Increase awareness of NBS solution & their effectiveness and co benefits

Green indoor and outdoor walls

  • The experimental features of this NbS are intended as replicable examples in enhancing urban environments and improving living conditions of inhabitants.
  • Working with schools to spread the knowledge about NbS to users of the buildings and raising awareness about the importance of plants in everyday life.
  • Promoting the collaboration with school teachers and staff of the homeless shelter to schedule activities that supported learning “science” disciplines, as well as Italian language skills, civic education and social studies.
  • Consulting a nursery to achieve
    • ...

New soil production in Sangone Park

Given competition of land uses in urban areas, the scarcity of the resource soil endangers urban environments. Contamination, poor chemical, physical and biological fertility and high heterogeneity are common traits of urban soils. Previous and ongoing projects have typified soils, fertility and environmental quality.

Therefore, the NbS aims at:

  • testing and providing soil of good agronomical and environmental quality for new urban green areas and restoration of derelict industrial areas.
  • pursuing minimum maintenance of new soil composition.
  • ...

NATURE-IN New Sustainable Nature-Inclusive Architectural Devices for the Transformation of our Interior Dwelling Space: through Selected Case Studies.

NATURE-IN introduces Nature-connection sensory experiences through architectural interior space to improve our health and wellbeing.

Nature-In is an artistic, technical and historical research, that will gain knowledge from our architectural heritage to inform us of a Contemporary Design, through Landscape, Architectural Interior and Biophilic Design approaches, as a resource to mitigate an urgent problem. The overall aim is to improve Nature’s connection with the interior spaces of buildings, to enhance the health and wellbeing in dwellings and urban areas in the EU and beyond. Thus, Nature-In may transform the reality towards a better life.

Las Llamas Park, Santander: Wetlands and permeable car parks

Panoramic view of the Las Llamas Park. In the right, the east side with the Palacio de Deportes, at the left, the west side with the Arenas bridge.

The D4RUNOFF project’s goal is to create a novel framework for preventing and managing diffuse pollution from urban water runoff. This will be achieved by designing hybrid nature-based solutions (NbS) and a data-driven AI-platform to support policy and decision making.

The case studies have been identified for the implementation and validation of this approach in varying environments. The replicability of these results will then be assessed at five replication sites. The Las Llamas Park in Santander has been chosen as one of three case study sites as part of the D4RUNOFF project.

Øyer, Flood control

Drone photos of the Trodalen site after completion of the interventions, but before planting is fully completed

Flooding problems  during heavy precipitation in the Trobekken Creek may affect  a development project to establish 220 family housing units.

Through the H2020 project PHUSICOS the Trobekken Creek has been opened and re-meandered.  A buffer zone is established around the re-opened creek and is also combined with a sedimentation dam (check dam).

Erill-la-Val, Spain: Debris flow from till deposits

Left: The terraces constructed as part of PHUSICOS. These are constructed both of timber and of large local stones. Right: Close-up of one of the terraces, with grass taken directly from one of the local pastures. All terraces will be planted with grass and other local bushes and trees.

The village of Erill-la-Vall in the Spanish Pyrenees is heavily affected by erosion and debris flow problems.

Through the H2020 project PHUSICOS a combination of revegetation to limit erosion and of terraces constructed by dry stone walls and timber to minimize energy in the creeks and to avoid further lowering of the erosional level, all to reduce the feeding of sediments to the main debris flow channel, and thereby reduce the hazard posed to the village have been implemented.

Retention/sedimentation basin

The sedimentation basin after completion (Photo: ADBS)

The main problem to solve with the implemented NbS measures is the runoff of soil and pollutants from the farmland to irrigation canals and from there to the nearby Lake Massaciuccoli on the Tuscan coast.

Through the H2020 project PHUSICOS sedimentation basin  have been implemented to prevent runoff of soil and pollutants from farmlands. 

Triple infiltration basin and greenery regeneration in the square of Oblęgorska / Widok Street in Łódź (Poland)

The final look of the ATENAS square. 

An implementation focused on combining blue and green infrastructure, with predominant use of native species and minimizing maintenance effort.

Key aims:

  • demonstrate the integration of blue solutions into green design;
  • create a pilot implementation of the infiltration basin as an example of best practice and a source of know-how;
  • build the trust in NbS;
  • initiate the restoration of water cycle in the Łódka River catchment.