The Benefits of Green Infrastructure - Literature review Example

GREY AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE: ADDING VALUE TO OUR NATURAL CAPITAL Name Institution Professor Course Date Executive Summary The thought that nature is an infrastructure is not debatable. It is now extensively comprehended that nature is an infrastructure. People can harness nature in order to offer crucial services and shield them against, hot temperatures or flooding or assist them to improve the water and air quality, which strengthens environmental and human health. When people harness nature and utilise it as an infrastructural system, they attain what is called green infrastructure. Green infrastructure can be an attraction of smart metropolitan and regional planning thereby making sure that people have a healthy environment with clean water and air for subsequent generations. Green infrastructure helps in addressing the requirements of wildlife, which are greatly endangered by climate change, and offers greenways that allow easier movement throughout human settlements. The role of green infrastructure and sustainable building in tackling the 21st century challenges cannot be underrated. Based on thorough literature review, case studies and consideration of EU legislation that supports Green Infrastructure, this report assesses the environmental, social and economic benefits of green infrastructure and sustainable building techniques. The report aims to underscore how green infrastructure fits into the concept of sustainable development. The report concludes that green infrastructure is linked to different social, economic and environmental benefits. The benefits of green infrastructure are accentuated in suburban and urban areas when environmental damage is extensive and green space is restricted. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………......................4 2.0 Discussion............................................................................................................................5 2.1 Environmental Benefits…………………………………………………............................5 2.2 Economic Benefits…………………………………….......................................................7 2.3 Social Benefits……………………………………………………......................................9 3.0 Conclusion and Recommendations…………………………………................................11 4.0 Reference List………………………………….................................................................13 1.0 Introduction Green infrastructure ( GI) includes an assortment of specific practices. It refers to an interconnected system of green space that protects natural systems and offer a lot of benefits to the human population. GI can be defined as the system of semi-natural and natural features, lakes, rivers and green spaces that intersperse and link towns, villages and cities. GI is service-providing, natural infrastructure that is more resilient, cost-effective and holds the potential to attain economic, environmental and social objectives. The increasing attention given to GI in UK and other nations is welcome as it provides a vehicle to plan for adaptation of climate change. According to Davoudi, Crawford and Mehmood (2009, p.256), green infrastructure includes all blue and green elements. It provides a range of other economic, social and environmental benefits in urban areas. This makes the utilisation of green infrastructure a striking adaptation strategy for climate change. The investments of GI are characterised by increased job prospects, an increased level of return and is paired to grey infrastructure and intensive change in land use. As a result, GI serves the interest of both the nature and human population besides helping in attainment of sustainable development. The report contends that green infrastructure is a smart solution to modern needs as it encourages economic growth while protecting the natural environment and improving the quality of life of the human population while considering the generations to come. The use of GI makes sound economic logic in the sense that a single piece of land can provide numerous benefits as long as its ecosystems experience healthy conditions. Healthy ecosystems offer society a stream of economically essential and valuable services and goods such as clean air and water, pollination and carbon storage. Healthy ecosystems also help in fighting the effects of climate change through protecting the human population against natural disasters such as floods. GI promotes vibrant forward-thinking resolutions that allow people to address negative and competing issues of land management in an articulate manner while simultaneously promoting the potential for numerous co-benefits. GI promotes a better quality of life, improve biodiversity, protect human population from climate change and support a more integrated and smarter approach that makes sure that the limited space in Europe and elsewhere is coherent and efficient. 2.0 Discussion 2.1 Environmental Benefits Green infrastructure facilitates maintenance of healthy waters and provides multiple environmental benefits. According to Baron, Thompson, Burgess and Grant (2009, p.390), green infrastructure requires to be done sustainably for it to function properly. This implies that what GI does now does not compromise options for prospective generations. A developing understanding and awareness of global climate change has strengthened the call to find more sustainable means of developing and managing the natural environment. