At the Kala Patthar station the the CM6B pyranometer, manufactured by Kipp & Zonen is installed. This sensor is a first class pyranometer as defined by the World Meteorological Organization. It is suitable for the measurement of solar irradiance on a plane surface (W/m2). It incorporates a 64-thermocouple sensor, which is rotationally symmetrical, housed under K5 domes. A white screen prevents the body of the pyranometer from heating up. The pyranometer is supplied with a spirit level and screws for accurate levelling. CM6B technical characteristics: - Spectral range 305 to 2800 nm (50%points) - Sensitivity 9 to 15 ?V/Wm-2 - Impedance 70 to 100 Ohm - Response time 1/e 5 s, 99 % 55 s - Non-linearity <1.5 % (<1000 W/m 2 ) - Tilt error <1.5 % at 1000 W/m 2 - Operating temperature -40 to +90 °C - Temperature dependence of sensitivity _2 % (-10 to +40 °C) - Maximum irradiance 2000 W/m2 - Directional error < _20 W/m2 at 1000 W/m2 - Weight 0.85 kg - Cable length 10 m

At the AWS Namche station the DQA035 Lsi-Lastem rain gauge is mounted on a 1,5 m mast. This model of Rain gauge has a 1.000 cmq collector area. The measurement device is composed of a collector cone and a double chamber bascule connected to a magnete that operates one (optional two) reed switch, which generates impulses that can be counted by external meters: each impulse is equal to 0.2 mm of rain (optional from 0.1 to 0.5 mm). The mechanical and electrical specifications are: - Collector surface area: 1000 cmq - Collector area diameter: 420 mm - Measurements range: 180 mm/hr - Resolution: o,2 mm/imp. (opt. 0,1; 0,3; 0,4; 0,5; mm/imp.) - Accuracy: 0-1 mm/min: 1% 1-3 mm/min: 2% 3-5 mm/min: 4% 5-10 mm/min: 8% - Contact: 1 reed (opt. N.2 reed) 0,5 A/24V non inductive - Pulse duration: 100 msec.± 5 - Collector cone material: Brass - External housing material: Inox AISI30 - Tipping bucket material: Alluminium - Cable: 10 m - Weight: 6,3 kg - Power supply: /thermocover 100 W, 24 Vca/Va

At the Lukla station the the CM6B pyranometer, manufactured by Kipp & Zonen is installed. This sensor is a first class pyranometer as defined by the World Meteorological Organization. It is suitable for the measurement of solar irradiance on a plane surface (W/m2). It incorporates a 64-thermocouple sensor, which is rotationally symmetrical, housed under K5 domes. A white screen prevents the body of the pyranometer from heating up. The pyranometer is supplied with a spirit level and screws for accurate levelling. CM6B technical data - Spectral range 305 to 2800 nm (50%points) - Sensitivity 9 to 15 ?V/Wm-2 - Impedance 70 to 100 Ohm - Response time 1/e 5 s, 99 % 55 s - Non-linearity <1.5 % (<1000 W/m 2 ) - Tilt error <1.5 % at 1000 W/m 2 - Operating temperature -40 to +90 °C - Temperature dependence of sensitivity _2 % (-10 to +40 °C) - Maximum irradiance 2000 W/m2 - Directional error < _20 W/m2 at 1000 W/m2 - Weight 0.85 kg - Cable length 10 m

In 2013 the Wind Set WA15 by Vaisala has been installed in Lukla. Overview • High-performance wind measurement set • Long and successful track record in meteorological applications • Low measurement starting threshold • Conical anemometer cups provide excellent linearity • Heated shaft prevents bearings from freezing Technical Specifications Wind speed Sensor / transducer type: cup anemometer / opto-chopper Measurement range: 0.4...75 m/s Starting threshold: <0.5 m/s * Distance constant: 2.0 m Accuracy (range 0.4...60 m/s) with characteristic transfer function: ±0.17 m/s ** with transfer function U=0.1xR: ±0.5 m/s Wind direction Sensor / transducer type: vane / optical code disc Measurement range: 0...360° Starting threshold: <0.4 m/s Delay distance: 0.4 m Resolution: ±2.8° Accuracy: better than ±3°

Since 2014, the Digital Barometer PTB330, by VAISALA, is installed. Vaisala BAROCAP® Digital Barometer PTB330 is a new generation barometer, designed for a wide range of high-end atmospheric pressure measurement. -Vaisala BAROCAP® sensor -Accurate measurement -Excellent long-term stability -Added reliability through redundancy -Graphical trend display with 1-year history data -Altitude corrected pressure (QFE, QNH) -For professional use in meteorology, aviation, laboratories, and demanding industrial applications

Several territories, e.g. high mountain areas in developing Countries, are significantly influenced by climate change, increase of human activities and tourism. Impacting fuels, together with bad daily habits and obsolete technologies, cause often high levels of indoor air pollution; this reduces the quality of life and determines a number of respiratory diseases especially in elderly people, women and children. Moreover the increase in touristic inflow contributed to a progressive deforestation, and the consequent alteration of the hydro-geological system, and to the accumulation of waste. SERA project aims at promoting useful strategies for sustainable development of high altitude territories, through an energy and environmental planning, in accordance with the Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly concerning the sustainable mountain development (UN, A/Res/62/196, 2008). For this purpose a thorough analysis has to be conducted to identify the specific features of reference context from several points of view. On this basis, two main key actions can be carried out: - Survey on possible energy efficiency measures, proposal and experimentation of technical/technological solutions, which may be integrated with the local territory, in order to meet population needs, in terms of simplicity of realization, use of local materials, environmental compatibility, exploitation of available renewable energies and indoor air quality improvement. The best solutions will be chosen on the basis of technical-economic feasibility studies and their impact during the entire life cycle. - Definition of guide lines about sustainable development of territory and active support to local Government and Authorities for adopting correct policies aimed to a low environmental impact energy planning, through a “sharing” process of scientific knowledge gained during the project. A pilot project should be implemented to test technological innovation for energy efficiency and renewable sources. This phase is extremely important for its repeatability and visibility, and could mobilize resources for further upgrade and replication in wider areas. Latest information about SERA project: Khumbu Valley was selected as reference context and a thorough analysis was conducted to identify its specific features; at the same time, a survey on efficiency solutions has been started, concerning building sector, renewable energies and distributed generation. To support the experimental development stage and the creation of a pilot repeatable project, an on-site investigation was organized in Chaurikharka village (Sagarmatha zone, Solukhumbu district, 27° 41’ 48” N, 86° 43’ 17” E, 2,660 m a.s.l.) from November 17 to December 3, 2013. The village and its inhabitants have been the focus of a cross assessment, aimed to: - Detect the presence of markers of early atherosclerosis with ultrasound and estimate the value of systolic pulmonary pressure (Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council of Italy, Pisa, Italy). - Analyse respiratory function and health, by means of spirometry and a validated questionnaire; measure the indoor carbon monoxide (Biomedical Sport Studies Center, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy). - Continuous indoor measurements of Black Carbon and ambient aerosol number size distribution (Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council of Italy, Bologna, Italy). - Energy and structural audit, in order to get the housing main features of the village (construction types, lifestyle and customs are useful to design technological eco-sustainable solutions as well as integrated within the local context). This phase was directly on charge of Perugia University.