Projects

VESTRA worked with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop an Internet-Based GIS application, incorporating Java servlet technology, for the display and analysis of air emissions and risk data. This Web application, called the “Community Health Air Pollution Information System” (or CHAPIS), consists of an interactive map with associated navigation (zoom, pan), query (identify features, tabular statistical summaries), and GIS analysis tools (distance, buffer). CHAPIS includes extensive enabling functionality that involves relational database access, GIS map generation and risk analysis model integration. During the course of this project, VESTRA has provided CARB with ESRI GIS software and a wide variety of professional GIS services – including GIS application development, database design, planning, systems implementation, installation and training services.

 

The initial phase of this project involved the migration of an existing Internet-based application from an offsite data center to CARB’s in-house data center. VESTRA provided systems planning and implementation assistance throughout this process – including hardware and software recommendations, along with assistance with installation and configuration.

 

During the next phase, VESTRA met with CARB staff to perform requirements analysis and user needs assessments. The information gathered formed the basis for the design and development of the CHAPIS Internet-based mapping application. This development effort also involved transferring the capabilities of the existing application to CHAPIS.

 

The initial version of CHAPIS was released to the public, after undergoing significant testing and data validation due to the sensitive nature of the health risk predictions being made.

 

VESTRA is working with CARB to further enhance CHAPIS to accommodate expanding needs and goals for Internet-based mapping of emissions and risk data. These extensive enhancements include integration with a relational database where large amounts of emissions and risk data are stored. VESTRA has developed a database design for storing these data, along with utilities for loading the data and the necessary tools to retrieve the data for display in CHAPIS. The enhancements also include interfacing CHAPIS with a risk analysis tool (developed by CARB) to provide interactive risk analysis and mapping capabilities over the Internet.

 

VESTRA recently completed a collaborative project between the California Department of Health Services (DHS) and the CARB. The primary objective of this project was to develop a Web service to facilitate the transfer of emissions (specifically Ground Level Concentrations or GLCs) from CARB to DHS for inclusion in health impact models and analyses. This project required that the existing CHAPIS emissions/risk database schema be modified to accommodate the storage of GLC data as well. Existing data loading/management tools were also enhanced for use with the GLC data.  

 

Site URL: http://www.arb.ca.gov/ch/chapis1/chapis1.htm