<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/amsterdam-blue-green-roofs-smart-flooding/>
"Insects flit from flower to flower. Tall grasses sway in the breeze. Paths
meander through the greenery, and the dappled shade of potted trees dances in
the sunlight. But this is no ordinary garden. This is one among nearly three
acres of new blue-green roofs — with meadows, vegetable gardens and wilderness
— spread out atop buildings in Amsterdam. They are designed to increase
biodiversity, cool the neighborhood and prevent flooding in the streets below.
From 2018 to 2022, the city — which has tested the concept for a decade at
small scales — installed “smart” blue-green roofs in four flood-prone
neighborhoods. Assessment of the project so far shows the model is effective
at mitigating damaging storm runoff and combating the urban heat island
effect.
Like many cities, Amsterdam is facing periods of heat and drought in the
summer, coupled with extreme storms and flooding in the winter. In Europe,
temperatures are warming faster than on any other continent in the world — at
more than twice the global average rate. Meanwhile, Northern Europe’s winter
weather is trending to more extreme precipitation and flooding.
Over a quarter of properties in Amsterdam are at risk of being severely
affected by flooding over the next 30 years.
The Netherlands has long been looked to as inspiration for innovative flood
management amid climate change. Many of the country’s solutions are large-scale
infrastructure projects, but according to Kaspar Spaan, policy developer for
Dutch water company Waternet, more pinpointed efforts like blue-green roofs are
also critical for Amsterdam’s adaptation.
“The classic response was to go bigger — with higher dykes, floodgate
barriers,” says Spaan. “Now, we understand the need for
micro-water-management.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
