25 Sep 2026Helping users choose CERC software for air quality assessments, including modelling under EU Ambient Air Quality Directive

A new online resource has been added to our website to help users identify the most suitable software for their specific air quality assessment requirements. This provides a practical starting point for both new and experienced users by presenting common assessment scenarios alongside the corresponding modelling solutions. It also includes a high-level overview of the most common assessment applications that can be undertaken using the ADMS suite and other CERC software solutions, complementing the detailed information about each software package already available on our Environmental software page.

For modellers within the EU, the resource is particularly relevant in the context of the latest European Union (EU) Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) 2024/2881, which places a strong emphasis on the use of air quality modelling as a key component of compliance assessment, source apportionment studies, and the development of air quality plans. It highlights the capabilities of the Multi-Model Air Quality System (MAQS), one of CERC's solutions for addressing these modelling requirements. By coupling the street-scale ADMS-Urban model with regional-scale air quality models, MAQS enables the consistent assessment of pollutant concentrations across a wide range of spatial scales, from local hotspots to national and transboundary levels. This integrated approach aligns closely with the requirements of the Directive, making MAQS well suited to supporting air quality assessment and management within the EU.

18 Sep 2026CERC's Dr Jenny Stocker appointed Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor

Undergraduate engineering students do not always have the opportunity to learn directly from experienced industry professionals. To address this, the Royal Academy of Engineering's Visiting Professors initiative brings industry and entrepreneurial expertise into academia, to enhance teaching, learning and student employability.

We are pleased to announce that Dr Jenny Stocker, CERC Associate Director of Research, has been appointed as a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor at the University of Greenwich. The appointment supports the programme Industry Software Development Experience Reshaping Computational Engineering Education, led by Dr Jian Zhong.

Jenny and Jian have worked closely together for more than six years, collaborating on a range of research projects and co-authoring six journal papers. Their work has included:

• WM-Air: using the ADMS-Urban model to assess air quality improvements across the West Midlands
• WM-Net Zero: exploring links between net zero policies and positive public health outcomes
• WM-Adapt: generating urban heat island data for a climate risk assessment tool using the ADMS-Urban Temperature and Humidity model

As Visiting Professor, Jenny will:

• Develop hands-on teaching modules that use software engineering tools and approaches to address real-world challenges
• Deliver lectures demonstrating how computational methods taught in the classroom are applied in professional practice, drawing on examples from CERC projects
• Mentor students undertaking final-year projects

The appointment will help students connect their studies with real-world software development and computational engineering practice.

Many congratulations to Jenny and the other appointed Visiting Professors!

9 Sep 2026Draft agendas now available for the ADMS User Group Meetings, 11-12 November 2026, Manchester

There is still time to book your tickets for the 2026 ADMS User Group Meetings, which will be held at voco Manchester on 11th and 12th November.

• ADMS 6 User Group Meeting, 11th November: view draft agenda
• ADMS-Urban and ADMS-Roads, 12th November: view draft agenda

Tickets are available to order through Eventbrite until 23:30 on Monday 26th October. Organisations with a valid software support contract are entitled to one or more tickets free of charge depending on the type of licence held.

2 Sep 2026A web-tool to estimate the economic cost of air pollution

As part of CERC's work for Impact on Urban Health (IoUH), we have updated our bespoke web-based air pollution impact tool. Although designed for use by the London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth, an equivalent tool could be useful for a local authority anywhere in the UK.

This update includes the latest pollution data for 2025 as well as the addition of new features.

Most interesting is the inclusion of Defra damage costs. This feature calculates the economic cost (£) of air pollution due to the associated health burdens, as demonstrated in the image.

By using the inbuilt 'Measures' sliders, users can visualise the real-world economic benefits of reducing air pollution via a range of schemes, either alone or in combination.

CERC used ADMS-Urban to calculate concentrations of NO₂, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 at sensitive locations for 2025. The measures were modelled individually in order to calculate their effectiveness; some example measures are displayed in the image (right click to expand). The tool shows how specific clean air measures reduce pollution.

If you would like access to the web-tool, please email Amandeep Kellay at IoUH, giving the reasons for your interest.

The tool is scalable and would represent a ground-breaking application of health-based science if, for example, applied across the whole of London. If you are interested in our work on the implications of air quality and would like to make use of our expertise, please contact CERC.

18 Aug 2026defra Environmental Science Research, Development and Evidence (ES RDE) Framework

CERC is pleased to announce that we have been appointed to Defra's new Environmental Science Research, Development and Evidence (ES RDE) Framework, as part of a consortium led by Logika Group (the trading name of Air Quality Consultants).

This means that defra and agencies within the defra group (including Environment Agency and Natural England) and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (now Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST) and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) can make a direct award to CERC or other consortium members, or invite AQC to bid in a mini competition drawing on consortium members with relevant expertise.

Under the previous RDE Framework, CERC contributed to 11 projects for defra, Department for Transport (DfT) and the Environment Agency. The new Framework started earlier this year and will run until the end of January 2034.

CERC has been awarded places on four sublots within Lot 3, Air Quality and Sound:

• Sublot 3.1: Air Quality Analysis and Expert Services
• Sublot 3.3: Air Quality monitoring and data projects
• Sublot 3.4: Modelling tools for Air Quality studies
• Sublot 3.5: Air Quality economics and social research

The consortium also includes the following organisations:

• Aether Ltd
• UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH)
• EMRC/Mike Holland
• I C Consultants
• Institute of Occupational Medicine
• Ipsos
• Risk & Policy Analysts (RPA) Ltd
• Rothamsted Research

Please contact us to find out how the consortium can support you.