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Preface
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1.Climate as a Public Interest in Planning and Zoning
2.Characteristics and Forms of the Urban Climate
2.1Overview
2.2Urban Heat Budget
2.3Urban Heat Islands
2.4Humidity / Precipitation / Vegetation
2.5Wind
2.6Bioclimate
2.7Air Exchange
2.8Pollutant Emissions
2.8.1The Traffic as Pollutant Source
2.8.2Computational Estimation of Traffic Immissions
2.9Pollutant Levels and Threshold Values
2.9.1Limits and Assessment values
2.10Effect of Pollutant
2.11Climate Change
2.11.1Climate Change in Germany
2.11.2Prevention of Climate Change
2.11.3Adaption to Climate Change
3.Energy-Conscious Planning and Zoning
4.Methods of Information Acquisition for Planning (Measurements, Wind Tunnels, Numerical Modelling)
5.Climatic and Air Hygiene Maps as Aids for Planning and Zoning (Example: Climate Atlas Federation Region Stuttgart)
6.Recommendations for Planning
7.Bibliography
8.Thematic Websites
Imprint
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CHARACTERISTICS AND FORMS OF THE URBAN CLIMATE
   
 2.8 Pollutant Emissions

Every day in cities large quantities of pollutants are released into the atmosphere from traffic, home heating, industries, and power plants.

Due to the enormous multiplicity of these substances it has proven appropriate to study closer five main components, which as "indicative components" have importance for an entire region. These components are:

  • Nitrogen Oxides (NOX)
  • Solids (dust and particulate matter – especially soot) (PM10 and PM2,5)
  • Organic compounds (CnHm) (especially Benzene)
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO2)
  • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

    CO and SO2 are now only of minor importance. Due to the global aspects of climate change, carbon dioxide emissions (see Kap. 2.11) have for years also been taken into consideration.

    Figure 2/16 shows the emitted quantities for various groups of sources in Stuttgart (2008), while the development of pollutant emissions in Stuttgart since 1996 to 2008 is depicted in Figure 2/17.

    The prevailing influence of traffic on emissions is particularly clear in the case of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and organic compounds.

    Next to the atmospheric altitude attained by emissions, the deciding factor for air pollution is the spatial distribution of emission sources throughout the urban area. Figure 2/18 shows an example of the nitrogen oxide emissions in the area of the region of Stuttgart. Easily recognizable are the quadrants with high emissions in the area of highways and near individual sources such as powerplants and heating centers.

    A Depending on the pollutant component and the type of source, emissions are not distributed evenly across the year. Heating-produced pollutants exhibits a noticeable yearly variation. Transport emissions are relatively evenly distributed throughout the year (except holidays).
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    Fig. 2/16: Pollutant emissions of various groups of sources in Stuttgart (2008);
    Source: LUBW
     
    Fig. 2/17: Development of pollutant emissions in Stuttgart since 1996 to 2008, Source: LUBW
     
    Fig. 2/18: Spatial distribution of nitrogen dioxide in the region of Stuttgart (2004) in tons/year; Data Source: LUBW, Source: Climate Atlas Region Stuttgart (2008)