Order and financing
Client
The client for the NORAH Study is Gemeinnützige Umwelthaus GmbH, a 100-% subsidiary of the Land of Hessen. The GmbH (limited company) runs the Umwelt- und Nachbarschaftshaus (Environment and Community Centre – UNH), an information centre for citizens in airport matters. The Umwelthaus is one of the three pillars of the Airport and Region Forum (ARF) – alongside the ARF Convent and the Expert Group on Active Noise Abatement.
One of the functions of the Umwelthaus is to prepare the various monitoring projects and investigations in relation to the airport in a technically neutral manner and to publish them. Further information:
Financing
The execution of the NORAH Study cost a total of 9.85 million Euro. The bulk of these costs were borne by the Land of Hessen – some directly, some through the Gemeinnützige Umwelthaus GmbH as its subsidiary. Around 11.4 % of the budget was borne by the aviation companies Fraport AG and Lufthansa. In addition to this, 8 individual communities from the surrounding region were financially involved in NORAH as well as the Initiative Zukunft Rhein-Main [Initiative for the future of Rhine-Main] (28 communities are listed as members, further members are the BUND und Bündnis der Bürgerinitiativen [Federation of Citizens' Initiatives]). They were engaged because it is also of great interest to them to receive reliable data on the impact of aviation Noise.
Overview
| Financing [EUR] | Proportion(%) | |
| Land of Hessen | 4 Mio. | 40,6 |
| Communities | 216.000 | 2,19 |
| Fraport | 1 Mio | 10,15 |
| Lufthansa | 120.000 | 1,2 |
| UNH | 4,52 Mio | 45,86 |
Background
The issue of aircraft noise and health had already been discussed in mediation and the "Regionales Dialogforum" (RDF), and the possibility of conducting a study had been considered. In April 2010, an expert discussion at the "Forum Flughafen und Regionen" (FFR) revealed that there were still gaps in research on the effects of noise. These were to be addressed in a comprehensive study. The FFR then involved stakeholders from local authorities, the aviation industry and the state in workshops to define the key requirements for such a study. In September 2010, the Umwelt- und Nachbarschaftshaus first put the Study design out to Tender across Europe.
Two providers were selected and commissioned to develop a concept. Their proposals were discussed at a workshop at the Umwelthaus. At this event, various social groups had the opportunity to contribute their wishes for the study: members of the FFR convention include representatives of the state parliamentary groups, citizens' initiatives, the Zukunft-Rhein-Main initiative, Fraport AG and others. The results of the Hessian state parliament hearing were also taken into account.
Based on the requirements gathered, the Umwelthaus issued a Europe-wide call for Tenders for the study at the end of 2010. Two suitable bids were received by the deadline and discussed in all committees. Finally, on 4 April 2011, a research Consortium led by the Ruhr University Bochum was awarded the contract.
