Environmental Quality Index Tool

The Environmental Quality Index (EQI) mapping & modelling tool was been developed in spring 2007. This tool maps 10 environmental based factors and then calculates comparative environmental quality scores across Local Authorities in England (not Wales yet) across 10 environmental factors. DCLG's total scores for their 2004 Index of Multiple Deprivation are also included in the tool.

The data used to calculate the 10 environmental factors featured are based on 2003/2004 data – e.g. river quality. The other non Environment Agency factors are using related data sourced from external parties e.g. street cleanliness supplied by the Audit Commission

The tool also enables anyone with GIS (ESRI type) access to vary the weightings given each environmental factor in the model and/or to suppress certain factors all together. Results of varying weighting can be saved, etc and tested against variations.

A slimmed down prototype version of the tool/model has also been mirrored on a website with most of the same facilities available for trialling . This facility was built at the same time as the PC based version with help from the SW Observatory in utilising their existing web data platform.

DEFRA funded this web based version work potentially to explore widening the scope of the audience that could use such a tool without having to be necessarily being tied into more complex GIS software, etc

The Agency are currently distributing use of the GIS based version of the tool as part of a larger resource toolkit for use by the Agency’s staff under the Agency's Making Better Places initiative. They are also beginning to explore how such a facility will then be rolled out and further tested by many interested external organisations.

Why use the EQI tool?

The EQI tool:

is for government, agencies and local stakeholders

uses 10 environmental quality indicators and the Index of Multiple Deprivation

has data for over 33,000 Super Output Areas – SOAs are a Census geography with about 1,000-1,500 properties and their respective sizes are therefore dependent on population density

can weight indicators according to the user’s needs and preferences

has a zoom function to identify district councils and smaller geographies (SOA’s)

deals with England (and will do Wales separately in near future)

can calculate and identify 50 districts in England geographies/areas with most acute environmental quality issues on the 10 environmental factors used

Data currently mapped on the EQI tool

Data included in the EQI mapping too currently includes:

Ambient air pollution: PM10

Industrial airbourne releases SO2

Greenspace

Biodiversity

Derelict land

Poor housing quality

Fly tipping

Guidance on how to use the EQI tool

Information about what is included in each data topic is available to download here.

A help document, including guidance on both data and tools, is available to download here.