“Reduction in water consumption and environmental improvements inBarcelona through WSUDs (Water Sensitive Urban Design Systems”

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mar Pérez Cambra ◽  
Dolors Martínez Santafé ◽  
Josep Roca Cladera
Keyword(s):  
Urban Design ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Land Policy ◽  
Water Sensitive Urban Design ◽  
Rainwater Runoff ◽  
Design Systems ◽  
Technical University ◽  
E Mail

<p><strong>PÉREZ CAMBRA, María del Mar</strong><br>Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) Barcelona School of Architecture<br>Department of Architectural Technology I (TA), Centre of Land Policy and Valuations (CPSV)<br>Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Candidate.<br>Av. Diagonal 649, 08028, Barcelona, Spain<br>Orcid : 0000-0003-2456-3302<br>E-mail: [email protected]<br>Telephone: +34 934012576</p><p><br><strong>Dr. MARTÍNEZ SANTAFÉ, Dolors</strong><br>Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) Barcelona School of Architecture<br>Department of Architectural Technology I (TA), Centre of Land Policy and Valuations (CPSV)<br>Professor<br>Av. Diagonal 649, 08028, Barcelona, Spain<br>Orcid : 0000-0001-8200-183X<br>E-mail: [email protected]<br>Telephone: +34 934016378</p><p><br><strong>Dr.ROCA CLADERA, Josep</strong><br>Technical University of Catalonia (UPC)<br>Department of Architectural Technology I(TA), Centre of Land Policy and Valuations (CPSV)<br>Full Professor<br>Av. Diagonal 649, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.<br>Orcid : 0000-0003-3970-6505<br>E-mail: [email protected]<br>Telephone: +34 934016396</p><p><br><strong>Key words: WSUDs; thermal behavior; water</strong></p><p><br><strong>“Reduction in water consumption and environmental improvements in Barcelona through WSUDs (Water Sensitive Urban Design Systems”</strong></p><p><br>The aim of this communication is showing the research done during the last years to try to reduce water consumption in Barcelona with the WSUDs (Water Urban Design Systems) while reducing surface temperatures with the chosen WSUDs and reducing rainwater runoff especially in the flood areas of the city.</p><p><br>Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) have been chosen in this research as an approach to planning and designing urban areas of Barcelona as a resource to reduce the damage urban areas cause to water cycle when we change natural pervious surfaces into impervious ones. Thus, while recuperating in some areas water cycle we can reduce rainwater runoff.<br>This same WSUDs used to reduce rainwater runoff can not only infiltrate and transport water but also to harvest it where it can be more efficient. Water harvesting and reducing he rainwater runoff in a floods area calculations for an area as an example will be shown in this communication. This descentralization of the water treatment will save energy by saving the transportation a long distance away to the water sewage treatment plants. It also avoids diffuse pollution of the runoff since water quality is not worsed due to its transportation to the depuration plant.</p><p><br>On the other hand, since we have climate change not all the materials and construction systems are the proper ones. This part is mainly experimental and has taken almost three years measuring surfaces temperatures of some WSUDs of Barcelona and treating its data to stablish a criteria to choose WSUDs which can help to reduce surface temperatures, even in some cases, underneath the environmental temperatures. It means we can produce a better thermal effect while planning and implementing the WSUDs in this case in Barcelona and in homoclimatic cities.</p><p><br>Therefore, with this WSUDs specific urbanistic micro-acupuncture we can improve some effects of climatic change such as: water scarcity, floods and heat island effect. This communication will focus and deep on it.</p>

scholarly journals Measures to Prevent Surface Leaks in a Periurban Area Using Responsible Environmental Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 1203 (2) ◽  
pp. 022055
Author(s):  
Marinela Lucut ◽  
Alina Gîrbaciu ◽  
Cristian Gîrbaciu ◽  
Camelia Stefanescu
Keyword(s):  
Urban Design ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Low Impact Development ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Water Sensitive Urban Design ◽  
Rainwater Runoff ◽  
Rain Events ◽  
Time Systems

Abstract Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat for Romania and for the whole world. Restoring nature will be a central element of the EU's recovery plan from the coronavirus pandemic, providing immediate investment opportunities to revive the European economy. Both urban and industrial developments are changing landscapes from vegetated permeable surfaces to a series of interconnected impermeable surfaces, resulting in large amounts of rainwater runoff, which requires management. Rainwater runoff is treated by the authorities as a liability and a nuisance that endangers human health and property. Starting from this aspect, over time, systems for collecting and transporting rainwater directly to watercourses have been designed, but without considering the conservation of ecosystems. Rainwater runoff is a source of pollutants washed off hard or compacted surfaces during rain events. These pollutants can be pesticides, herbicides, hydrocarbons, traces of metals but also organic compounds. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), Low Impact Development (LID), Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) are spatial planning and technical design approaches that integrate the urban water cycle, including stormwater management, groundwater and wastewater and water supply, in urban design to minimize environmental degradation and improve aesthetic and recreational attraction. The article presents possible solutions applicable to a locality in the west of Romania that is facing the drainage of meteoric waters. This locality was one of the most affected by the recent floods, with over 6,700 ha of almost destroyed crops, 300 flooded houses, 70% of compromised gardens, the most affected being the new residential neighbourhoods. Timiş County is one of the Romania counties with the largest network of hydrotechnical arrangements (about 480,000 ha on which hydro-amelioration works are executed and over 11,500 km of drainage, irrigation, and soil erosion control channels), it risks becoming a swamp again due to the indifference or ignorance of some of the decision - makers, the lack of appropriate legislation, the non - application of the existing one and the low underfunding after 1990.

