Water

Onsevig/Lolland: A display window on climate adjustment

Signe Cecilie Jochumsen — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:23:25 +0000

Extreme weather and climate adjustment

Lolland lies in one the lowest parts of Denmark, where the islands are extremely vulnerable to climate changes, rising sea water levels, increased storm frequency and sudden storm surges. Climate changes on Lolland are by no means pure rhetoric; they are already a reality. The storm surge on 1 November 2006 hit Lolland hard, especially the village of Onsevig, 16 km north of Nakskov, which was worst affected.

Cleveleys: Taking steps against flooding

Sidsel Overby Hartlev — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:28:23 +0000

Cleveleys is a small seaside town on the north-west coast of England, five miles north of Blackpool. The town is a popular leisure and shopping destination for the surrounding region of Lancashire. Following an assessment of flood risk for the wider region of Wyre, it was deemed that Cleveleys was under the most risk due to the poor condition of its existing defences and the high number of properties concentrated on or immediately behind the defence line.

Ikast: Past and present bring the lakeside to life

Maria Nørlyng Leal — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:31:40 +0000

Bølling Sø originated from a kettle hole which formed in the last ice age. Well-known figures like the Tollund man and the Elling girl lived by its shores, where the remains of many settlements have been found. The lake which has been restored is a good deal larger than the 140 hectares Bølling Sø occupied from the Neolithic period until 1870, when exploitation of the peat around the lake began and with it the excavation of drainage canals.

Seoul: Life beneath the asphalt

Astrid Svane — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:52:27 +0000

600 years ago, the Cheonggyecheon River was a central amenity and utility in the daily life of the city. It was a playground for children, a laundry for women, and a sewage system for surrounding neighbourhoods. For centuries, Seoul was under constant pressure to protect against flooding, pollution and the build up of crime and disease as an influx of rural communities settled along its banks.

Singapore: Active living with clean water

Sidsel Overby Hartlev — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:37:29 +0000

Singapore's national water agency, PUB, launched a Master Plan in 2006 called ABC Waters; ABC standing for Active, Beautiful and Clean. The vision is to improve water quality, the collection of rainwater and to create new urban spaces and landscapes full of life, activity and a sense of community related to the water. The plan encompasses more than 100 projects, which will be initiated over a period of 10-15 years. More than 20 projects are to be completed in 2012.

Upton: Drainage scheme makes for peace of mind in urban extension

Sidsel Overby Hartlev — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:38:41 +0000

Planning of the urban extension of Upton on the south-western outskirts of Northampton in the East Midlands of England is based on a landscape model which implements SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage System). The task was to protect the area against flooding as well as to create green recreational areas in the community. By handling rainwater with respect for the existing landscape, the object is to provide wildlife habitats and contribute to greater biodiversity.

Copenhagen: Garden up high

Maria Nørlyng Leal — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:16:42 +0000

The vertical garden on the gable end of Dannebrogsgade no. 21 facing Otto Krabbes square is CityGardenNetwork's (ByHaveNetværkets) perception of up-to-date local use of rainwater. The project took seven years to complete and now stands as an effective and sustainable urban solution created in collaboration with the Municipality of Copenhagen.

Berlin: Water creates a vibrant cityscape

Sidsel Overby Hartlev — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:45:11 +0000

Rain falling on Potsdamer Platz becomes the water table and a canal installation in the open cityscape which has helped to make the square one of Berlin's greatest tourist attractions. In this way, a recreational cityscape has been combined with environment friendly planning. A co-benefit of this is that water use and environmental issues become topical for the city's citizens and its visitors.

Enschede: Rainwater as a resource

Anna Esbjørn Hess — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:34:29 +0000

In 1994, the planning and development of the residential area Ruwenbos in Enschede began. The municipality wanted to create a sustainable district in all aspects, especially in water and greenery, which were fully involved in the property development and which had to follow sustainable DUBO-keur® building principles.

Seattle: Water as an urban space maker

June-Catherina Starling — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:53:50 +0000

An enhanced network of open walking space is an integral element of the future sustainable city. Seattle has recently been working to create such a network that will provide a pedestrian-oriented environment with numerous gathering areas, green streets and accessible shorelines. Not only will such a network help reduce the city's CO² emissions, but it will also relive some of its car traffic problems by encouraging alternative transportation methods.

New York City: Major water savings through pricing and incentives

June-Catherina Starling — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:17:56 +0000

In 1985, the city of New York began an ambitious plan to install water meters in every residential building. The hope was that charging building owners for the water used in their buildings would encourage conservation efforts and prepare the city for the next inevitable drought. At the end of September 2000, more than half a million meters had been installed in residential buildings citywide. The city paid for most of the costs of installing water meters ranging from 400 USD to more than 40.000 USD per building depending on its size.

Salisbury, Adelaide: Storm water harvesting secures local jobs

June-Catherina Starling — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:46:47 +0000

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the city of Salisbury - a local government area on the northern fringes of Adelaide, Australia - has been renowned for best practice in water conservation and management. The creation of harvesting facilities to capture storm water and wetlands to cleanse storm water has been Salisbury’s key strategy to provide cheaper water to local industries and protect the urban environment.