urban planning

The raingarden is to provide a sustainable source of treated stormwater for the parks mature trees and sporting fields in a way that added to the existing landscape character of the park and added interest for users. Melbourne has experienced drought conditions for a number of years now and this project was to replace the existing need for potable water being used to irrigate our parks and gardens. This raingarden is designed to remove 16,000 kg of annual total suspended solids per year of operation.

Beginning in 2006, a new urban district, Qunli New Town, in the size of 2733 Hectares, was planned to be developed at the east outskirt of Haerbin City of North China. 32 million square meters of buildings will be constructed in 13-15 years. More than one third of a million population are expected to live here. While only about 16.4% of the developable land was zoned as permeable green space, the majority of the former flat plain will be covered with impermeable concrete.

Zollhallen Plaza is new counterpart for the historic customs hall which was restored in 2009. The plaza is a fine example of water sensitive urban design, as it is disconnected from the sewer system. Beautiful planters provide infiltration points, and subsurface gravel trenches with innovative in-built filter medium reduce the hydraulic overload on the sewer system. Indented plaza areas create a surface flood zone. No rain water is fed to the sewer system, instead the ground water table is recharged. The design plays with the historic past of the site which was a rail yard.

The iconic Potsdamer Platz bridges the scar left by the wall between East and West Berlin. A veil of shallow flow-steps create a rhythmic surface of shimmering waves, providing multiple opportunities for people to cross and interact with the water. This urban waterscape has contributed to making Potsdamer Platz one of the most visited places in Berlin. The idea behind this important urban waterscape is that the rainwater should be used where it falls. At Potsdamer Platz, a combination of green and non-green roofs harvest the annual rainfall.

Amsterdam Rainproof is a platform that activates and stimulates different stakeholders to improve watermanagement in Amsterdam. The main goal is to collect water out of rain and make better use of it. The still growing density of the city of Amsterdam in combination with the climate change makes the city vulnerable for the consequences of heavy rainfall. Citizens, companies, institutions and the municipality have to find an innovative way to deal with this natural water. Waternet took the initiative to start the program Amsterdam Rainproof.

The strategy addresses key issues of flood management and water quality, while seeking to create the greatest possible synergy with the urban environment. A “cloudburst” tool box of urban interventions, such as cloudburst boulevards, cloudburst parks, cloudburst plazas, provides the basis for a dynamic and multifunctional system. This new generation of blue-green infrastructures addresses essential city services such as mobility, recreation, health and biodiversity, creating a strategic and feasible approach to ensure long-term resilience and economic buoyancy.

Parts of the street will function as a role model for modern forms of energy saving and production methods as well as on electronic transportation devices and their recharging equipment. The street shall demonstrate that with the present stage of technology development a climate friendly energy management and urban transportation is under the conditions of market prices possible.

Utrechtsestraat Climate street. In the Climate street we will determine which technologies, cooperative agreements and approaches are the most successful to make the city's (shopping) streets more sustainable on a large scale. With the aim of realizing CO2 reduction and environmental saving in the street. Carrying out and implementing sustainable solutions are central in this approach. The focus of sustainable solutions lies in three main areas: entrepreneurs, the public space and the logistics.

In order to deliver carbon savings, reduce fuel poverty and create local jobs – particularly through energy-efficient retrofits – the Carbon Offset Fund has developed two databases compiling data from a number of sources and integrating energy modelling. These aim to bridge the gap between strategic decisions and individual projects. The domestic version serves over 8,000 properties in the social housing sector across the borough, with the non-domestic version serving over 130 public buildings.

The Zuidoostlob area in Amsterdam is home to multiple sources of waste heat – for example, numerous data centres and the Academic Medical Center (AMC). As part of the Amsterdam Energy Atlas, initial research has been conducted into the extent to which this waste heat can be used to satisfy local heating demands. The aim of this study is to provide an indication of the parties in the Zuidoostlob who would benefit from switching to a system using waste heat.All aspects of waste heat usage will be investigated. The initial focus is on the AMC, whereby a wide range of issues will be examined.