Satbayev University and ECOTEC Engineering Launch AITHER
Satbayev University and ECOTEC Engineering Launch AITHER — an AI-Powered Industrial Emissions Monitoring Platform for Kazakhstan's ESG Transition
Date: April 2026
Tags: SDG 3, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 13, SDG 17, SDG research projects, SDG Events
Satbayev University, in partnership with ECOTEC Engineering (https://ecotec.engineering/), has developed AITHER — an industrial CEMS platform (Continuous Emissions Monitoring System) (https://cems.ecotec.engineering/) that combines real-time pollutant tracking with AI-based predictive analytics. The system is designed to support Kazakhstan's compliance with the Environmental Code (Articles 184 and 186) and international ESG reporting frameworks including GRI 305, CDP Climate Change, and TCFD.
The project will be presented at the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026) in Astana as part of the national pavilion programme.
Research contribution: AI for emission forecasting
AITHER integrates a machine learning module that processes multimodal data — historical emission records, 16-day meteorological forecasts, regional air quality indices, and power plant operational parameters — to predict pollutant concentrations 24 to 72 hours in advance.
Faculty members and PhD candidates contribute to the calibration of AI models, accounting for the specific characteristics of Kazakhstan's coal basins (Ekibastuz and Shubarkol), seasonal heating cycles, and the temperature inversion phenomena critical for cities such as Astana and Karaganda. This work directly feeds into planned joint publications targeting Scopus- and Web of Science-indexed journals in the fields of environmental engineering and applied AI.
Educational integration: real industrial data in the classroom
A distinctive feature of the partnership is the integration of AITHER into the teaching process. Students and master's degree candidates in the Engineering Ecology and Environmental Management programmes at Satbayev University gain access to real-time and historical industrial emissions datasets — including concentrations of NO, NO₂, CO, SO₂, and particulate matter — collected from operating industrial facilities.
This approach enables project-based learning where students work with actual measurement data rather than simulated scenarios, strengthening both their technical competencies and their understanding of regulatory compliance. Several diploma and master's thesis projects will be developed around neural network-based emission prediction, atmospheric dispersion modelling, and automated ESG reporting.
Environmental monitoring and public health: from compliance to prevention
The platform continuously monitors five regulated substances — nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter — with measurement intervals of five seconds or less, validated against EN 14181 (QAL2/QAL3) standards. Data is transmitted directly to the Unified Environmental Information System (ЕИС МОС) of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology.
By providing operators with early warnings about potential exceedances of Maximum Permissible Emissions (ПДВ), AITHER enables a shift from reactive penalty-based environmental management to proactive operational adjustment. Preliminary estimates suggest a 2–5% improvement in fuel efficiency through real-time optimisation of excess air ratios, with a corresponding reduction in pollutant output — directly benefiting air quality in industrial cities across Kazakhstan.
Public transparency and community engagement
AITHER includes a public-facing dashboard that provides anonymised, aggregated air quality data near industrial sites. This open-access interface is designed to reduce information asymmetry between industrial operators, regulators, and local communities — supporting the right of citizens to environmental information as established in Kazakhstan's Environmental Code.
The university sees this transparency layer as an important tool for building public trust in industrial environmental management and for engaging civil society in climate-related dialogue.
Collaboration with government: informing climate policy
The AITHER platform generates machine-readable datasets (JSON/CSV) compatible with international ESG disclosure frameworks. This infrastructure is intended to support Kazakhstan's national reporting obligations, including Scope 1 greenhouse gas inventories under the Paris Agreement and the country's 2060 carbon neutrality strategy.
Through this project, Satbayev University is actively informing the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources on the capabilities and requirements of automated emissions monitoring systems, contributing expert analysis to the development of regulatory frameworks for CEMS implementation across Category I industrial facilities.
Partnership model: university–industry co-development
The AITHER project exemplifies Satbayev University's approach to applied research through industry partnerships. ECOTEC Engineering, a Kazakhstan-based industrial holding specialising in water treatment and environmental monitoring, provides the engineering infrastructure and industrial deployment capabilities, while the university contributes scientific validation, AI model calibration, and human capital development.
The project roadmap includes expansion to CO₂ monitoring (Scope 1 and Scope 2), automated generation of GRI and CDP reports by 2027, and the development of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) digital twin for emission plume modelling by 2028 — opening new research directions in climate science and atmospheric physics.
This material was prepared as part of Satbayev University's contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development):
- SDG 3. Good Health and Well-being — Continuous air quality monitoring near industrial sites supports the prevention of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in affected communities. Early warning systems enable operational adjustments before pollutant levels reach hazardous thresholds.
- SDG 9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure — Development of a domestically produced AI-powered CEMS platform reduces Kazakhstan's dependence on imported monitoring technologies and creates new innovation capacity in environmental engineering.
- SDG 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities — Public air quality dashboards provide transparent environmental information to residents of industrial cities (Astana, Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk), supporting informed decision-making and reducing social tension around industrial facilities.
- SDG 13. Climate Action — Real-time emissions data and AI-based forecasting support proactive climate management, fuel efficiency optimisation, and preparation for national greenhouse gas reporting under the Paris Agreement and Kazakhstan's 2060 carbon neutrality strategy.
- SDG 17. Partnerships for the Goals — University–industry co-development model between Satbayev University and ECOTEC Engineering demonstrates effective knowledge transfer from academic research to industrial application, with joint publications, shared datasets, and collaborative training programmes.