Other required data
Concentration map PM10​
The map shows the average PM10 concentrations per year. It is expressed in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). The European annual limit value is 25 µg/m³. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a lower recommended value of 10 µg/m³. The map is based on interpolation of the results from the measuring stations in Flanders and the surrounding regions, supplemented with high-resolution modeling. How the maps are created is explained on the web pages of the Interregional Cell for the Environment, IRCEL. This map is used for the "capture of particulate matter" service.
Street canyon map​
The map shows the locations of "street canyons", i.e. narrow streets with tall, closed buildings on both sides of the road. Because traffic emissions cannot be properly dispersed in these streets, the air quality is strongly negatively affected. The map was created based on the ATMO-street model for air quality, which makes underlying use of building information from the 3D GRB and the road dataset of MOB Flanders. More information can be found at https://www.irceline.be/nl/documentatie/models/atmo-street This map is used for the "capture of particulate matter" service.
Residents map​
This map shows the number of inhabitants in a cell of 100m². This gives quite small numbers. The map is an interpolation of a larger resolution (ha) that gives each cell within that larger cell an equal number of inhabitants, without taking into account the presence of, for example, apartment buildings, etc. To determine the number of houses in an area, the number of inhabitants is used. in the area divided by the average family size.
Average rainfall​
The map shows the average annual precipitation values (period 1978-2018) per zone in Belgium calculated based on precipitation data from climate data store (https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu). It is used in the "infiltration" and "water retention" services.
VHA drainage areas​
This map shows the zones within which water flows to a specific watercourse segment via surface runoff (VHA Atlas version September 2018). In many cases this corresponds reasonably well with the supply zone/direction of shallow groundwater. This map is used to determine the nitrogen supply zone to the study area for the "nitrogen removal" service.
Biological valuation map​
The Biological Valuation Map (BWK) is an inventory of the biological environment and land cover of Flanders and Brussels. Coloring in shades of green clearly illustrates the biological value of the environment. An experienced user can read the landscape from the maps and deduce the 'green' character of a particular area at a glance. The biological value was assigned to each cell by a group of vegetation experts based on 4 criteria: rarity, biological quality, vulnerability and replaceability. This map and the biological values assigned to the cells are used to estimate the change in biological quality in the event of a land use change.