msc thesis project - aisling mannion green infrastructure in birmingham city centre
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MSc Thesis Project - Aisling Mannion
Green Infrastructure in Birmingham city centre
Aims
The aims of this project are to:• Map the existing green infrastructure (GI)• Plan potential future GI• Assess the benefits of GI
The study area
New Street Station
Birmingham Cathedral
ICC
Millennium PointCanal
Canal
Town Hall
Canal
The need for GI
Predicted climate change• Summer mean temperature in the West
Midlands is predicted to increase by 3.7°C by the 2080s.
• Urban Heat Island effect may add an extra 3°C.• Winter precipitation in the West Midlands is
predicted to increase by 17% by the 2080s.
The need for GI
Risks from climate change• High temperature increases air pollution• Higher risk of flooding & flood damage• Urban areas exacerbate temperature and flood
risks• Damage to health & higher healthcare costs• Higher energy use for cooling & energy costs
The need for GI
Air quality in Birmingham• GI can help to meet EU standards• Air quality needs to improve for health reasons
Image and investment in Birmingham• GI can improve Birmingham’s reputation• GI can increase visitor numbers and revenue in
rundown areas. • GI can make Birmingham more attractive to investors
& skilled workers
Existing GI in Birmingham city centre
Existing GI in Birmingham city centre
Existing GI in Birmingham city centre
Grass, shrubs, flowerbeds
21 ha
Water
4 ha
Trees
1,120
Green roofs
0.2 ha
Total roof area
99.5 ha
Green roofs (% of all roofs) 0.2 %
Impermeable surface area 90%
Potential GI in Birmingham city centre
Birmingham city centre is densely urbanised.Suitable methods for increasing GI here are:
– street trees– green roofs– green walls– improving existing parks– SuDS– restoring existing water courses– linking existing green spaces
Plan for potential GIThe focus is on a route for pedestrians, to connect areas of existing GI
New Street Station
Birmingham Cathedral
ICC
Millennium PointCanal
Canal
Town Hall
Potential GI in Birmingham – street level
Victoria SquareCentenary Square Square by the REP
Chamberlain SquareThe Bullring
Curzon Street
Potential GI in Birmingham – street trees
Potential GI in Birmingham – green roofs
Potential GI in Birmingham – green roofs
Semi-intensive green roof, Chicago
Brown roof, Fire & Rescue Authority, Birmingham
Intensive green roof, Kensington Roof Gardens, London
Extensive green roof, Canary Wharf, London
Potential GI in Birmingham – green walls
Potential GI in Birmingham – green walls
Grass, shrubs, flowerbeds
26 ha
Water
4 ha
Trees
2,090
Green roofs
32ha
Total roof area
99.5 ha
Green roofs (% of all roofs) 32 %
Impermeable surface area 70%
Potential GI in Birmingham
Benefits of Green Infrastructure
• Mitigates the Urban Heat Island effect• Improves air quality• Reduces surface runoff• Improves health• Reduces energy usage for cooling and heating• Improves image and investment• Improves ecology and biodiversity• Provides economic savings
Air quality• Potential green roofs cover 32 ha
– All extensive: removes 2700 kg/yr of air pollutants.– All intensive: removes 3500 kg/yr of air pollutants. (Yang, 2008)
• Trees: Pollution removal rate 10.8 g/m2/yr. (Nowak, 2006)
– 2000 trees may remove over 112kg.
Benefits of Green Infrastructure - Indicative results
Energy savings• Potential energy savings from green roofs of
4.15kWh/m2/yr. (Banting, 2005)
• 32 ha of green roofs may save 1.3GWh/yr.
Benefits of Green Infrastructure - Indicative results
Benefits of Green Infrastructure - Indicative results
Reduction of surface runoff• A typical medium-sized tree can intercept 9000 litres of
rainfall per year. If the tree canopy spans 9m2, then this represents an annual rainfall depth of 1 m.
• Green roofs have a water storage capacity of 30 – 140 litres/m2
• Total potential water storage of 9.7 million – 45 million litres on green roofs in Birmingham city centre.
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