waterloop’s Post

Inspired by this article on ‘sponge cities’, an innovative approach to urban and floodwater management utilising pragmatic design that reduces flood damages and creates ecosystem services for the city. This, and Room for the River (a separately developed similar approach in the Netherlands) open up possibilities for climate adaptation and urban renewal. #leadership #climateadaptation #floods

The New York Times: Cities around the world face a daunting challenge in the era of climate change: Supercharged rainstorms are turning streets into rivers, flooding subway systems and inundating residential neighborhoods, often with deadly consequences. Kongjian Yu, a landscape architect and professor at Peking University, is developing what might seem like a counterintuitive response: Let the water in. “You cannot fight water,” he said. “You have to adapt to it.” https://ow.ly/S2VQ50R4Vv5 To learn more about NYC flood prevention: https://ow.ly/iSuL50R4Vyt

Like doing tai chi with water "“You cannot fight water,” he said. “You have to adapt to it.” Instead of putting in more drainage pipes, building flood walls and channeling rivers between concrete embankments, which is the usual approach to managing water, Mr. Yu wants to dissipate the destructive force of floodwaters by slowing them and giving them room to spread out. In addition to flood control, these projects have the advantage of being an inexpensive way to recharge local aquifers and a low-tech adaptation to help overheated city neighborhoods, because evaporating water has a cooling effect." "“Sponge cities isn’t a total solution, but it makes a significant impact,” Mr. Beardsley said. “I mean, we need to start doing something.”" #climate #adaptation #NatureBasedSolution #flood https://lnkd.in/eZ8sXhcA

Good Morning Tampa Bay!!!! Real Estate Fact of The Day #43 In Tampa, there's a growing emphasis on incorporating resilience planning into real estate development to combat the challenges posed by climate change, such as rising sea levels and increased hurricane activity. Developers and city planners are increasingly prioritizing the integration of resilient infrastructure and design strategies that enhance the ability of buildings and communities to withstand and recover from environmental stresses and disasters. This includes the construction of elevated buildings, the use of flood-resistant materials, strategic landscaping to mitigate flood risks, and the creation of green infrastructure like rain gardens and permeable pavements to enhance stormwater management. Additionally, there's a push towards creating more resilient energy systems, such as microgrids and the installation of backup power solutions to ensure continuity in the face of power outages. By focusing on resilience planning, Tampa is aiming to safeguard its real estate investments and ensure the long-term sustainability of its urban development. This approach not only protects properties but also contributes to the overall resilience of the community, making Tampa a more attractive place to live, work, and invest in.

Kongjian Yu (DDes '95) has developed the concept of "sponge cities," which he calls "tai chi with water": slowing floodwaters and redirecting them so they have room to spread out. Read more (including a quote from GSD's Niall Kirkwood) at the NYT! https://lnkd.in/dwA89ad4

Increasing resilience in our building codes is a good thing, but it doesn't negate the need to not build in certain areas. #landuseplanning #emergencypreparedness https://lnkd.in/gGZgzMQs

Kongjian Yu Has a Plan for Urban Flooding: ‘Sponge Cities’: A landscape architect in China has a surprising strategy to help manage surges of water from storms supercharged by climate change. https://lnkd.in/dwA89ad4

#Globalwarming causes more extreme #rains and more of other #extremeweather incl. drought. #BBC 2024 https://lnkd.in/epqRMxUR More heat not only increase evapo-transpiration and air capacity to hold water, but it can also increase the air expansion and speed it rises with. #Plant- and #soil-based, multipurpose methods for #water infiltration are important in preventing #floods in #rural, forests (not all forests are effective) and urban areas. I have several practical and overview articles and references to research and development here with a focus on rural areas - still, much of the content is also relevant for #urban areas with adaptations. https://lnkd.in/e2BPiRcM Such plant- and soil-based methods can be very cost-effective with good methods. Some experience from #Denmark in urban areas can be seen here: https://lnkd.in/dqy-cqQn (the first project also include capacity for water retention in a park public square on the reshaped surfaces and below them. A case inside the Copenhagen city is here: https://lnkd.in/d2-DMYx3 Much is based on practice and some advice conflicts with other advice. For a recent research article on rain gardens and rain types, plus overview, see this: https://lnkd.in/d9pnzzaj, roa Water may not only be supplied to rain beds from roofs but also from pavements, bicycle lanes and roads as being developed and introduced now in Copenhagen by HOFOR (in Danish "Grønne veje").

Landscape design in flood-prone areas like those experiencing tidal flooding and saltwater inundation here in Jacksonville present a unique set of challenges that require special considerations and creative solutions. Here are some of the critical challenges to overcome: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2u3NW

The most likely climate change outcome for London includes wetter winters and drier summers. Managing the higher peak run-off and prolonged periods with drought is challenging. The architectural decisions made today can prevent future flooding by managing the volume of run-off water entering drainage systems. Some examples include landscape sloping, green roofs and waterproof foundations. Need guidance on managing future flooding for a current or upcoming project? Get in touch with us today. https://lnkd.in/e6Xh5gVA #PlanningForSustainability #ClimateMitigation #UrbanFlooding #SustainableFutures #SustainableArchitecture