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LIVEABLE
BLUE-GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY
WWW.RAMBOLL.COM/PLANNING-AND-URBAN-DESIGN
CONTENT
ABOUT
WHAT MAKES
A CITY LIVEABLE?
Usually we think of a city as buildings, roads, concrete, Blue-Green infrastructure (BGI) offers a feasible and
asphalt and all the other hard, grey elements. But what if valuable solution for urban areas facing the challenges
the city has more than one layer? What if we define a city of climate change. It complements and in some cases
by looking at water and vegetation as well? Elements that replaces the need for grey infrastructure. BGI connects
shape and improve human life. We call this BGI = Blue-Green urban hydrological functions (blue infrastructure) with
Infrastructure the essential layer in a liveable city. vegetation systems (green infrastructure) in urban
landscape design. It provides overall socioeconomic
For too long, we have pushed water underground out benefits that are greater than the sum of its individual
of sight, out of mind and disregarded the green. Though components.
essential to our lives, it has lacked a strong advocate. But
times change and suddenly we have become aware that Taken together as a comprehensive system, these
grey cannot cope with the challenges of climate change. components of BGI projects strengthen urban
ecosystems by employing natural processes in man-made
Blue-Green Infrastructure environments. They combine the demand for sustainable
The traditional grey approach to urban infrastructure, water and stormwater management with the demands of
which is to discharge rainwater into pipes, is not an adaptive urban life and planning.
adequate solution for hydroclimatic problems induced by
urbanisation, urban density, and impervious land cover.
Nor is it a way to mobilise the many socioeconomic
benefits of water as an element in peoples living
environments.
4 RAMBOLL
THE RESEARCH
PROJECT
To assess the value of BGI systems for urban This summary provides a brief overview of the societal
environments, the Ramboll Foundation and Ramboll benefits of BGI, potential constraints and supportive
Liveable Cities Lab initiated research on motivating and conditions for its implementation, and practical
hindering factors for the implementation of Blue-Green recommendations for decision-makers 1. The Ramboll
infrastructure. Environmental design technologies are Foundation will release a full research report in early 2016.
widely available, but implementation lags behind in many
urban areas that urgently need improvement in everyday Different forms of Capital
ecological conditions and quality of life, as well as long- The research team followed the socioeconomic approach
term climate risk reduction. The hypothesis that stimulates of Polychrome Sustainability by Manfred Moldaschl to
this research is that comparative urban research can shed account for the diverse values provided by Blue-Green
light on the challenges and the necessary conditions infrastructure. The implementation of BGI in dense urban
for BGI implementation. These include strong political areas was analysed as a change in an urban societys
leadership, stakeholder engagement, design excellence, pool of resources for a decent life, according to criteria
scientific assessment, and sound financing. of liveability, sustainability and resilience. Therefore all
relevant resources are defined as different forms of
In order to explore this hypothesis, an international societal capital: the natural, built, human, social, symbolic
research team focused on two main questions: and the financial capital. As a consequence, the financial
capital is treated largely equal to all other capitals relevant
1 What are the benefits and added values of combining for the quality of life and long-term social development.
blue and green infrastructure for social life and human- On this basis, the effects of BGI implementation on human
environmental relations? health, public well-being, financial assets, other long-term
economic resources and other human values have been
2 What are the main challenges, drivers, and enabling identified through case studies and comparative analysis.
conditions for successful implementation of BGI in dense
urban areas?
Forms of capital
Different forms of societal capital
illustrate the added value that Blue-Green
infrastructure is providing for urban areas
(after the Polychrome Sustainability
approach of Manfred Moldaschl).
BENEFITS OF BLUE-GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE
From an overarching perspective that transcends individual projects
Biological absorbation
and conditions, BGI offers a range of benefits compared To
tonourish
traditional
plants bygrey
solutions and provides highly relevant Ecosystem Services.
