15/11/2014

Leen Gorissen

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO INSPIRE

AND FUEL TRANSFORMATIVE

CHANGE Inviting nature at the

boardroom table

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WHY ‘SOLUTIONS AS USUAL’ WILL NOT GET US OUT OF OUR

CURRENT PREDICAMENT

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PERSISTENT Problems

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» E.g. Mobility problem: congestion

More cars road expansion

But population growth

more cars

congestion

road expansion

PERSISTENT PROBLEMS

= problems that tend to re-appear when intervention just targets

impacts/symptoms of problems (Rotmans, 2005)

» Simple problem solving approaches can bring short term relief but are not appropriate to resolve persistent problems

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» Complex, long-term and uncertain

-> no quick fixes or only technological solutions

» Rooted in the structure of the system

-> optimization through existing solutions insufficient

» Multiple actors and multitude of sectors involved

-> different ‘stakes’, vested interests,…

» Difficult to ‘manage’

-> it is about the hardware (structure) and the software of the system (culture, practice)

SYSTEM CHANGES ARE REQUIRED TO SOLVE PERSISTENT PROBLEMS. UNSUSTAINABILITY LOCK-IN REQUIRES TRANSITIONS

PERSISTENT PROBLEMS

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BUSINESS AS USUAL FAVOURS ‘SOLUTIONS AS USUAL’

» Simple problem solving, optimisation & efficiency strategies still lead to a postponed negative transition

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THE WAY OUT

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We need to reflect on ‘why we see the world the way we see it’

» Reductionist thinking (Newton, Descartes, Aristotle)

“Reductive thinking has become such a societal habit that it is seldom questioned by the general populace and even many scientists”

(Rogers et al 2013)

» Survival of the fittest thinking (Darwin)

"Popular wisdom holds that the fittest survive, the strongest, leanest, largest, perhaps meanest – whatever beats the competition. But in

healthy, thriving natural systems it is actually the 'fitting-est' who thrive.” (Braungart & McDonough 2009)

OUR DOMINANT WAY OF THINKING

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TRANSFORMATIONAL TIMES ASK FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

9

To stop replicating

the past we need

‘vision guided’

system innovation

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TRANSITION THEORY

» While examples of historical transitions (for instance from transport by horse-and-carriage to automobiles, or from sailing ships to steam ships) often boil down to radical and structural change processes without a well- defined and pre-set objective, the present concept of ‘transition theory’ as a working frame is clearly linked with the explicit goal of sustainable development.

» Can we organize ourselves to stimulate a positive transition towards a desired and sustainable future?

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11

Dominant trend ‘eco-efficiency’ reproduces ‘suboptimal’ solutions

Population growth, climate change, ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss,…

Undercurrent counter movements applying nature-based solutions: eg biomimicry, permaculture, ecosystem stewardship…

NATURE-BASED THINKING, AN INTERESTING UNDERCURRENT

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A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF NATURE-BASED THINKING IS THE

EMERGENT DISCIPLINE ‘BIOMIMICRY’

Following slides © Biomimicry 3.8

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IF THE HISTORY OF THE EARTH WERE COMPRESSED INTO A CALENDER YEAR…

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CITY BUILT BY HUMANS

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CITY BUILT BY NATURE

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THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT IN WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE, BUT HOW WE DO IT.

Calcium-carbonaat

» Exoskeleton built by organisms using local resources: Calcium + CO2 from seawater

» At low temp, with little energy and without waste

» This process is 450 million years old

Cement

» Former oceans rich of calcium-carbonate have formed limestone deposits

» We have to mine in order to obtain these resources

» Heavy equipment, explosives, high temperature and lots of energy (transport)

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THE HUMAN DESIGN PRODUCES CO2

Mining: 39 billion tons per year Heat treating: >1400°C

Packaging Transport

equals 6% of humanity’s annual GHG emissions

© L-‐R:Dionatan ZibeS, CC-‐BY-‐NC; Wikimedia user Linguis9c Demographer, public domain; Flickr user Judy_&_Ed, CC-‐BY-‐NC

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Created on site Built to shape

Uses CO2 as a building block Low temperature

Waste free, not toxic

NATURE’S DESIGN SEQUESTERS CO2

© NOAA, public domain

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BIOMIMICRY = CAN WE LEARN FROM NATURE’S DESIGN?

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BIOMIMICRY: WHAT WORKS, WHAT IS APPROPRIATE AND WHAT CAN LAST IN A FINITE WORLD

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EMULATING FROM DIFFERENT LEVELS

Form Shape – surface - texture

PROCESS A series of operations

(ECO)-SYSTEM Netwerk where the whole is

more then the sum of its parts

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LEARNING FROM THE KINGFISHER HOW TO REDUCE TURBULENCE

Shinkansen Bullet train travels at 200km/u Problem = noise

How to reduce turbulence when exiting a tunnel (different air densities

inside and outside)?

The shape of the kingfishers beak reduces turbulence when entering the water.

