Planning multifunctional green infrastructure for compact cities: What is the state of practice?

Hansen, Rieke; Olafsson, Anton Stahl; Jagt, Alexander P.N. van der; Rall, Emily Lorance; Pauleit, Stephan

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.09.042

Cited by 223 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Some key studies [56,57] propose for three spatial relationships that need to be taken into account when implementing BGI: site-specific elements, linkages, networks and connectivity [58], and other broader (regional) scale landscape elements. This paper also follows Hansen et al [59], who recommend promoting 'multifunctional' BGI for high-density urban areas. BGI is well suited for dense urban areas as it reduces the need to upgrade or expand conventional stormwater/drainage system, both spatially and financially [42].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…Green 'corridors' [58] following the water channels may ensure flexible and diverse eco-system services [38,39], such as fluvial parks, agriculture land, energy parks, meadows, and small-size neighborhood breathing spaces. These serve as 'multifunctional' [46,57,59] spaces providing the much-needed room for green spaces in a dense urban context and recreational opportunities for residents. At the same time, they become an integrated part of the water retention and channeling system during extreme rainfall events.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hansen et al [59] describe that the implementation of BGI can create spaces for cooperation between sectors and public departments. Overall, our proposed BGI network suggests for an integration of forms, structures, and processes across multiple scales, from the block level to larger urban setting of Dhaka; therefore, it may eliminate the problem of short-termism and piecemeal urban development that are common in Dhaka's institutional culture and political economies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…BGI is well suited for dense urban areas as it reduces the need to upgrade or expand conventional stormwater/drainage system, both spatially and financially [42]. Following Hansen et al [59], the first step of designing a BGI network involves a systematic "spatial assessment" of the urban morphology to identify all blue and green spaces at the 'site-level' as well as 'city-wide' that could be strategically organized in the future to meet multiple functions (p. 99). The second step focuses on the 'connectivity' of blue and green corridors as a critical component.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designing a Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) Network: Toward Water-Sensitive Urban Growth Planning in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ahmed

Meenar

Alam

2019

Land

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In a warming world, urban environmental stresses are exacerbated by population-increase-induced development of grey infrastructure that usually leaves minimal scope for blue (and green) elements and processes, potentially resulting in mismanagement of stormwater and flooding issues. This paper explores how urban growth planning in the megacity of Dhaka, Bangladesh can be guided by a blue-green infrastructure (BGI) network that combines blue, green, and grey elements together to provide a multifunctional urban form. We take a three-step approach: First, we analyze the existing spatial morphology to understand potential locations of development and challenges, as well as the types of solutions necessary for water management in different typologies of urban densities. Next, we analyze existing and potential blue and green network locations. Finally, we propose the structural framework for a BGI network at both macro and micro scales. The proposed network takes different forms at different scales and locations and offers different types of flood control and stormwater management options. These can provide directions on Dhaka's future urban consolidation and expansion with a balance of man-made and natural elements and enable environmental, social, spatial, financial, and governance benefits. The paper concludes with some practical implications and challenges for implementing BGI in Dhaka. but in reality, the city-scale imposes immense pressure on ecology and infrastructure with added complications such as fragmented societies, higher inequality, and rising informality [4,5]. Megacities, characterized by numerous decision-making authorities, often struggle to achieve collaboration in solving urban sprawl, land use conversion, and water management problems [6].The rapid process of urbanization in megacities is causing environmental, economic, and social problems. Development has been accompanied by negative consequences for many river systems, including changes in their hydrology and ecology. In recent decades, the increasing frequency of disaster events-including hydro-meteorological disasters-has threatened human lives and infrastructure. One of the most common water-related disasters frequently affecting urban social life, particularly in Asian regions, is flooding [7,8]. Specifically, cities are experiencing pluvial flooding due to increased urbanization and climate change [9][10][11]. Sources of water bodies capable of capturing a significant volume of floodwater are slowly disappearing as the volume of impervious surfaces rapidly escalates. As a result, urban areas are experiencing increasing high pick flow and stormwater runoff incidents that have noticeable adverse effects on social and economic lives [10,12]. Simultaneously, the remaining receiving water bodies have been polluted by mixed stormwater and wastewater, degrading their water quality.In order to address escalating events of environmental dilapidation, resource susceptibilities, booming urban population, and other uncertain impacts from climate chang...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Designing a Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) Network: Toward Water-Sensitive Urban Growth Planning in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ahmed

