From landfills to landscapes—Nature‐based solutions for water management taking into account legacy contamination

Abstract

The authors declare no conflicts of interest Funding was provided by Norwegian research council project 300560 part of the JPI project "Nature based solutions for water management in the peri urban; linking ecological, social and economic dimensions" Gudny Okkenhaug, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute and Erlend Sørmo, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, are thanked for their input in to initial work related to the case study site. DisclaimerThe peer review for this article was managed by the Editorial Board without the involvement of A Oen. Data Accessibility StatementAdditional associated data are available through the supplemental files attached to this article. EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of the special series "Incorporating Naturebased Solutions to the Built Environment." The series documents the way in which the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets can be addressed when nature-based solutions (NBS) are incorporated into the built environment. This series presents cutting-edge environmental research and policy solutions that promote sustainability from the perspective of how the science community contributes to SDG implementation through new technologies, assessment and monitoring methods, management best practices, and scientific research.

Sustainable remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites

“…Carbon storage by woody biomass; microclimate regulation; noise attenuation; healthy ecosystem 72,122 Encourage inner-city investment; enhanced flood control 124,148 Aesthetic value; increase human-environment connection; improve spiritual health; stigma reduction 122,148 Financial and administrative challenge in long-term operation and maintenance; slow contaminant removal rate 72,123…”

“…Reduce development cost; electricity cost saving; avoid zoning constraints; increase tax revenue; close to user and reduce transmission requirement 32,132 Create jobs; shorten development timeframe 32,133 Require sunny climatic conditions; need appropriate site topography 131,135 Wind power Conserve greenfield; improve air quality 32 Reduce development cost; avoid zoning constraints; increase tax revenue; close to user and reduce transmission requirement 32,132 Employment benefits; aesthetic value; improve spiritual health 133,134 Require windy climatic conditions 131 Heat pump Reduce fossil fuel or electricity consumption; lower carbon footprint 140 Low operation cost; short payback time 152,153 Fuel poverty reduction; reduce energy bill for end users 154 Technological robustness still need proof; high capital cost 141,153 Similarly, buried stormwater pipes on brownfield land in Oslo, Norway, were converted into open watercourses, which reduced potential leaching of toxic substances from landfill sites and provided new recreational space for urban residents 124 . A constructed wetland in Brisbane, Australia, was used at a brownfield site to treat contaminated surface runoff, which was then reused for irrigation 125 .…”

“…For underground pipes located in brownfield land, increased precipitation levels due to climate change are a high risk. Leaks and overflow from aged pipes can result in increased soil pollutant leaching, threatening both groundwater and adjacent surface water 124 . Conversely, scientific discovery and the continuous improvement of living standards can lead to more robust public health standards and reduced acceptable risk level.…”

“…For instance, a contaminated soil capping system at a site in Washington, USA, was doubled in size to provide greater resilience to more frequent severe storms 129 . Converting underground storm pipes into surface watercourses, as part of a nature-based solution on brownfield land, is one way to adapt to extreme climate events, as aboveground river systems have more flood pathways and increased infiltration capability 124 . Woody plants used in phytoremediation can also help to mitigate flooding risk in certain locations 122 .…”

Introduction to the Special Series, “Incorporating Nature‐based Solutions into the Built Environment”

“…For example, NBSs can make an important contribution toward protecting infrastructure from climate change impacts as highlighted by Polk et al (2021) and their study to understand the capacity and quantify the resilience of living shorelines to provide storm protection by reducing erosion of fringing salt marshes. Another example of NBSs reducing the multihazards of flooding and the transport of legacy contaminants is provided by Hale et al (2021). The authors explore potential NBSs in which the landscape is transformed to reduce the amount of water in contact with pollutants, thereby reducing the amount of pollutants spreading and remediating contaminated water.…”