scholarly journals Community Perceptions and Knowledge of Modern Stormwater Treatment Assets

Urban Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Hadi Zamanifard ◽  
Edward A. Morgan ◽  
Wade L. Hadwen
Keyword(s):  
Urban Design ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Urban Runoff ◽  
Community Perceptions ◽  
Stormwater Treatment ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Community Acceptance ◽  
Water Sensitive Urban Design

Modern stormwater treatment assets are a form of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) features that aim to reduce the volumes of sediment, nutrients and gross pollutants discharged into receiving waterways. Local governments and developers in urban areas are installing and maintaining a large number of stormwater treatment assets, with the aim of improving urban runoff water quality. Many of these assets take up significant urban space and are highly visible and as a result, community acceptance is essential for effective WSUD design and implementation. However, community perceptions and knowledge about these assets have not been widely studied. This study used a survey to investigate community perceptions and knowledge about stormwater treatment assets in Brisbane, Australia. The results suggest that there is limited community knowledge of these assets, but that communities notice them and value their natural features when well-maintained. This study suggests that local governments may be able to better inform residents about the importance of these assets, and that designing for multiple purposes may improve community acceptance and support for the use of Council funds to maintain them.

Determining water sensitive urban design project benefits using a multi-criteria assessment tool

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 2333-2341 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Urrutiaguer ◽  
S. Lloyd ◽  
S. Lamshed
Keyword(s):  
Urban Design ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Urban Stormwater ◽  
Environmental Engagement ◽  
Urban Planning And Design ◽  
Government Capacity ◽  
Water Sensitive Urban Design

The integration of urban water cycle management with urban planning and design is referred to as ‘Water Sensitive Urban Design’ or ‘WSUD’ in Australia; one of the key elements of WSUD is the management of urban stormwater. In early 2006, the Victorian Government released the Yarra River Action Plan, which allocated $20 million towards tackling urban stormwater pollution. To help ensure this money is allocated in an equitable and transparent manner across all metropolitan local governments a multi-criteria assessment tool has been developed. This paper presents an overview of the multi-criteria assessment tool developed and adopted for selecting WSUD projects that are eligible for funding through Melbourne Water's Stormwater Program. This tool considers three types of indicators: environmental, engagement (engagement with stakeholders and local government capacity building) and financial. Within each category, a series of indicators of different weightings are applied to score a project. Where initial concept designs do not meet the Program criteria, additional work is undertaken to refine and improve the project. The tool and its use are illustrated with a case study.

An Overview of Water Sensitive Urban Design Practices in Australia

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. H. F. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Sustainable Urban Water Management ◽  
Industry Practice ◽  
Water Sensitive Urban Design ◽  
Ecologically Sustainable

Ecologically Sustainable Development in Australia can be described as going beyond the protection of the environment from the impacts of pollution, to protecting and conserving natural resources. In an urban environmental context this means urban development (both greenfield development and urban renewal) that seeks to have no long term effects on various aspects of the environment related to aspects such as greenhouse gas levels, material resources, biodiversity and ambient water environments. Water environments, such as waterways and coastal waters, and water supply catchments are key areas where urban development can have significant impacts. Water Sensitive Urban Design in Australia has evolved from its early association with stormwater management to provide a broader framework for sustainable urban water management. It provides a common and unified method for integrating the interactions between the urban built form (including urban landscapes) and the urban water cycle. This paper presents an overview of current industry practice and research implementation of Water Sensitive Urban Design in Australia.

scholarly journals Water sensitive urban design and stormwater harvesting - on the path to sustainable urban development - case studies from Sydney, Australia

2007 ◽  
pp. 851-861
Author(s):  
Olof J. Jonasson ◽  
Peter Davies
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Urban Drainage ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Water Sensitive Urban Design

In Australia, Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) or Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS)is being used to integrate urban drainage and water supply infrastructure planning and designwith elements of hydrology, ecology, land use planning and landscaping, To support thisdirection, various National and State guidelines and legislation have been developed that areaimed at changing traditional engineering and urban design practice,Recent droughts affecting most of Eastern Australia, including three capital cities, has led to afocus on urban water management. This has increased the attention and recognition ofintegrated water management including water conservation, demand management,diversification of supply, protecting environmental flows and improving water quality at thereceiving bodies. Within Australia, stormwater reuse is being promoted as one way to lessenthe demand on drinking water supplies for non-potable uses. Important for urban areas is theneed for appropriate levels of treatment (depending on use) and sufficient storage to provide areliable supply. From an integrated water management perspective such projects can havemultiple benefits through managing the discharge and improving the quality from lowfrequent storms at the local scale while providing broader water conservation gains across theurban area.This paper discusses two case studies from Australia that have applied integrated watermanagement principles within an existing urban catchment. These include a stormwaterharvesting project to irrigate a sports field and a car park bioretention system to treat roadrunoff before it discharges to a natural stream.

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