Meenar

Alam

2019

Land

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“…Green infrastructure is particularly appealing and widely advocated because it is thought to provide a multitude of desired social, ecological, and technical benefits, often termed ecosystem services (Tzoulas et al 2007, Hansen et al 2019. Commonly cited benefits include improved stormwater management (Eckart et al 2017), improved water and air quality (Davis et al 2009, Pugh et al 2012, Wagner and Breil 2013, mitigation of the urban heat island (Norton et al 2015), improved physical and mental health (Amano et al 2018), habitat improvements (Benedict and McMahon 2002), and increased property values (Netusil et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A green infrastructure spatial planning model for evaluating ecosystem service tradeoffs and synergies across three coastal megacities

Meerow

2019

Environ. Res. Lett.

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A growing number of cities are investing in green infrastructure to foster urban resilience and sustainability. While these nature-based solutions are often promoted on the basis of their multifunctionality, in practice, most studies and plans focus on a single benefit, such as stormwater management. This represents a missed opportunity to strategically site green infrastructure to leverage social and ecological co-benefits. To address this gap, this paper builds on existing modeling approaches for green infrastructure planning to create a more generalizable tool for comparing spatial tradeoffs and synergistic 'hotspots' for multiple desired benefits. I apply the model to three diverse coastal megacities: New York City, Los Angeles (United States), and Manila (Philippines), enabling cross-city comparisons for the first time. Spatial multi-criteria evaluation is used to examine how strategic areas for green infrastructure development across the cities change depending on which benefit is prioritized. GIS layers corresponding to six planning priorities (managing stormwater, reducing social vulnerability, increasing access to green space, improving air quality, reducing the urban heat island effect, and increasing landscape connectivity) are mapped and spatial tradeoffs assessed. Criteria are also weighted to reflect local stakeholders' desired outcomes as determined through surveys and stakeholder meetings and combined to identify high priority areas for green infrastructure development. To extend the model's utility as a decision-support tool, an interactive web-based application is developed that allows any user to change the criteria weights and visualize the resulting hotspots in real time. The model empirically illustrates the complexities of planning green infrastructure in different urban contexts, while also demonstrating a flexible approach for more participatory, strategic, and multifunctional planning of green infrastructure in cities around the world.

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Co‐benefits and conflicts in alternative stormwater planning: Blue versus green infrastructure?

Kvamsås

2022

Env Pol Gov

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Blue-green infrastructure (BGI) is often promoted for its co-benefits and multifunctionality. However, this infrastructure is repeatedly planned, implemented and researched almost entirely based on the goals of stormwater management. Thus, more knowledge is required about how co-benefits are perceived and actioned by planning actors. By investigating co-benefits from a value perspective, this paper will contribute to the ongoing debate on how stormwater planning actors address the potential co-benefits and conflicts in the planning and implementation of BGI. The data are derived from policy document analyses and interviews with municipal and private planning actors in Bergen and Tromsø, Norway. The paper argues that municipal water actors are motivated to implement BGI beyond stormwater management goals and approach co-benefits and holistic stormwater management as an ideal in stormwater planning. However, the tensions and conflicts between the co-benefits become more evident in the actual implementation of BGI. The paper finds that when holistic BGI implementation is initiated by the municipal water actors, the stormwater management aspects dominate the BGI implementation. Finally, the paper concludes that even though blue and green values and interests are often conflicted in the implementation of BGI, urban stormwater planning is in the process of developing a blue-green value set based on the potential synergies of co-benefits. The paper therefore empirically illustrates how collective values and interests can develop and unfold across sectors and professional disciplines in BGI planning.

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Planning multifunctional green infrastructure for compact cities: What is the state of practice?

Cited by 223 publications

References 46 publications

Designing a Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) Network: Toward Water-Sensitive Urban Growth Planning in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Designing a Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) Network: Toward Water-Sensitive Urban Growth Planning in Dhaka, Bangladesh

A green infrastructure spatial planning model for evaluating ecosystem service tradeoffs and synergies across three coastal megacities

Co‐benefits and conflicts in alternative stormwater planning: Blue versus green infrastructure?

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