SOFIA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION was founded as non-profit organization with the decision 348
of the Sofia Municipal Council to work for the sustainable development of the capital.
INNOAIR offers you a leap into the future
“INNOAIR is a look into the future, refracted through the prism of current traffic and air pollution problems. The pursuit for cleaner air forms a strong collaboration between scientists, businesses and citizens and has led to ambitious and unprecedented public transport services that need to be tested. We are pleased to be preparing to provide cleaner air in our city through the introduction of on-demand green public transport in combination with green corridors and low-emission zones.” said Deputy Mayor Kristian Krastev during the first edition of the forum Green Transition - Solutions and Challenges for Bulgaria in the panel Smart Mobility and Traffic.
According to him, the intelligent bus is the one that adapts routes and boarding schedules for passengers and improves their experience. Transport that operates in accordance with consumer demand. The INNOAIR project will offer just that - the on-demand green public transport service - a leap into the future. The route along which the electric buses will run will be determined by the requests of the citizens submitted through a mobile application. The green public transport will be available in certain neighborhoods and will transport passengers to the nearest rail stop - metro station or tram stop.
In addition, INNOAIR works a great deal with artificial intelligence. During the project in several districts of Sofia, an analysis of schedules and routes of land transport will be performed. Based on an algorithm that estimates the maximum effect of the transport service (number of passengers, points of interest, vehicle load, potential new trips, etc.), the software will propose changes to the existing lines of the already operating public transport. To power the algorithm, all available data from the analytical system for counting passengers in vehicles, from land transport to the ticket system and the timetable system will be used.
You can learn more about the event Green Transition - Solutions and Challenges for Bulgaria here: https://greentransition.bg/
INNOAIR project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.
Third issue of the INNOAIR project newsletter
The INNOAIR newsletter shares with you how we contribute to smarter urban mobility and cleaner air in Sofia. We are happy to present the latest exciting solutions, initiatives and achievements in sustainable mobility in Sofia in the last three months. Stay informed!
See more HERE.
Online workshop on “Atmospheric pollution modeling”
Polluted air in urban areas is a global problem. Both short- and long-term exposure to polluted air of people, especially from vulnerable groups such as children and adults, can cause irritation, inflammation, allergies and lead to reduced lung function, respiratory infections, asthma and more.
Microscopic particles can potentially enter the bloodstream and cause serious damage to human health. Polluted air also affects natural ecosystems and biodiversity, buildings and cultural heritage, climate and many other fields.
For this reason, the INNOAIR project is working to improve air quality by implementing various measures. In addition to the forthcoming introduction of green public transport on demand, low-emission areas, green corridors and congestion charges, the measures are also oriented towards insuring citizens to be well informed.
On September 24, within the INNOAIR project, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) organized a seminar, addressed to number of issues related to the measurements, modeling and forecasting of concentrations of various air pollutants. The event aroused the interest of over 40 participants from various fields of activity. NIMH lecturers answered many questions and provoked a lively discussion.
The participants got acquainted with the main factors playing role in the spread of pollutants in the atmosphere, learned why we need numerical models to study and predict them, as well as what types of models are used in our country and around the world, and what their main components are.
Read more...INNOAIR contributes to the topic of "Innovation and Digitization" of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region
What do INNOAIR and the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) have in common?
The EU strategy for the Danube region consists of 12 priority areas, one of which is mobility, but among them are also capacity building, knowledge and more. However, innovation and digitization are defined as an integral part of the development of all areas. The experience of the innovative INNOAIR project shows that improving mobility would not be possible without the use of digital data, but also that other important factors should not be overlooked. Like, for example, the positive public attitude, which is achieved through good information, as well as the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders.
A conference on "Innovation and Digitization" was held on 22 September, organized by the Slovak EUSDR, which brought together over 170 experts from the public and private sectors. Prof. Stanimir Kabaivanov from the Plovdiv University presented the INNOAIR project as an example of a project that turns Sofia into a smart city. He focused not only on the innovation and high-tech work with huge data sets and artificial intelligence, but also on the lessons learned so far from the overall work.
