Benefits of greenery
Climate adaptation is one of the major challenges for urban areas in the Netherlands. Greening public space in combination with urban redevelopment is one of the most promising measures for climate adaptation, especially by lowering temperature during heat waves. Planting trees and landscaping also have other benefits, such as increased health and well-being, biodiversity, air quality, water management, and recreational opportunities. But what does effective climate greening in urban areas look like, and how do you realize it?
Interrelated lines of research
A consortium of researchers, people from the green sector, designers, landscape architects and managers of urban green space simultaneously pursue three interrelated and mutually influencing lines of research into green urban areas. Firstly, a science-based database of urban tree species will be generated indicating known benefits of the various urban tree species. Secondly, the impact of various species will be quantified more precisely by means of in situ measurements of temperature reduction and ENVIMET modelling of urban settings. Finally, optimal designs of public green in various types of common Dutch neighborhoods will be generated and visualized.
Practice oriented guidelines
The results of the project consist of a set of practice-oriented guidelines and criteria for the construction and design of green elements for the purpose of climate adaptation in the city, on the one hand, and a set of general example types (templates) for climate adaptation (temperature and water management) in a number of standard situations in the city, on the other. In addition to climate aspects, attention will also be paid to other benefits of green space, such as support for biodiversity and improvement of air quality.