green infrastructure
DESCRIPTION
Paul Roebuck, one of our London based ecologists, takes you through some basics on green infrastructure in the UK and highlights some really interesting projects we have worked on and exciting future developments. The slides cover legislation, mitigation, habitat creation, ecology impact assessments and green roofs and walls.TRANSCRIPT
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Green Infrastructure & Biodiverse Design
TEC Breakfast Briefing 14.11.2013Paul Roebuck MIEEM MSc BSc
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Content
Background
Introduction
Policy / Guidance
Practical Delivery Tools
Case Studies
Future & Challenges
Conclusion & Discussion
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• Golden Age for Infrastructure Development?
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What is Green Infrastructure?
“GI represents an approach to land use that has a critical role in meeting
many of the challenges we face [social, environmental and
economic].
It achieves this through its multifunctional and connected nature and is underpinned by the concept of ecosystem services, an approach which recognises the many benefits
that are generated by natural ecosystems”
Landscape Institute
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What is Green Infrastructure?
“GI is a strategically planned and delivered network of high quality
green spaces and other environmental features.
It should be designed and managed as a multifunctional
resource capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and
quality of life benefits for local communities”.
Natural England
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Examples of Green Infrastructure & Biodiverse Design• Living Roofs• Parks & Gardens• SuDs Features• Living Walls• Green Corridors – Rivers,
Road and Rail• Amenity Greenspace• Allotments• Natural and Semi-Natural
Urban Greenspace
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Green Infrastructure – Key Principles
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Who is involved?
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Policy & Legislation
• Historical planning policy and legislation relating to ecology and biodiversity has been largely led by the principles of conservation and protection
• Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) & Habitat Regulations (1994) as examples
• 20th Century approach?
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• Future planning policy and legislation - Creation, Conservation & Protection
• Natural Environment & Rural Communities Act (NERC) (2006), the Localism Act (2011) & National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2012)
• LPAs must have ‘a due regard to biodiversity’ (NERC Act) and will expect a ‘net gain’ from the development (NPPF)
• Green Infrastructure essential part of Local Plans• 21st Century approach?
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Additional Drivers for Green Infrastructure & Biodiverse Design?
• Biodiversity Action Plan Targets – species and habitats
• Building Environmental Assessment Tools – BREEAM, CfSH
• Nature Improvement Areas (NIA’s) & Biodiversity Offsetting (No Net Loss)
• Major Infrastructure Projects – Require Mitigation & Design
• Common sense? “integrate the built and natural form together”
• Building Environmental Assessment Tools – BREEAM, CfSH
• Nature Improvement Areas (NIA’s) & Biodiversity Offsetting (No Net Loss)
• Major Infrastructure Projects – Require Mitigation & Design
• Common sense? “integrate the built and natural form’’
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Guidance – General Overview
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Guidance – Focused Design
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Building Environmental Assessment Tools (BEATs)
Assessment of building design performance - using criteria and summary of overall performance.
Addresses broad range of sustainability issues - demonstrates the environmental credentials of your building.
BREEAM - Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method.
CfSH – Code for Sustainable Homes.
BRE making revisions to Ecology section in 2014. Complete overhaul? TEC part of task group to make changes.
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Benefits of Green Infrastructure
The multiple functions that GI assets provide are underpinned by the concept of ‘ecosystem services’.
In the recent UK National Ecosystem Assessment these services were divided into four categories:
Supporting Services – ecosystem processes
Regulating Services – control mechanisms
Provisioning Services – products
Cultural Services - non-material benefits
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Soil formation
Nutrient cycle
Photosynthesis
Supporting Services
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Regulating Services Provisioning Services Climate change – e.g reducing surface water
flooding
Detoxification/purification in soil, water and air
Hazard regulation – water attenuation
Pollution control
Pollination
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Wildlife habitats (biodiversity)
Economic productivity - land and property value etc.
Energy production
Food production
Water supply
Provisioning Services
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Recreation
Access to nature
Social interaction & cohesion
Aesthetic/visual quality
Improved health & well being
Environmental education
Cultural Services
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Case Studies – Thames Green Bridge
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Landscape Planting – Design
Selection – ‘right plant in the right place’
Sustainable horticulture – planting medium, water, nutrients
Species of known wildlife value - native vs. non-native?
Provenance of native stock – Pests & diseases (ash dieback etc.)
Planting density / diversity – do we need to take our leads from nature?
Long-term management is key – Management Plan (BEATs), funding/costs, grounds maintenance/contractual issues, fostering ownership etc.
