Waste management

Safety

• Risk analysis, assessment and management
• Information and communication issues
• Transportation problems
• Emergency response
• Disaster prevention, control management and protection
• Protection of cultural and historical heritage

Health risks

• Water, air and soil problems
• Radiation fields
• Food contamination
• Housing and health
• Occupational health
• Social and economic issues
• Exposure and epidemiology

New technologies

• The impact of new technologies
• Energy-efficient technologies
• Eco-architecture

Learning from nature

• Design in nature
• Nature and architecture
• Solutions from nature
• Evolutionary studies

Ecology

• Natural resources management
• Biodiversity
• Sustainability indicators
• Environmental risk
• Recovery of damaged areas
• Ecosystems modelling
• Agricultural and forestation issues
• Landscape

Energy

• Renewable energy
• Nuclear energy
• Hydrocarbons
• Production of new energy
• Economics and political issues
• Energy conservation

Water Resources

• Water management and planning
• River basin and watershed management
• Sustainable water use
• Arid region problems
• Pollution monitoring and control

Air

• Air quality management
• Global and regional studies
• Climatology

Soil

• Agricultural issues
• Contamination
• Underground resources
• Remediation

Web Page

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/11-conferences/ravageoftheplanet-2011.html

Water and Society 2011

First International Conference on Water and Society

5 - 7 December 2011, Las Vegas, USA

Organisers

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
Wessex Institute of Technology

Description

This first International Conference on Water and Society aims to provide a multi-disciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of many issues affecting water resources today.

The meeting will encourage trans-disciplinary communication on issues related to the nature of water, and its use and exploitation by society. The conference is motivated by the need to bridge the gap between the broad spectrum of social sciences and humanistic disciplines and specialists in physical sciences, biology, environmental sciences, health and others that, in the words of Ilya Prigogine, constitute the “hard” sciences.

Water, as the source of all life, is the most precious substance on the planet. Its comparative abundance has led to many misuses which will seriously impair our common future. Problems such as water degradation and contamination are impossible to resolve without the participation of many different disciplines. These issues are, by definition, trans-national and relate to rights of states and hence it is essential to discuss these at international level to arrive at equitable and binding solutions that will ensure the rights of society to quality water supplies.

Topics

• The nature of water
• Water as a human right
• Water as the source of life
• Water in a changing climate
• Future water demands and adaptation strategies
• Water resources contamination
• Surface and sub-surface water resources
• Irrigation and desertification
• Water, sanitation and health
• Transnational water rights
• Legislation and controls
• Water through the ages
• Lessons to be learnt
• Water and disaster management

Web Page

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/11-conferences/waterandsociety-2011.html

Contact and Surface 2011

10th International Conference on Surface Effects and Contact Mechanics

21 - 23 September 2011, Malta

Organisers

Wessex Institute of Technology, UK
University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Description

The importance of contact and surface effects in modern engineering and their combined effects led the organisers to reconvene this 10th International Conference, which covers two related topics: Computational Methods and Experiments in Contact Mechanics and Surface Effects.

Nowadays the importance of contact and surface problems in many technological fields is well understood. They are complex and inherently non-linear due to the moving boundary and the different properties of materials, particularly along the contact surfaces. Structural components failure by wear, corrosion and high cycle fatigue are affected and initiated by the surface conditions. The use of surface treatments can reduce the cost of components and extend the life of the elements for surfaces undergoing contact, a problem that will be specifically addressed by the conference.

The meeting will particularly emphasise the application of advanced theories and experimental techniques. Participants will be encouraged to critically review existing ideas and to explore new areas of research.

The series first started in Southampton, UK (1993); continued in Ferrara and Milan, Italy (1995); Oxford, UK and Madrid, Spain (1997); Stuttgart, Germany and Assisi, Italy (1999); Seville, Spain (2001); Crete, Greece (2003); Bologna, Italy (2005); New Forest, UK (2007) and Algarve, Portugal (2009).

Topics

• Computer simulation
• Surface modification
• Surface treatments
• Surface problems in contact mechanics
• Contact mechanics
• Applications and case studies
• Indentation and hardness
• Thick and thin coatings
• Corrosion problems
• Nano-characterisation
• Test methodology
• Multiscale experiments and modelling
• Fracture fatigue and mechanics

Web Page

View the conference website, which has full details about the conference objectives, topics and submission requirements at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/11-conferences/contactandsurface-2011.html