green infrastructure: why we need to act now

The contribution of trees and GI (Green Infrastructure) to creating resilient cities

Green infrastructure: Why we need to act now

21-11-2018 | Tom Armour

‘ACT NOW’

INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE ‘THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING (2018)

UNITED NATIONS - SUSTAINABLITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS

CITY CHALLENGES

CITY CHALLENGES

Health & well-beingChanging demographics Climate change

NEW YORK PEOPLE’S CLIMATE MARCH

POLICY –MOVES: EU NATURE –BASED SOLUTIONS AND RENATURING CITIES

WHY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE?

= Green + blue interconnected natural systems that perform vital functions:

Climate proofing our cities

Providing buffers from extreme weather

Providing healthy, liveable environments

Purifying water, soil and air

CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK

From aesthetic to functional…

High performance infrastructure

GI DELIVERS SOCIAL, ECONOMIC & ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

GLOBAL RESEARCH: CITIES ALIVE: RETHINKING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE – ARUP (2014)

environmental benefits economic benefits social benefits

Improved visual amenity Increased property prices Encouraging physical activity

Enhanced microclimate Increased land values Improving childhood development

Improved air quality Faster property sales Improved mental health

Reduced flood risk Encouraging inward investment Faster hospital recovery rates

Better water/ soil quality Reducing building energy costs Lowering stress

Water storage and reuse Faster planning permission Improved workplace productivity

Improved biodiversity Improving areas for tourism Increasing social cohesion

Reducing ambient noise Lowering healthcare costs Reducing crime

the benefits of green infrastructure

QUEEN SQUARE , BRISTOL

+ psychological benefits

LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES ACROSS GREATER LONDON

Why we need trees…

MAJOR GREEN SPACE IN LONDON

XL

© G

REA

TER

LO

ND

ON

AU

THO

RIT

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TitleText

LARGE SPECIES TREES - FITZROY SQUARE, LONDON

MATCHING THE SCALE OF CITY ARCHITECTURE - FITZROY SQUARE, LONDON

The contribution of trees and GI (Green Infrastructure) to creating resilient cities

“Cities need green in sizes S, M, L, and XL otherwise the human ecosystem is incomplete”GIL PEÑALOSA – DIRECTOR OF 8-80 CITIES

LONDON INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN 2050 | ALL LONDON GREEN GRID

LONDON INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN 2050

MADRID + NATURAL | MORE NATURAL MADRID

MADRID + NATURAL

MADRID + NATURAL

SUSTAINABLE ROOFS

RESILIENT DEVELOPMENTGREEN WALLS

COOLING ROOFS

PERMEABLE SURFACES

RIVER+STREAM RESTORATION

GREENING INFRASTRUCTURE

STREET GREENING

URBAN FARMING

PLANTING DERELICT LAND

SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE

URBAN FORESTS

SEASONAL SHADINGMICROCLIMATES w WATER

TEMP FLOODABLE AREAS

ADAPTIVE PLANTING

BOSTON ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY

BOSTON ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY

GREENER GRANGETOWN SUDS SCHEME CARDIFF - BEFORE + AFTER

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN SUDS SCHEME CARDIFF - BEFORE + AFTER

BEFOREAFTER

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

AFTER

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

AFTER

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

AFTER

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

BEFORE

GREENER GRANGETOWN CARDIFF

AFTER

BENTHEMSQUARE, ROTTERDAM

NEW YORK ROAD DIETS - BEFORE

NEW YORK ROAD DIETS – AFTER – A VERY DIFFERENT CITY

SHIFT SPACE DESIGN SYDNEY

FITZPARK POP UP PARK – ARUP + FITZROVIA BID + VESTRE

FITZPARK - POP UP PARK – ARUP + FITZROVIA BID + VESTRE

#FITZPARK WELL-BEING SURVEY | + 41% SELF REPORTED WELL BEING

PLANET EARTH II | BOSCO VERTICALE MILAN

WILD WEST END

ARUP LIVING WALL

UK WOODLAND COVER 13% | EU AVERAGE 37%

50m TREES – 25 YEARS

The Northern Forest

BOSCO VERTICALE

The contribution of trees and GI (Green Infrastructure) to creating resilient cities

“We humans share about 50% of our DNA with trees – something to think about next time you sit under an old oak”THE MIRACLE OF TREES – OLAVI HUIKARI