absorbing
Biological
nutrients
from water absorbation
and soil
To nourish plants by
absorbing nutrients
Biological
from water absorbation
and soil
To nourish plants by
WATER-RELATED Filtration
absorbing nutrients
Biological
from water absorbation
and soil
BENEFITS To separate
To nourish
from
sediments
waterplants
by by
Filtration
absorbing nutrients
interposing a medium
Quality control Biological
Biological
from
(filter) water
To separate absorbation
absorption
and soil
sediments
To
To nourish
from water
nourish plants
by by absorbing
plants by nutrients
The goal is to improve the water quality. Plant roots in
Filtration
interposing
from water and
absorbing a soil
medium
nutrients
combination with soil absorb nutrients. In addition the (filter)
from water and soil
To separate sediments
substrate is filtering particles and sediments. The natural Sedimentation
from water by
unsealed surface allows water to seep into the ground and Filtration
Filtration
interposing
To settle outaentrained
medium
recharge the water aquifer. This water purification works in (filter)
To
To separate
separate
particles ofsediments
sediments
water from water by
flow
Sedimentation
interposing
from watera by medium (filter)
many different combinations with positive side effects like Filtration
interposing
To settle outaentrained
medium
reduction of soil erosion. (filter)
particles
To separate of water
sediments flow
Sedimentation
Sedimentation
from water by
To
To settle
settleout
interposing outentrained
aentrained
medium particles
(filter)
Infiltration
of water flow
particles of water flow
Sedimentation
To allow water seep
To
intosettle outand
the soil entrained
Infiltration
Infiltration
particles
recharge of water flow
aquifer
Sedimentation
To allow water seep into the soil
To allow water seep
and
into recharge outaquifer
the soil
To settle and
entrained
Infiltration
recharge
particles of aquifer
water flow
To allow water seep
Recycle
Biological
into the soilabsorbation
and
Biological absorbation Evaporation
To recycle nutrients,
Infiltration reuse
recharge
To nourish aquifer
plants by
To nourish plants by cleaner
Water water,
changes etc. from
absorbing
To allow nutrients
water seep
absorbing nutrients Biological
liquid
from
into into
water
the absorbation
water
soiland
andsoilvapor
Biological
from water absorbation
and soil Evaporation
Infiltration
recharge
To nourishaquifer
plants by
To nourish plants by Water
absorbing
To allow changes from
nutrients
water seep
absorbing nutrients liquid
Biological
from
into into
water
the soilwater vapor
absorbation
and
andsoil
Biological
from water absorbation
and soil Evaporation
recharge
To nourishaquifer
plants by
To nourish plants by Water changes
absorbing from
nutrients
Filtration
absorbing nutrients Conveyance
liquidwater
Biological into water vapor
absorbation
Biological from and soil
from water absorbation
To separate and soil
sediments
Evaporation
To control and
To nourish plants by
To nourish
from waterplants
by by transport
Water changes
absorbing rainwaterfrom
nutrients
Filtration
absorbing nutrients
interposing a medium Conveyance
flow
liquidto
Biological a final
into waterreceptor
vapor
absorbation
Biological absorbation from water
Evaporation
Evaporation and soil
Quantity control from
To water and
(filter)
separate soil
sediments To nourish
control and
To
Water changes plants
from by
liquid
If stormwater falls on bluefrom
Toand water
nourish by
greenplants
areas,by it partly transport
Water changes
absorbing rainwaterfrom
nutrients
Filtration
interposing a medium
absorbing nutrients Conveyance
into
flow water
liquid to a
intovapor
final
waterreceptor
vapor
evaporates, and the rest (filter)
may be conveyed to retention from water and soil
from water and
To separate sedimentssoil To control and
areas respectively storedSedimentation
to conserve
from water by clean water. Detention
transport rainwater
Filtration
interposing Conveyance
Conveyance
flow to a final receptor
Detention facilities with flexible
To settle outaentrained
volumes medium
have the task to To reduce rainwaters
(filter)
To separate
buffer volume peaks andparticles
slow down sediments
of water
water flow By doing
speed.
To
Tocontrol
peak flowand
control transport rainwater
and
Sedimentation
from water by is reduced, and Detention
flow to a final
transport receptor
rainwater
so, peak discharge of stormwater
Filtration runoff Conveyance
interposing
To settle outaentrained
medium flow to a final
To reduce receptor
rainwaters
stream base flow rates are Tobalanced.
(filter)
particles
separateof water
sedimentsflow To control
peak flow and
Sedimentation
from water by Detention
Detention
transport rainwater
interposing
To settle out
All these functions very effectively aentrained
medium
control the quantity of flow
To
To to arainwaters
reduce
reduce final receptor
rainwaters peak flow
(filter) of water flow
Infiltration
particles Retention
peak flow
stormwater but also improve water
Sedimentation quality. Detention
To allow water seep To keep water volume
To settle
into outand
the soil entrained on place rainwaters
To reduce
Infiltration
particles of
recharge water flow
aquifer Retention
Infiltration
peak flow
Sedimentation
To allow water seep Detention
To allow water seep into the soil
To keep water volume
into the soil
To settle outandentrained and
on recharge aquifer
place
To reduce rainwaters
Infiltration
recharge
particles of aquifer
water flow Retention
peak flow
To allow water seep To keep water volume
Biological Storage
Storage
into the soilabsorbation
and on place
Infiltration
recharge
To nourishaquifer
plants by Retention
To
To
conserve cleaner water
conserve cleaner
absorbing
To allow water nutrients
seep water
To keep water volume
Biological
from soilabsorbation
water
into the and
andsoil Storage
on place
Infiltration
recharge
To nourishaquifer
plants by Retention
To conserve cleaner
absorbing
To allow water nutrients
seep water
To keep water volume
Biological
from soilabsorbation
water
into the and
andsoil Storage
on place
recharge
To nourishaquifer
plants by To conserve cleaner
MAKING CITIES LIVEABLE 7
KEY CONDITIONS
FOR SUCCESSFUL BGI
IMPLEMENTATION
The main constraints on implementing sustainable urban stormwater and
environmental management in a changing climate are not technological. Rather,
they involve shifts in vision, policy, design, and the urban planning culture.
