Norwegian Institute for Air Research

The NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU – Norsk Institutt for luftforskning) or NILU is one of the leading specialized scientific laboratories in Europe researching issues related to air pollution, climate change and health. It is an independent nonprofit institution, established in 1969, staffed by scientists, engineers and technicians with specialized expertise for working on air pollution problems. The staff do more than two hundred projects annually for research councils, industries, international banks and local, national and international authorities and organizations. Its first director was Brynjulf Ottar.

Fields of work
NILU was founded in 1969 and the institute conducts environmental research with emphasis on the sources of air pollution and on air pollution dispersion, transport, transformation and deposition. It is also involved in the assessment of the effects of pollution on ecosystems, human health and materials. Integrated environmental assessments and optimal abatement strategy planning has been a field of priority during the last few years. Assessment of transboundary transport of air pollutants, acid rain and global air quality are important tasks.

NILU has the responsibility as a national research institution for air pollution in Norway and is also being used as an international air pollution expert by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the World Health Organization.

NILU has developed an automatic surveillance program for air quality in cities and background areas. NILU have specialized in computerized automatic air pollution surveillance, planning and optimal abatement strategy planning. This AirQUIS system is an air pollution management and planning system designed for managers and decision-makers.

Companies and locations
NILU's head office is at Kjeller on the outskirt of Oslo in Norway. A specialized office for Arctic related matters is an integrated part of the Fram Centre (FRAM – High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment) in Tromsø. Innovation nilu is a holding company for NILU's various commercial interests and subsidiaries.