Emulating this form into the design of the front of the train resulted in a quieter train, 15% reduction in electricity use, 10% higher speed.

© Emily Harrington (c) wildxplorer

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₋ For animals that swim so slowly through the ocean, sharks are remarkably clean. There are no free-riders like on the body of many whales

₋ This is because the microstructure of their skin is

covered with little denticles

© Albert Kok © Mark Carwadine

LEARNING FROM THE SHARK HOW TO BECOME NATURALLY RESISTENT TO BACTERIA

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» Because this texture inhibits bacterial growth, sharks are naturally resistant to bacteria

» The company Sharklet mimicked this texture in a synthetic surface for consumer goods, medical equipment etc.

» These surfaces deter colonisation by certain disease causing microbes and since this works without killing the microbes, there is no selection for (antibiotic) resistance

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THAT IS WHY NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS CAN BE A VALID ALTERNATIVE TO ‘SOLUTIONS AS USUAL’

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EXAMPLES OF NATURE-BASED THINKING IN FLANDERS,

BELGIUM

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LET’S Z OM IN

ON BIO-INSPIRED BUILDINGS

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» Part of the Hospital Limburg East, design by OSAR Architects

» ‘Patient’ central for the design

THE CHILDREN’S PSYCHIATRIC CENTER IN GENK

Pics © OSAR architects, Boydens.be

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» Building seamlessly integrated in natural environment

» ‘Wellbeing of children and their parents’ is point of departure

Pics © OSAR architects, Boydens.be

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» Warm environment promoting safe feeling of children and well-being of employees

» Renewable energy system and use of natural materials (wood)

Pics © Limburg Bouwt winter 2013

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» Visionary design by Holistic Architecture and development by the temporary trade association Mandala

» One of the most sustainable governmental buildings in BE

THE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER OF HOUTHALEN - HELCHTEREN

Pics ©Kumpen

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» Integrated in landscape

» Organic curved design

» ‘Symbiotic way of life’ central in design

» Natural materials, renewable energy and smart design

Pics © http://www.holisticarch.be/

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» Nature-based solutions also require more attention to new productive (symbiotic) human cooperation concepts

Pics © infobrochure NAC stad Houthalen-Helchteren

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Pics © http://www.holisticarch.be/

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LET’S Z OM IN

ON BIO-INSPIRED DISTRICTS

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Sint

Niklaas

» Greenfield at city border

» Key features: Green – Low traffic – Energy efficient – Playful

» Key principles: Resilience - Reversibility

…ON ECO-DISTRICT CLEMENTWIJK

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» Northern city border: 28,4 ha including 4 ha shared park

» First phase 2012-2015

» 600 houses and school, bakery, meeting place, launderette

Pics © clementwijk

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» Recreation: Playful green belt for young and old

» Food: Urban agriculture, flower garden, orchard

» Nature: Sloping lands, canals

» Education: Vegetable garden & wild flower garden

» Water: Infiltration, circulation, recovery, reuse, recreation

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Leuven

» Largest city development project in Flanders

» Reconversion of old industrial site

» Aim to enrich the city of Leuven with a large green ‘lung’

» In development

…ON ECO-CITY TWEEWATERS

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» 1200 low energy houses in high-rise blocks

» Compact living: 5000 people living & working

» River ‘Dijle’ is the green vein of Tweewaters

» Site is 100% car free

» Park of 3,5 ha

» District without traditional streets, gardens, fences

Pics © Tweewaters

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» 70 % of open space

» Food: edible landscape foreseen

» Nature: is concentrated on the banks of the Dijle, functional green and semi natural biotopes

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Ypres

» Compact design

» Special focus on affordability

…ON ECO-DISTRICT DE VLOEI

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» Blue green belts as space for socializing, recreation and play

» District is designed as a water buffer (canals, streams, ponds, permeable surfacing)

Pics © De vloei

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» Gardens and urban agriculture

» Fencing only by endemic plants

» Sensitisation program on green roofs and ecological gardening for residents

Pics © De vloei

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LET’S Z OM IN

ON BIO-INSPIRED FOOD SYSTEMS

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SAMENLAND PERMACULTURE CSA IN SINT-TRUIDEN

» Former corn field (4,2 ha) redesigned into a permaculture food production system

» Underpinned by a community supported agriculture (CSA) business model

Pics © Directie Ruimte, Dienst Milieu en Natuur, Provincie Limburg Pics © Directie Ruimte, Dienst Milieu en Natuur, Provincie Limburg

15/11/2014 47 © 2013, VITO NV Pics © Directie Ruimte, Dienst Milieu en Natuur, Provincie Limburg

» Permaculture: designing regenerative, restorative, self-regulating and largely self-maintained agricultural systems modeled after natural ecosystems

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» Producing resilient food systems while improving biodiversity and ecosystem services by mimicking natural solutions

Pics © Directie Ruimte, Dienst Milieu en Natuur, Provincie Limburg

» Stacking production 4D

» Designing with nature rather than against

» No use of

farming machinery, pesticides, fertilizers

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FROM FOOD INITIATIVES TO NETWORK DYNAMICS

» Permaculture design courses, 19 CSA initiatives, 165 local food teams active, food forests, PC festival, network, practicioners,...

