Analysis of the influence of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) on air quality in industrial areas – case study in Bragança (Portugal)

Abstract

This research approaches the benefits of NBS, with a focus on tree vegetation, in the industrial zone of Bragança (PT), addressing carbon sequestration and air quality, through microclimatic modelling and simulations with the use of two software, i-Tree and ENVI-met. In this study, three scenarios were created and simulated: Scenario 0, which does not consider the presence of trees; Scenario 1, which reflects the current situation of the study area; and Scenario 2, which consists of the implementation of an additional green space. Thus, using data collected in the field and secondary meteorological data, simulations were performed for the base line year (2022) and for a projected scenario (2052) to compare the effects of vegetation over time. The simulation results suggest that the introduction of trees in industrial areas has the potential to double pollutant removal and annual CO2 uptake and increase storage by approximately 40%. For the hourly CO2 flux, it is estimated that carbon uptake can be increased by up to 200%. Considering the use of these two software, i-Tree provides global annual and monthly analyses from a simpler and accessible interface, while ENVI-met allows the hourly simulation of each day from a more complex and robust system, providing more detailed results. Although results lack full validation, the use of these two software provide relevant decision-making support information and may help to foster urban greening strategies.