Modernising TEAM: Transport Energy and Air Pollution Model

Another group under Climate Compatible Growth (CCG) Research has been working to help reduce air-pollution from transportation. Their Transport Energy Air-pollution Model (TEAM) is a computer model which has been in operation for several years, predicting the air-pollution outcomes of decisions at individual, organisational and regional/national policy levels. Dreaming Spires was delighted to be able to work closely with TEAM’s lead researchers to help bolster their grant application with this project.

With the main objective of bringing TEAM’s underlying value and utility in policy-making to a more modern platform, we assessed the existing model’s code base and planned for ways to convert the entire model into an accessible and well-documented Open Source Library.

Alongside this, Dreaming Spires drew upon its developer pool to investigate ways the utility and accessibility of TEAM could be improved. A Pre-Computation Engine that could provide fast approximate results according to the model's behaviour was proposed, offering sufficient responsiveness for viable development of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for TEAM, much akin to the MacKay Carbon Calculator.

The TEAM design draft, with a flexible interface for multi-type graphing

TEAM’s conversion to an Open Source Library, and the development of a Pre-Computation Engine and user-friendly GUI, were costed and assessed for their respective benefits, resulting in a comprehensive feasibility study for TEAM’s modernisation.

Being such a comprehensive model, TEAM is a perfect candidate to become widely used in policy making and even in educational contexts. We’ve enjoyed being able to explore visions for TEAM’s future with its researchers, and hope to be able to do so again for similar such projects.