3D monitoring and modelling of air quality for sustainable urban port planning: Review and perspectives

Suitable planning options for urban infrastructures should be urgently developed to reduce their environmental impact, while preserving their efficiency. In the case of urban ports, air quality still represents a major problem, which should be addressed through appropriate implementation of cleaner and sustainable solutions. Consequently, within short-term operational and medium-term technical planning stages, air quality monitoring and modelling should be implemented. This work reviews a set of effective criteria for developing a 3D air quality monitoring and modelling, which might be applied in the context of urban port management and planning. In particular, available technologies, sensors characteristics, monitoring requirements and quality criteria are discussed. The integration of observational techniques with different modelling tools is, then, introduced. Finally, data spatial representation options are discussed. This review, consequently, allows not only to assess the state-of-the-art on port air pollution monitoring and modelling, but also to give a framework structure for stakeholders involved in operative planning. Finally, this study unveils the potentiality of such an approach as a first component, for local environmental management systems, which can support the development of appropriate actions, integrated urban policies and the transition toward cleaner production and consumption processes in port areas.