RI-Urbans


RIURBANS - Copy

RI-URBANS

Overview

RI-URBANS is a Horizon 2020 project that strengthens European capabilities to monitor, model, and assess air quality in urban and industrial environments. It combines advanced observatories, emission inventories and multi-scale modelling to deliver high-resolution air pollution data, supporting both scientific research and evidence-based policymaking.

A key focus of the project is improving the understanding of urban air pollution sources and health relevant pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ultrafine particles (UFP) and oxidative potential (OP). New methodologies integrate advanced monitoring technologies with state-of-the-art modelling to enable robust source apportionment and scenario analysis.

The project also develops harmonised emission datasets and modelling frameworks, enabling consistent assessments across European cities. These tools provide insight into urban exposure, long-term trends, and the effectiveness of mitigation strategies, with direct relevance to evolving European air quality legislation.

TNO’s role

TNO played a central role in advancing emission inventories, modelling, and policy applications within this project. Key contributions include:

  • Development of high-resolution European emission inventories (6×6 km²), including detailed treatment of road transport, non-exhaust emissions, and UFP.
  • Methodological innovation for total particle number (TPN) emissions and improved representation of urban sources such as traffic and small combustion.
  • Contribution to enhanced modelling framework to quantify source contributions to conventional and novel air quality health metrics (organic aerosols, oxidative potential) linking emissions, concentrations, and health-relevant indicators.
  • Comparison of modelled and observation-based source attribution and development of TOPAS prototype for oxidative potential source attribution.
  • Implementation of novel air quality indicators in tools supporting policy decision making including the development of TOPAS prototype for oxidative potential source attribution and assessment in long term trends in source contributions

Key partners

The project brings together a strong interdisciplinary European consortium of 25 beneficiaries from 13 countries.