A city-scale turbulence-resolving model as an essential element of integrated urban services.

Abstract

Large-eddy simulation (LES) models, such as the PALM modeling system in this study, are actively used for urban micro-climate modeling. We consider urban LES in a broader context as a mature high-resolution model for integrated urban services (IUS), which is an initiative of the World Meteorological Organization that provides a modeling component for urban decision-support systems. A decision-support system requires iterations of quantitative information from knowledge providers and qualitative expert assessments from communities of practice. We present two pilot PALM-aided IUS from the “Turbulent-resolving urban modeling of air quality and thermal comfort” (TURBAN) project. One pilot has its focus on an air quality service contributing to a decision-support system of the port of Bergen, Norway. Another pilot contributes to air quality and thermal comfort services in the city of Prague, Czech Republic. Co-production sessions with stakeholders identified critical enablers for urban LES in IUS. We present integration and interpretation of the modeling information within the decision-making process with a “storylines and simulations” (SAS) approach based on a web-based geoinformation system (WebGIS).