We found that these shifts are underway, but that they use, property rights, and urban development. Thus, for
need to accelerate, adapt to changing hydroclimatic implementation purposes, BGIs need to be in congruence
conditions, and scale up to address accelerating rates with urban economic as well as hydrologic systems. They
of urbanisation. The following paragraphs highlight the need to connect the natural and human logics of urban
key enabling conditions for addressing challenges and land use. This often occurs during consideration of major
constraints: capital investments in capacity expansion or treatment
plants, in which the water catchment approach identifies
cost-efficient BGI alternatives. It sometimes occurs
SKILLFUL POLITICAL ENTREPRENEURS WITH SUPPORT through systematic, deeply-rooted restructuring of urban
FROM CIVIC ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS environmental movements and policies. It always requires
close coordination and collaboration of all of the affected
From the case studies in this research, one learns that shareholders in the catchment.
strong leadership and skillful political management are
necessary conditions for change. In nearly all cases,
individual leaders took responsibility for changing the RISK AVERSION AND RISK-TAKING
agenda and implementing the first BGI-projects in their
cities like Copenhagen, Singapore, Boston or Portland. It is often said that urban water management is a risk
Often they show similar personal characteristics: they averse profession, and for good reason as it is responsible
are charismatic people at the top-management level of a for public health, safety and welfare. However, in a
public organisation in charge of urban planning or urban changing climate, the nature of risk, safety, and welfare will
infrastructural engineering. Characteristically these people be different. As BGI in many cities is still a rather unknown
have the capacity to visualise a long-term holistic vision. technology, practitioners, politicians and citizens have
They rely heavily on long-lasting relationships and entrust to be convinced that BGI is able to guarantee at least
individuals in their organisations with the responsibility for the same level of security as older established solutions,
planning and implementing projects, along with high-level and that it can provide new types of security for climate
politicians, related agencies, and financial institutions. resilience. Water planners otherwise tend to fall back
They most often have a strong mutual understanding and upon the grey infrastructure approaches followed under
support from citizens. They are focal persons within a historical climatic conditions or install redundant blue
network of engaged professionals and citizens. and green infrastructure elements at low levels and thus
higher costs to avoid risk. Water agencies and engineers
need to be convinced and feel comfortable through
WATER CATCHMENT APPROACH BGI performance evaluations, as were conducted in this
study and in stormwater best management performance
BGI water management follows a natural logic of the databases. Without the support of local water agencies,
terrain, like gravity in a water catchment. The design large-scale BGI projects are unlikely to be implemented.
of BGI follows a water flow and catchment approach
from source waters to the ultimate point of discharge,
and from building and site scales to those of municipal LAND FOR BGI PROJECTS
service areas, watersheds, and aquifers. BGI organises
water treatment train systems from private properties Ownership of land is a fundamental precondition for BGI
on the periphery of a floodplain to the jointly private and implementation, and it is a complex issue under conditions
public collection of flows, down into larger public streams. of high urban density. Precautionary land use policies in
In this way, BGI manages private properties and public urban planning following a water catchment approach that
land uses in a water-wise manner. This natural logic often reserves corridors and areas for BGI (e.g., for flood risk
does not always correspond with the social logic of land reduction) is the strategy of first choice.
MAKING CITIES LIVEABLE 9
BGI SOLUTIONS
ON DIFFERENT SCALES
BUILDING SCALE
VEGETATED ROOF
BIOLOGICAL
ABSORPTION
Evaporation Filtration Biological Detention
absorption
CONVEYANCE
Evaporation Biological
FILTRATION absorption
GREEN BALCONIES
INTERNAL GREENERY
INFILTRATION
Evaporation Biological
REUSE absorption
INFILTRATION
Storage Infiltration Recycle
NEIGHBOURHOOD SCALE
EVAPOTRANSPIRATION EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
INFILTRATION
Evapotranspiration
The sum of evaporation and plant
transpiration from the Earths land and
ocean surface to the atmosphere.
