Biophilic Urbanism: Harnessing natural elements to enhance the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Biophilic Urbanism: Harnessing natural elements to enhance the performance of constructed assets

Charlie Hargroves (Curtin) Dr Cheryl Desha (QUT) Angie Reeve (QUT) Omniya Baghdadi (QUT)

• Prof. Tim Beatley (UV)
• Prof. Peter Newman (Curtin)

Partners

Musée du quai Branly, Paris

11/27/2013

A biophilic city is a city that seeks to foster a closeness to nature — it protects and nurtures what it has … actively restores and repairs the nature that exists, while finding new and creative ways to insert and inject nature into the streets, buildings and urban living environments.

• Prof. Tim Beatley

Beatley, T (2010) Biophilic Cities, Integrating Nature into Urban Design and Planning, Island Press, Washington DC, p. 81.

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Green roofs…

Khoo Teck Puat (KTP) Hospital, Singapore

11/27/2013

Biophilic urbanism has the potential to provide significant benefits in cities, including a wide range of social, psychological and wellbeing benefits to the community, as well as functional and economic benefits to the city as a whole.

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Qantas Lounge, Sydney

11/27/2013

Biophilic urbanism is delivering a range

• f benefits in cities, such as:
• Reducing the urban heat island effect,
• Reducing heating and cooling loads in

buildings,

• Improving air quality,
• Allowing urban food production, and
• Improving stormwater management.

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Such elements can provide aesthetically pleasing surroundings that have been shown to

• Enhance urban liveability,
• reduce crime and violence,
• Reduce depression, and
• encourage greater community.

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Biophilic urbanism has also been linked to personal benefits including:

• reducing stress,
• improving health and well‐being,
• increasing cognitive abilities,
• improving productivity, and
• enhancing early childhood

development.

Centre for Urban Agriculture, Seattle

Project Reports

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Case Studies of Leading Biophilic Cities

Toronto, Canada Portland, USA Berlin, Germany Chicago, USA Singapore

The City of Chicago, USA

Key drivers for introducing biophilic urbanism:

• Access to Green‐Space
• Stormwater Management
• Urban Heat Island Effect
• Climate Change

Benefits of biophilic urbanism:  Property Value  Tourism Revenue  Sales Tax Revenue  Social benefits

Chicago City Hall green roof

Chicago currently boasts 600 green roofs covering 0.5 km2; 5.2 km2 of new open space; 500,000 trees planted, and a network of

• ver 160 km of

landscaped median strips

The City of Berlin, Germany

• Historical and cultural concern for

the environment

• Urban Heat Island effect
• Enhanced standard of living
• Waterway protection

Berlin enjoys a ring of parks, allotments, extensive forests and agricultural areas in and around city, as a consequence of the history of urban greening and the current programs and policies in place

Key drivers for introducing biophilic urbanism: Benefits of biophilic urbanism:

 Enhanced liveability  Effects on urban air quality  Social benefits

Berlin, Germany. Brandenburg Gate and TV tower in background

The City of Toronto, Canada

• Enhanced Urban Liveability
• Managing Stormwater and

Improving Water Quality

• Climate Change

In May 2009, the City of Toronto became the first city in North America to adopt a by‐law that requires and governs the construction of green roofs

Key drivers for introducing biophilic urbanism:

 Effects on urban air quality  Effects on energy budgets of individual buildings  Roof longevity  Social benefits

Benefits of biophilic urbanism:

Metro Central YMCA green roof

The City of Portland, USA

• Stormwater Management
• Cost Savings to Government
• Cost Savings to Residents and

Business

• Opportunities for Co‐Benefits

By 2011, Portland had an additional 6.5 acres of green roof space; 8,500 trees planted in private yards and 9,000 street trees; 546 new green street projects; 261 acres of land for conservation and open space was purchased; and restoration of 2,800 acres of natural area in the region began

Key drivers for introducing biophilic urbanism: Benefits of biophilic urbanism:  Effects on urban air quality  Groundwater recharge  Social benefits

Portland, Oregon

The City of Singapore, Singapore

• International competitiveness
• Economic stimulus
• Stormwater management

Today, Singapore is arguably the best example worldwide of a ‘biophilic city’. Natural elements are an intentional, mainstream, and integrated component of urban design, and are well supported by policies, programs and the community

Key drivers for introducing biophilic urbanism: Benefits of biophilic urbanism:

 Enhanced property value  Enhanced health and well‐being  Enhanced urban aesthetic  Social benefits

KTP Hospital 18

Location Name of Policy Key Policy Requirements Linz, Austria Linz Green Space Plan New buildings with area of over 100m2 and a slope of up to 20˚ require a compliant green roof with a subsidy available. Port Coquitlam, Canada Zoning Bylaw, No 2240 and 3569 All new commercial and industrial buildings of greater than 5000m2 require a green roof of at least 75% of the roof area. Toronto, Canada Toronto Bylaw No 583, 2009 All new developments above 2000m2 require 20‐60% green roof. (Except residential buildings of less than or equal to the greater of six storeys or 20 metres.) Faenza, Italy Municipal Structural Plan Subsidies offered to encourage developments to maximise ground permeability and water and include green areas and appropriate landscaping, by offering greater building sizes and tenant use types. Berlin, Germany Development Code: Biotope Area Factor New residential structures require 60% ecologically effective area and new commercial structures 30%. (Only mandatory in areas with legally binding landscape plans.) Cologne, Germany Cologne Green Roof Policy (Flood Mitigation) A 50% stormwater fee subsidy is offered to compliant green roofs. North Rhine Westphalia, Germany Initiative for Ecological and Sustainable Water Management Offers a subsidy for green roofs with either a minimum depth of 15 cm or certification of a runoff coefficient of less than 0.3. Singapore ‘Green Mark’ certified All new public buildings and those under retrofitting above 5,000 m2 are required to be ‘Green Mark’ certified after 2007. Basel, Switzerland City of Basel’s Building and Construction Law All new and renovated flat roofs require a compliant green roof with native vegetation. Chicago, USA Stormwater Management Ordinance Requires developments that are over a certain size and density to manage the stormwater falling

• n the site.

Portland, USA Stormwater Management Manual New developments and redevelopments with over 500ft2 of impervious surface are required to manage stormwater onsite through replicating pre‐development hydrological conditions. Building Code Floor Area Ratio Bonus Developers offered an extra 3ft2 per foot of green roof without additional permits, along with a grant of $5/ft2 for stormwater retention. New York City, USA New York State Law Subsidy offered for a green roof of more than 50% of available roof space. Seattle, USA Seattle Green Factor Requirement for 30% landscaped area for commercial developments.

Key Policy and Program Findings

Focus on specific

• utcomes from

biophilic urbanism projects Have a high level champion and policy or vision Support through government demonstration and local data capture Include mandatory requirements, especially for new and renovated properties Provide specific incentives for private property owners

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Key Economic Assessment Findings

Understand

• pportunity cost of

biophilic urbanism Balance economic argument versus social and environmental

• bligation

Generate data on financial costs and benefits of urban greening Provide financial incentives Communicate competitive advantage that urban greening provides Implement creative funding systems that respond to local context

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Creating climate resilient, low‐ carbon urban environments and assets is a policy goal of many governments and city planners today, and an important issue for constructed asset owners.

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Emerging process for enabling the application of biophilic urbanism