What Lakes Environmental Software does

Lakes Environmental Software Inc. is a privately-held Canadian corporation founded in 1995 and headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario. The company develops a suite of environmental modeling software applications that wrap U.S. EPA regulatory models (AERMOD, CALPUFF, CALRoads, AERSCREEN, SLAB) and other regulatory frameworks (AUSTAL) in proprietary graphical interfaces, adding automated data ingestion, parallel processing, 3D visualization, and Google Earth export. Following the 2024 acquisition of the underlying CALPUFF modeling system from Exponent, Lakes now controls both the graphical frontend and the core modeling engine for advanced non-steady-state dispersion analysis. The portfolio is complemented by risk assessment tools (IRAP-h View, EcoRisk View), emergency release modeling (SLAB View), the AQMIS cloud-based emissions management platform, a worldwide preprocessed meteorological data service, and instructor-led training delivered globally.

The company serves environmental consulting firms, federal/state/local government environmental agencies, industrial facilities (manufacturing, energy, petrochemical, mining), and academic institutions across North America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time perpetual software licenses (US$399 to US$2,950 per seat), annual maintenance subscriptions, pay-as-you-go training courses, met data sales, enterprise AQMIS contracts, and supercomputing run services, with a freeware product line (SCREEN View, WRPLOT View, Percent View) functioning as a top-of-funnel acquisition channel. Distribution combines an e-commerce shop, a direct enterprise sales team, and an international distributor network, supported by content marketing, industry conferences, webinars, and co-delivered training partnerships with organizations such as CASANZ and NACA.

Name

Lakes Environmental Software

Legal name

Lakes Environmental Software Inc.

Website

https://weblakes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Lakes Environmental Software develops proprietary graphical interfaces for U.S. EPA air dispersion, risk assessment, and emissions management models, serving environmental consultants, government agencies, industrial facilities, and academic institutions worldwide with software, met data, and training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Modeling Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Air Quality & Emissions Management (BPAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality & Watershed/Hydrologic Modeling (SWMM/HEC-RAS, Flood/Runoff/Nutrient) (EUAHAKAF), Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water) (EUAHACAC)

Keywords

• Air dispersion modeling
• Environmental software solutions
• Risk assessment software
• Emissions management software
• Meteorological data services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses (Commercial Products): Lakes Environmental sells commercial software licenses for its proprietary environmental modeling applications (AERMOD View, AERSCREEN View, CALPUFF View, CALRoads View, SLAB View, EcoRisk View, IRAP-h View, AUSTAL View). Products are sold as one-time perpetual licenses or with annual maintenance subscriptions for software updates and support. Purchases are made through the online shop or via personalized quotes for enterprise customers.
2. Software Maintenance & Support: Annual maintenance subscriptions provide access to software updates (new model versions, features), technical support, and access to latest U.S. EPA model releases. Customers with lapsed maintenance can re-enroll by contacting the sales team.
3. Training Courses: Lakes Environmental offers instructor-led training programs in air dispersion modeling (AERMOD and CALPUFF) and risk assessment. Training is delivered both in-person at international locations (Las Vegas, Toronto, Sydney, Gauteng, Dubai, London, São Paulo) and as ongoing courses. Training revenues complement software sales and drive adoption.
4. Meteorological Data Products: Lakes Environmental generates revenue from selling preprocessed meteorological data (met data) for any global location. Data is offered in AERMET, CALMET, and CALPUFF formats, as well as AERMOD-ready station data for USA locations. An online ordering system allows customers to purchase data with automated quotation and quick delivery.
5. AQMIS Cloud/SaaS Platform: AQMIS (Ambient Quality Management Information System) is offered as a cloud-based environmental management platform with customizable IT projects including state-wide emissions inventories, facility-wide emissions tracking, and nation-wide governmental compliance systems. Pricing is handled through direct sales inquiry.
6. Freeware (Lead Generation): Lakes Environmental provides free software products (SCREEN View, WRPLOT View, Percent View) at no cost to drive adoption and conversion to commercial products. While not directly revenue-generating, these tools serve as top-of-funnel acquisition for the company's paid software suite.
7. Modeling Runs (Supercomputing): Lakes Environmental offers modeling run services using their supercomputing cluster, enabling customers to complete computationally intensive modeling runs in a fraction of the time it would take on a standard desktop computer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lakes Environmental Software develops and sells a proprietary suite of environmental modeling desktop and cloud applications that provide graphical interfaces to U.S. EPA and international regulatory models for air dispersion, risk assessment, emissions management, and emergency release scenarios. The company complements the software with worldwide preprocessed meteorological data, instructor-led training programs, and the AQMIS cloud-based emissions management platform for government and enterprise clients.