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GI Audit - London Bridge Area - Land-use
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Urban environment – 39% is buildings
75% of rainfall is surface run-off
Prediction is for a 40% increase in peak rainfall events
London Regional Flood Risk Appraisal identified
surface water flooding as the major concern
Ambition to increase green (vegetated) cover in central
London by 5% by 2030 and 10% by 2050 (London Plan)
GI Audit - Project Background
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Climate Change Reality - Tooley Street
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Climate Change Reality - Tooley Street
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Rain Gardens
Reducing the amount and rate of surface water leaving urban sites is one of the most effective ways of managing flood risk
Rain gardens are only one part of the SuDS process
The aim is to mimic natural drainage processes
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Lyon Rain Gardens
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Lyon Urban Wetlands
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Hackney Urban Swale
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Hackney Urban Swale
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Hackney Urban Swale
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Potential Rain Garden?
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Potential Rain Garden
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Potential Rain Garden?
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Potential Rain Garden?
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Rain Gardens 50 sites have been identified as being able to accommodate a rain garden treatment.
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Living Walls
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Living Walls
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Bermondsey St. Potential Green Wall
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Bermondsey St. Potential Green Wall
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Rain Gardens and Green Walls
50 sites have been identified as being able to accommodate a rain garden treatment.
30 sites have been identified as being able to accommodate either modular or traditional green wall treatments.
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Living Roofs
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Living Roofs – Types (Right Roof Right Place)
Intensive – deeper soils, garden style, heavier
Extensive – shallower soils, low growing vegetation
Semi-intensive – half way between the two, typical approach for ‘biodiverse roofs’
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Living Roofs – Types
Extensive Semi-intensive Intensive
Use Ecological Landscape
Garden/Ecological Landscape Garden/Park
Vegetation Moss-Sedum-Herbs-Grasses Grass-Herbs-Shrubs Lawn/Perennials,
Shrubs, Trees
Depth of substrate 60 - 200mm 120 - 250mm 150 - 900mm
Weight 60 - 150 kg/m2 120 - 200 kg/m2 180 - 1100 kg/m2
Maintenance Low Occasional Frequent
Irrigation No Occasionally Yes
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Extensive Living Roofs – First ‘Brown Roof’ in London
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Living Roofs – Case Study 2Over 70 plant species
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Extensive Living Roofs – Sedum Systems
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Semi-Intensive Living Roofs – Biodiverse Roofs
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Intensive Living Roofs
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Green Roofs – London Bridge
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Biodiversity Design: Species - Invertebrates
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Invertebrates
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Lendlease HQ Roof Garden
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Lendlease HQ Habitat Wall
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Intentional Provision of Artificial Roost Sites is Vital
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Bird Boxes
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Bird Boxes – What to consider?
Open fronted – black redstart, grey wagtail
Hole fronted – blue-tit, robin
Communal – house sparrow
Nest bowl – house martin, swallow
Bespoke – swift, peregrine falcon, owls
Presence of bird / collect baseline data / BAP targets
Attachment / orientation – away from direct midday sun
Foraging habitat Size of hole / predation Maintenance
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Integrated Bat Boxes
Norfolk bat brick
Ibstock enclosed bat brick
Roofblock
Schwegler bat tube
Forticrete
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External Provision
Kent bat box Schwegler bat box
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Ex-situ Provision
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Temperature requirements (opposite to birds!):• Summer - warm for rearing young (30ºC to 40ºC)• Winter - cool for hibernation (0ºC to 6ºC)
Positioning• Place where the roost will receive at least 6-10 hours of direct
sunlight a day• Aspect and orientation - S, SW, SE (W, E, N)• 2-7m in height
Access / Clearance• Clear path to flight-line• Vegetation close by for cover and foraging
Bat Boxes - Design Considerations
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Ex-situ provision – What works?
• Individual species requirements• Sun exposure• Bigger is better• Height is important• Size of crevice width: 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm• Ventilation slots – provide wider temperature ranges• Multiple bat houses – group three or more together• Mitigation close to where roost was lost• Proximity to landscape features: For example wildflower
meadows/pasture and water – Wildlife (not just bats!) needs breakfast as well as a bed.
Wildlife needs breakfast as well as a bed!
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Lots more Biodiversity Design measures and Green Infrastructure creation not mentioned such as:
• Street trees• Water features – ‘Blue’ Infrastructure • Be Creative!
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Case Study - Crown Estates
• 30 retail parks• Ecologically enhance sites:
Incorporate design measures – multi-functional
• Baseline survey and report with recommendations.
• Increase value - opportunity for Crown Estates to act as a “Sustainability Innovator” by show-casing green infrastructure and SuDs features on site. This would encourage local businesses to adopt similar practices
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Future & Challenges
• Lots of stakeholders – Need to work together• New systems and mechanisms for delivery – Biodiversity
Offsetting• Policy – Localism still early days • Problems with delivery tools – BREEAM/CfSH etc.• Incorporating ‘Biodiversity Design’ measures for sake of
it. i.e. bird box in wrong place• Playing it safe? Not taking risks due to costs/concerns of
implementation.• Be inspired – be brave and take opportunities!