Feb. 20 – Italian research is once again leading the environmental sector. The latest confirmation comes from Brussels and has to do with “Opera,” from the University of Brescia. “Opera” – and its software “Riat +” – was designed to help local communities in planning policies to restore air quality, and thus enable administrations to choose the best way to solve environmental pollution. The project (www.operatool.eu) is co-financed by the European Union within the program “Life +”. Of the 102 European projects on the environment, “Opera” is among the 22 best projects completed in 2014, as reflected in the ranking published a few days ago by the Environment Directorate of the European Commission. Opera is thus in the running to compete for a spot in the 5 best projects category, which will be selected and announced in April. The “Opera” team is made up of: the Environmental Modelling Section of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Brescia (DIMI), who were also scientific coordinators for the project; the Environmental Agency of Emilia-Romagna, coordinator of the project; the University of Strasbourg; the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; and Terraria Srl, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano. Professor Marialuisa Volta, Associate Professor of Automation at DIMI and Scientific Director of the project, emphasizes the presence, among the 22 select projects, of a strong Italian component: “This is an important signal of how much Italy can and is making progress in environmental research. The fact that our university is included in this recognition is a clear indication that environmental research has become a sort of benchmark for the Commission.”