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LET’S Z OM IN ON ES

STEWARDSHIP

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SIGMAPLAN OF THE PROVINCE OF ANTWERP

» Started the SIGMA plan to give back space to water

» To develop a safe, natural and economically attractive Scheldt region

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» Make the ecosystem of the Scheldt more robust

» Tides are given free play

» Approximately 260 kms of river is involved in the project

» Creating 4000 ha of nature and wetlands along the banks

(c) Waterwegen en Zeekanaal NV

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» Restoring tidal nature

» By a clever concept of water management: the flood control area with reduced tides (CRT).

(c) Waterwegen en Zeekanaal NV

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» Restoring tidal nature

» By a clever concept of water management: the flood control area with reduced tides (CRT).

» Natural buffer that protects against floods

» Creating a network of mud flats and shoals, salt marshes, channels and brooks.

» Each of these biotopes sparkles with typical biodiversity

(c) Waterwegen en Zeekanaal NV

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BOSLAND LIMBURG

• municipality of Hechtel-Eksel,

• city of Lommel,

• municipalitiyof Overpelt,

• organisation Tourism Limburg,

• organisation Regional landscape Low Campine,

• agency for Nature and Forests.

» Pioneering case of forest management

» Partnership between:

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BOSLAND’S JOINT AMBITION

To implement an integral and integrating policy that – based on the complementarity between the partners and in a maximal collaboration with all the stakeholders and other actors – organizes/optimizes benefits of nature and open landscapes for society today and in the future

…while also becoming the most child-friendly forest in Flanders

Pics © Bosland

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» Co-creation of a long term vision

» Co-ownership by a partnership

» Co-management by a Bosland parliament with an ecological, economical and social house representing all stakeholders

BOSLAND LIMBURG

Pics © Bosland

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BOSLAND LIMBURG: FROM MASTERPLAN TO MASTERPIECE

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» E.G. Insect hotels are popular and sold out in shops

» Item in national news:

MANY MORE NATURE-BASED EXAMPLES…

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NATURE-BASED THINKING GOES BEYOND SOLUTIONS-AS-USUAL

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CONCLUSIONS I: INNOVATING LEARNING AND DESIGN

» Nature-based thinking targets the software of minds and the hardware of civilization simultaneously; it is about a new way of learning, valuing, designing and acting together

» Nature-based solutions inspire us not only to learn about nature but also from nature (biomimicry, permaculture) how to tackle challenges sustainably and so they widen our solution portfolio

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CONCLUSIONS II: RE-EVALUATING VALUE

» Nature-based thinking may inspire us to rethink the value of nature (by viewing nature as a huge library of R&D solutions fit to a finite world for instance) and to rethink the nature of value (shifting from dominance of monetary systems towards multiple value creation for example)

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CONCLUSIONS III: LOGICAL NEXT STEP

» Working/designing with nature instead of against it can save a lot of energy, power and costs while adding additional (non-monetary) value (well-being, health, recreation, biodiversity…) as well

» Nature-based solutions can inspire multiple value creation in business model innovation

» Integrating nature-based solutions in

business/cities/… can inspire an

important transition in mindset shifting

away from the viewpoint ‘nature as

externality’ (Biosphere awareness)

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» Grin J, Rotmans J and Schot J (2010) Transitions to sustainable development. New directions in the study of long term transformative change (Routledge, UK).

» Nevens F, De Weerdt Y, Gorissen L, Berloznic R (2014) Transition in research. Research in transition (VITO NV, Mol)

» http://biomimicry.net/; Biomimicry Educational Network; Ask Nature database; Biomimicry 3.8 Institute

» http://www.bosland.be/; dries.gorissen@lne.vlaanderen.be

» KPC Genk: http://verbiesteti.be/pdf/KPC.pdf

» http://www.sigmaplan.be/

» http://www.houthalen-helchteren.be/themes/16; http://www.thvmandala.be/; http://www.houthalen-helchteren.be/_uploads/www.houthalen-helchteren.be/milieu___duurzaamheid/downloads/duurzame_aspecten_NAC.pdf

» www.samenland.be; www.permacultuurnetwerk.be

» http://documenten.limburg.be/bestandenlimburgbe/klimaatenmilieu/20140924_klimaatneutraal_inspiratieboekje_lr.pdf; minaplanning@limburg.be

» file:///C:/Users/gorissel/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/UY8QT4ST/130128_SIGMA-ANB-Brochure.pdf

» http://clementwijk.be/project

» http://www.tweewaters.be/

» http://www.devloei.be/nl/

SOURCES

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Leen.gorissen@vito.be Twitter: L_gori

THE END