During the discussion, experts confirmed that they would take into account Sofia's recommendations for greater flexibility in measuring the innovation index presented in the European Innovation Scoreboard. They also said that they were aware of the need for an increasingly in-depth exchange of knowledge and experience, especially negative ones, in order to avoid repeating mistakes already made. The holistic approach used by the INNOAIR team was identified as key to achieving a sustainable ecosystem.
You can learn more about the event HERE. A detailed program of the conference can be viewed HERE. The presentation presented by the INNOAIR project is available HERE.
INNOAIR project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.
INNOAIR – part of the European Mobility Week
"Safe and Healthy with Sustainable Mobility" - the motto of the European Mobility Week, which has been the driver behind many activities under the INNOAIR project since the very beginning of it.
The citizens of Sofia showed great interest in the events that took place as part of the European Mobility Week, and during them also towards the INNOAIR project.
At the beginning of the mobility week, on September 16, a new campaign with a cause started in the capital - "1 car less". The campaign actively promotes the use of public transport, pedestrian and bicycle transport, scooters, and other alternatives to the car. It is held on social networks and is the publication of selfies with the text #team1carless on the day when the publisher does not use a car. Everyone involved in the campaign challenges two more of their friends to do the same. The campaign was launched by the INNOAIR project manager - Kristian Krastev and is successfully attracting more and more celebrities to the green cause.
On the day of Sofia, September 17, INNOAIR took part in an interactive training for road safety, organized jointly with the Pancharevo District, Sofia Municipality and the Council for Child Traffic Safety in Sofia. The kids learned that cycling is good not only for them but also for the environment and that they should not lose their incentive to keep riding when they grow up. And their parents got acquainted with the forthcoming introduction of green public transport, the route of which will be determined by consumer demand, as well as with the system for "loyal green citizens". It will be a mobile application for measuring the distance traveled by pedestrians and cyclists. The most active users will receive appropriate incentives, and the most used bicycle and pedestrian routes will have priority in the investment program of Sofia Municipality.
September 21 was an open doors day at “Stolichen Avtotransport” EAD, where citizens had the opportunity to view an exhibition of vehicles. In addition, on the same day, after pre-registration, those interested also visited the training simulator for engine drivers at the “Zemlyane” depot. Both events gave the opportunity to transport lovers to “peek in the kitchen" of “Stolichen Avtotransport”.
On the last day of the European Mobility Week, September 22, a bike event “Bike Hike” was traditionally held, organized jointly with the Embassy of Denmark in Bulgaria. Before leaving on the designated route, all those present learned more about INNOAIR and the upcoming introduction of the Green Corridors in Sofia. Green corridors will allow citizens to find how to reach a certain point in the center of the city with the least impact on air quality and in the most environmentally friendly way, using green transport. At the same time, a retro tram was running through Sofia, which is an attraction for Sofia’s citizens. While driving in a vehicle from the last century, passengers learned more about the future of public transport in Sofia in the face of green public transport on demand, which INNOAIR will introduce in the capital by the end of 2023.
The European Mobility Week in Sofia is organized by INNOAIR project partners - Sofia Municipality and Sofia Urban Mobility Centre and with the support of 12 other institutions and private companies. You may see the full program HERE.
INNOAIR project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.
ONLINE SEMINAR ON “MODELING OF AIR POLLUTION”
Why do we need numerical models for air pollution? What does chemical time mean? How do buildings and other ground facilities affect the spread of pollutants? On what principle is the system for forecasting the potential for pollution with fine dust particles for Sofia Municipality built?
You can learn the answers to these and other questions related to air pollution during the online seminar on "Modeling of air pollution", organized by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology as part of the INNOAIR project.
The seminar will be held online on September 24 (Friday) from 14:00 to 16:00.
During the event you will get acquainted with the numerical models for the spread of pollutants in the atmosphere, which are both a basic tool for analysis and forecasting of air quality (AQ) and an integral part of the programs of local administrations aimed at improving AQ. The topic of air pollution will be presented in detail by experts and practitioners in the field, in a language widely available to the public.
You can join the seminar by registering HERE. A detailed program of the event is available at the following link.
We are expecting you!
INNOAIR project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.