MAKING CITIES LIVEABLE 13
UNDERGROUND SCALE
1 Filtration
PURIFICATION
To separate sediments
AND BIOLOGICAL
from water by interposing
ABSORPTION
a medium (filter)
1 Sedimentation
To settle out entrained
particles of water flow REUSE
3 Infiltration
To allow water seep
into the soil and
recharge aquifer
CATCHMENT AND
CONVEYANCE
4 Recycle
CATCHMENT AND
To recycle nutrients, reuse
CONVEYANCE
cleaner water etc.
PURIFICATION
AND BIOLOGICAL
ABSORPTION
5 Detention
To reduce rainwaters NAL
peak flow
PURIFICATION INTER TION
AND BIOLOGICAL IBU
DISTR
ABSORPTION INFILTRATION
6 Retention
To keep water volume STORAGE INFILTRATION
on place
STORAGE AND
INFILTRATION
7 Storage
To conserve cleaner
water
RECOMMENDATIONS
For a successful implementation of BGI, seven category groups were found to
be the most relevant (shown on the next page). The recommendations made
below are aspects of these categories. If Blue-Green infrastructure is unknown in
a city, decision-makers are well advised to have a different strategy than if this
technology still fails to be used as the standard technology.
Many cities are accustomed to using conventional Pilot projects can become paradigm examples
water technology. But as infrastructure challenges and have a high relevance for other cases
are increasing and require new solutions for diverse
needs, we have to consider the smartest solutions. Pilot projects offer opportunities to test and
These recommendations will show the way forward, execute experiments to deepen the understanding
if this technology is not well-known in your city. of needs and open up opportunities for
BGI under diverse local conditions
A STRONG VISION IS THE ENGINE FOR CHANGE Pilot projects serve as long-term references and
are effective for fostering a BGI planning culture
Make efforts in public relations and convince the
urban community about the benefits of BGI Pilot projects demonstrate the long-term financial,
social and ecological benefits and win-win effects
Use visions of liveability and prosperity to show
the advantages of BGI (e.g. for Climate Resilience, With pilot projects, key officials and the wider
Green City Vision, Biophilia, Sustainable Urban public can be convinced of the feasibility of BGI.
Design, Water Sensitive and Water Wise City).
CULTURAL STRUCTURAL
CAPACITY CAPACITY
BLUE-GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE
Drivers of BGI often rely on the direct A critical mass of BGI-practitioners in your city
support of networks of professionals, can help to create momentum for further BGI-
NGO activists, and civil society. projects: Use external expertise at an early stage
to develop guidelines (e.g. best practice examples,
Involvement of people from the affected handbooks with recommendations, toolboxes)
neighbourhoods and catchment of BGI-projects and to build up BGI-capacities in your city.
fosters public awareness and civic support.
Recognition of good practice examples through
Identify persons and groups with a particular level public competitions and publications can be very
in society to elicit volunteerism and enable these helpful and support the movement toward BGI
partners to support and strengthen BGI advocacy. cultural capacity and development in a city.
16 RAMBOLL
MAKING CITIES LIVEABLE 17
Involve external consultancy and promote Cases studies also show that BGI, however
knowledge exchange across departments implemented in some remote areas of a city, did
not break through as standard technology yet.
Promote policy integration and inter-agency Urban decision-makers and lobby groups therefore
coordination to ensure knowledge exchange are advised to build high institutional capacity.
TAKE CARE OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE Implement effective, enforceable and sanctionable
BGI-guidelines and regulations in urban
Case studies show that long-term costs for planning processes (drainage regulations, exact
operation and maintenance (O&M) of BGI are requirements for rainwater inflows, etc.)
often not foreseen or budgeted. It is crucial to
have a clear picture of the lifecycle costs and Be aware and promote that institutionalisation
long-term funding for maintenance and to clarify helps to reduce transaction costs and
the responsibilities for maintenance in advance create new paths of development.
FINAL
THOUGHTS
The combination of water and vegetation makes cities more vibrant, lively and
attractive for regular exercise and community life. And this in turn helps people
avoid depression, burnout and diseases like diabetes. Blue-Green cities have a
higher reputation, attract young families and give companies strong arguments
to locate their headquarters there.
It all adds up to greater economic stability, more Learn more about Ramboll and the Liveable Cities Lab
dependable tax revenues, increased prosperity and greater www.ramboll.com/LCL
long-term welfare. With a strong vision and focused
leadership, let us reconnect blue and green within our The entire report about this research will be available
cities. on this webpage in March 2016.