Quote: "Green infrastructure or blue-green infrastructure refers to a network that provides the “ingredients” for solving urban and climatic challenges by building with nature."
The integration of natural systems and processes into urban design and planning to enhance sustainability, including green roofs, stormwater management, urban forests, and renewable energy sources.
Sustainable Development Goals: A set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations in 2015 that aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.
Sustainable urbanism: A planning and design approach that promotes environmentally responsible and socially equitable development of urban areas.
Green infrastructure: A network of natural and semi-natural spaces and features that help to manage environmental challenges in urban areas, such as stormwater runoff, air pollution, urban heat islands, and habitat loss.
Urban ecology: The scientific study of the relationships between plants, animals, and humans in urban environments.
Climate Change: A significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years.
Renewable energy: Energy derived from natural resources that can be replenished over relatively short periods of time, such as solar, wind, and hydropower.
Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.
Smart cities: Cities that use digital technologies to improve the efficiency and quality of urban services, while minimizing environmental impact and enhancing resilience.
Urban biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal species that inhabit urban environments.
Public health: The science of protecting and improving the health of communities through promotion of healthy lifestyles, research on disease and injury prevention, and detection and control of infectious diseases.
Green building design: The process of designing and constructing buildings that minimize their impact on the environment by reducing energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation.
Low carbon transport: Transportation options geared towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as walking, cycling, and electric vehicles.
Water management: The management and protection of water resources within an urban area, including water supply, stormwater management, and wastewater treatment.
Urban agriculture: The growing of plants and raising of animals within a city or urban area for food, fiber, fuel, and other products.
Environmental justice: The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Green spaces: Urban areas designated for nature, recreation, and other ecosystem services, such as parks, gardens, and green roofs.
Environmental policy: The set of laws, regulations, and initiatives established by government bodies to address environmental challenges in urban areas.
Parks and Open Spaces: Commonly includes public green spaces such as parks, gardens, and open fields.
Green Roofs and Walls: Vegetation-covered roofing structures and walls designed to improve energy efficiency, air quality, and biodiversity while reducing stormwater runoff.
Rain Gardens and Bioswales: These are built to capture and cleanse stormwater on-site, filtering the water through vegetation and soil.
Permeable Paving: Porous pavements designed to allow water to seep through and infiltrate underground rather than flowing down the drain systems.
Green Streets: Emphasizing alternative transportation methods, these streets integrate designated bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and even electric car charging stations.
Urban Forests: Urban forest strategies often include trees, greenways, and multifunctional landscapes in a more community-engaged environment.
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS): Establishing natural watercourses and water features that contribute to cooling the urban environment while providing environmental benefits.
Transit Oriented Development: TOD prioritizes dense, urban development areas along public transportation corridors; high-density demographic areas combine with mixed-use structures.
Conservation and Preservation: Land conservation and wildlife protection is a crucial component of sustainable urban design.
Low Impact Development: These strategies facilitate sustainable urban development by decreasing impacts on the environment and natural resources while increasing ecological benefits.
Quote: "The main components of this approach include stormwater management, climate adaptation, the reduction of heat stress, increasing biodiversity, food production, better air quality, sustainable energy production, clean water, and healthy soils..."
Quote: "Green infrastructure also serves to provide an ecological framework for social, economic, and environmental health of the surroundings."
Quote: "Green infrastructure is considered a subset of "Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure", which is defined in standards such as SuRe, the Standard for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure."
Quote: "More recently scholars and activists have also called for green infrastructure that promotes social inclusion and equality rather than reinforcing pre-existing structures of unequal access to nature-based services."
Quote: "However, green infrastructure can also mean "low-carbon infrastructure" such as renewable energy infrastructure and public transportation systems..."
Quote: "Blue-green infrastructure can also be a component of "sustainable drainage systems" or "sustainable urban drainage systems" (SuDS or SUDS) designed to manage water quantity and quality, while providing improvements to biodiversity and amenity."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include stormwater management..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... climate adaptation..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... the reduction of heat stress..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... increasing biodiversity..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... food production..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... better air quality..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... sustainable energy production..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... clean water..."
Quote: "The main components of this approach include... healthy soils..."
Quote: "Green infrastructure also serves to provide an ecological framework for... increased quality of life through recreation..."
Quote: "Green infrastructure also serves to provide... the provision of shade and shelter in and around towns and cities."
Quote: "Green infrastructure is considered a subset of "Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure"."
Quote: "Blue-green infrastructure can also be a component of "sustainable drainage systems" or "sustainable urban drainage systems"... designed to manage water quantity and quality, while providing improvements to biodiversity and amenity."