POCACITO - Water

Green-Roof programme

clf — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 08:51:04 +0000

In 2008 Copenhagen Municipality implemented a Green-Roof policy programme to tackle challenges such as impacts of climate change, increasing density and the need for healthier neighbourhoods. Green roofs are unique combinations of technical installations and ecosystems enabling cities to benefit from green areas without reducing development sites. Green roofs cool cities, enhance biodiversity and reduce rainwater run-off. They also beautify grey and anonymous places. By involving local communities in implementation, green roofs may become communication platforms for residents of all ages and origins. By 2010, Copenhagen Municipality has integrated the establishment of green roofs in most local plans, aiming to realize about 200,000 m² of green roofs in years to come. Green roofs are aimed to be realised at all scales of buildings; from cycle shelters, schools and mixed used buildings to underground garages.

Airport Accreditation Programme

clf — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 14:05:50 +0000

As a member of ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International Europe) the Turkish Airports company TAV Airports Holding committed to reduce the carbon emissions in June 2008. In June 2009 ACI EUROPE launched the Airport Carbon Accreditation global standard for carbon management at airports. The programme aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions via carbon and energy management. TAV Airports Holding is also a member of this Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme. The company operates four airports in Turkey, including Istanbul Ataturk International Airport. Istanbul Ataturk International Airport not only aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also considers waste, water conservation and wastewater re-use.

METU Water Treatment Facility

clf — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 09:47:17 +0000

METU (the Middle East Technical University) is located in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. It includes a technopark for R&D companies. The maintaining of open green areas in the technopark and the university is an important issue, which is however costly. In order to decrease the irrigation costs and increase water efficiency, a water treatment facility was constructed at the campus. The operation of this system helps to treat wastewater and to reuse it for irrigation. This system saves 150,000 € annually for the technopark.

The project has started as a research project coordinated by METU and TUB (Berlin Technical University). The benefits of the facility have been investigated during the research period and in the meantime it started to be used as a primary water resource for irrigation.

Climate smart Hyllie - green district project

clf — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 08:09:59 +0000

Hyllie is the largest development area in Malmö, and is planned to become the most climate smart district of the entire Öresund region, including 9,000 homes when completed. In this district, solutions will be tested that can act as role models and good examples for the rest of Malmö and for other cities. The energy supply will be 100% renewable or reused (energy from waste or waste water) by 2020, and the district is a major transportation hub with a train station and a “park and ride” garage for bikers. Other features include mandatory sorting of food waste, smart grids for energy consumption, urban gardening and environmentally certified buildings. The district shall help to achieve the energy strategy for Malmö, and be a dense, mixed and green showcase of sustainable city development.

Water management & climate adaptation

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 15:05:38 +0000

In order to approach climate change as an opportunity rather than a threat, the City of Rotterdam launched the Climate Proof program in 2008. As a city, situated in a low-lying delta, with Europe's largest international port, Rotterdam has developed sustainable water management systems to fight climate change consequences -rising sea level, increases in cloud bursts, extremes in river water levels, longer periods of drought and higher temperatures. The Rotterdam Climate Proof program is based on three pillars: knowledge, action and communication, and aims to ensure that Rotterdam is “climate proof” by 2025. Implementation of new technologies and solutions in the framework of the program are enhancing the safety and the quality of life in the City, while offering considerable economic potential to the entire region. Innovative measures like green roofs or flood controlling water plazas are positioning Rotterdam as leading national and international water savvy and climate city.

Waterway Restoration in Shanghai

clf — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 13:20:54 +0000

Suzhou Creek flows through Shanghai, one of the world’s largest megacities. Starting in the early 1900s, the creek had fallen victim to rapid urbanization and industrialization, carrying most of the city’s waste water. In 1996, the ‘Economic and Social Development Plan for Shanghai’ was adopted which kicked off the 12-year-long Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Project. Since then, water quality has been substantially improved through the implementation of a combination of measures such as flushing, environmental dredging, re-aeration and interception of wastewater, elimination of wastewater disposal, wastewater treatment, the relocation of solid waste processing wharves and embankment reconstruction. The Shanghai Municipal Government has set a good example for cooperation in the fields of water resources and coastal management as well as effective decision making in order to allow for the implementation of such major projects in a relatively short time frame.

Wastewater reuse for urban agriculture and green spaces

clf — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:30:05 +0000

Lima faces multiple challenges such as a growing urban population, limited and polluted water supply and unsanitary housing. Positioned in an area of limited precipitation, the city is dependent on underground and surface water delivered from the Andes Mountains by rivers. These rivers are heavily polluted and are seasonally variable, and will be subjected to climate change in the future. Given the water scarcity and underdeveloped wastewater treatment, Lima had collaborated with stakeholders to impact national legislation on wastewater reuse and to establish a demonstration project: using treated wastewater for a multifunctional city Eco-Park. This legislation allowing for wastewater reuse for irrigation of urban green spaces has opened the way for further applications with multiple benefits.