Product overview

Lakes Environmental Software offers a comprehensive suite of environmental modeling software for air dispersion, emissions management, and risk assessment. The product portfolio includes commercial desktop applications (AERMOD View, AERSCREEN View, CALPUFF View, CALRoads View, AUSTAL View, AQMIS, EcoRisk View, IRAP-h View, SLAB View) with integrated graphical interfaces for U.S. EPA and international regulatory models, supplemented by freeware tools (SCREEN View, WRPLOT View, Percent View). The company also provides meteorological data services worldwide and professional training programs. Products support the full environmental modeling workflow from data acquisition through visualization and reporting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WebGIS: Global geophysical data platform providing automated terrain and land use data downloads for air dispersion modeling and risk assessment applications.
• AQMIS

Products and services

• AERMOD View Comprehensive graphical interface for the U.S. EPA AERMOD air dispersion modeling system, supporting air quality impact analysis for buoyant and neutrally-buoyant pollutant releases up to 50 km from sources. Used by environmental consultants, agencies, and industrial operators for regulatory modeling.
• AERSCREEN View Graphical interface for AERSCREEN, the U.S. EPA's screening-level air dispersion model based on AERMOD. Produces worst-case concentration estimates with built-in fumigation calculations for inversion break-up and shoreline effects.
• CALPUFF View Complete graphical interface for the CALPUFF non-steady-state air dispersion modeling system with parallelized CALMET processing, puff tracking animations, and Google Earth export for advanced long-range transport and complex terrain modeling.
• CALRoads View
• AUSTAL View
• AQMIS (Ambient Quality Management Information System)
• EcoRisk View
• IRAP-h View
• SLAB View
• SCREEN View
• WRPLOT View
• Percent View
• Meteorological Data Services
• Training Courses
• Modeling Run Services (Supercomputing)

Quantifiable outcome

• CALMET runs can be parallelized across multiple CPU cores, reducing simulation time significantly compared to serial processing
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature13 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ExponentcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Lakes Software announced its acquisition of the CALPUFF modeling system from Exponent in 2024. This is a significant strategic acquisition that transferred ownership and development of the CALPUFF modeling system to Lakes Environmental, complementing their existing CALPUFF View graphical interface product.
• Clean Air Society of Australia & New Zealand (CASANZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakes Environmental partners with CASANZ to co-deliver AERMOD and Air Toxics Human Health Risk Assessment training courses in Sydney, Australia. CASANZ sponsors and promotes the courses to its member network, while Lakes Environmental provides instructors and course materials.
• National Association for Clean Air (NACA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakes Environmental partners with NACA (South Africa) to deliver AERMOD-CALPUFF training courses in Gauteng, South Africa. NACA promotes the courses to its member network and handles local logistics, while Lakes Environmental provides expert instructors.
• U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakes Environmental's entire software suite is built around U.S. EPA regulatory models including AERMOD, CALPUFF, CALRoads, AERSCREEN, and SLAB. The company continuously integrates new EPA model releases into its View products, making EPA models accessible through graphical interfaces. This relationship is foundational to Lakes' entire product portfolio.
• NOAA/NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information)coreTechnology or IntegrationLakes Environmental integrates NOAA/NCEI data sources into its products, including ISH (Integrated Surface Hourly) database for met data processing and IGRA (Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive) for upper air data. The company adapts its software as NCEI updates its data programs (e.g., transition from ISD to GHCNh).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm with a large environmental services practice that performs air dispersion modeling, emissions inventories, and risk assessments for the same governmental and industrial customers Lakes targets.
• Stantec: Stantec's Environmental Services practice performs air quality assessments, permitting, and emissions modeling for North American government and industrial clients, frequently overlapping with Lakes' target customers.
• Ramboll: Ramboll acquired ENVIRON and owns the CAMx (Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions) system, a competitor to CALPUFF in advanced regional air quality modeling. As a global environmental consultancy, Ramboll serves overlapping customers and competes in air dispersion modeling services.
• Jacobs: Jacobs provides environmental compliance and air quality modeling services to government and industrial clients worldwide, and its Critical Mission Solutions and PA Consulting segments overlap with Lakes' customer base.
• Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design and consultancy firm with a sizable environmental practice delivering air quality, permitting, and risk assessment services to overlapping government and industrial customers.
• SLR Consulting: SLR Consulting is a global environmental and advisory firm offering air quality, emissions, and permitting services. It is a comparable mid-to-large consulting peer that often uses or competes with Lakes' modeling tools for client projects.
• WSP: WSP (including the acquired Golder Associates and Wood Environment & Infrastructure businesses) provides environmental consulting and air quality services to public and private sector clients globally, competing for the same modeling engagements.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is a global environmental, health, and safety consulting firm that conducts air quality assessments, permitting, and risk modeling for industrial and government clients, often overlapping with Lakes' consulting and governmental customer base.

Direct peers

• Trinity Consultants: Trinity Consultants acquired BREEZE Software, the most direct historical competitor in commercial air dispersion modeling software (BREEZE AERMOD, BREEZE CALPUFF). It serves the same environmental consulting, industrial, and government customer base with comparable EPA-aligned modeling tools.

Emerging players

• EarthSoft: EarthSoft publishes EQuIS, an environmental data management platform used by the same environmental consulting and government customers Lakes serves. While not a direct GUI modeling competitor, it competes for the environmental IT budget and integrates with air/water data workflows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lakesenviro
• Facebookfacebook.com/LakesEnviro

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lakes Environmental Software