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems are a good case in point of the type of initiative that functions in a green infrastructure context. These drainage systems provide cost effective options to conventional grey infrastructure while benefiting the environment and health of people. This is attained through augmenting the area and number of green-spaces for wildlife, and active and passive recreation. Green infrastructure helps in reduction of air pollution and reduction of flood through the use Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems. GI and sustainable building techniques also helps in improving the aesthetic value of both the urban and rural areas besides ameliorating high temperatures instigated through climate change and the urban heat effect. GI promotes delayed and reduced stormwater runoff volumes using the natural absorption and retention abilities of soils and vegetation. GI prompts ground water recharge that boost the supply of water safe for human consumption. Given that GI methods infiltrate runoff to its origin and prevent pollutants from being moved to surface water, it lowers stormwater pollutants. Other benefits of GI include reduction of sewer overflow, increased carbon sequestration, improved quality of air, reduced demands of energy, and increased space for recreation and wildlife habitat Oughton, Hodkinson & Brailsford 2014, p.5). For instance, the conservation of Atlantic Salmon is a green infrastructure project that aimed at protecting and contributing to the recovery of Salmon. The removal of obstacles to migration allowed access to spawning grounds in the river system (Born, Clinquet, Schoukens, Misonne and Hoorick 2014, p.295). While grey infrastructure such as water treatment projects depreciates in the long run, the value of green infrastructure assets appreciate. Green infrastructure solutions such as forestry and agriculture management practices are cost-effective means of attaining environmental quality benefits in the long-run comparative to the conventional grey infrastructure such as water filtration and wastewater treatment plants Europe has implemented policies and laws to meet its devotions to minimise the impacts of climate change. For instance, UK Climate Change Act (2008) focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent (Oughton, Hodkinson & Brailsford 2014, p.4). The Act increases pressures to lower carbon emissions from building thereby requiring planners and engineers to use more sustainable building techniques According to Kong (2014, p.796), green buildings provides a prospect to utilise resources more efficiently while creating healthier buildings and a better environment. Sustainability is a crucial concept for the construction industry and holds a powerful relation with green as green buildings utilises sustainable building materials besides use of building methods that lowers consumption of energy. Sharma and Kar (2015, p.148) assert that Europe’s buildings remain a big energy consumer consisting of forty percent of final energy consumption and carbon emissions. As a result, policies are initiated to lower energy consumption in buildings. For instance, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive legislation driven by EU laws focuses on execution of building codes. The EPBD helps in attaining carbon emission reductions needed under the Kyoto Protocol. This directive includes five major themes including certification, inspections, procedures, training and information campaigns. The EPBD has been incorporated in the UK laws to help in enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings. Under the Directive, new building are required to be zero carbon an aspect brings environmental benefits in that it prevents climate change ( Davies 2011, p.275). Great Britain Parliament (2006, p.51) asserts that through EPBD, the UK can get cost-effective social, economic and environmental benefits out of greater energy efficiency in buildings. GI projects such as permeable pavement, which includes porous concrete, interlocking permeable pavements and porous asphalt, promotes infiltration and absorption of rainwater. Permeable pavements lower surface runoff volumes through enabling stormwater to infiltrate underlying soils. Green roofs, bioretention and infiltration practices and tree planting lower stormwater runoff, lowers energy use, improves air quality, lowers atmospheric carbon, lowers urban heat islands and promotes habitats. Unlike GI, Grey infrastructure holds environmental costs. According to Mieg and Topfer (2013), the priority of grey infrastructure, planning is to deliver water to energy-intensive and large-scale treatment systems without consideration of the overall effects on watersheds surrounding these areas. Besides making water unsafe for swimming and fishing, the movement and treatment of water is among the most energy-intensive and costliest components of local municipalities. 2.2 Economics Benefits Although evidence show that green infrastructure benefits many crucial aspects of environmental and social sustainability, Green spaces hold positive effects on both regional and local economic regeneration particularly job creation, inward investment and business start up. Investments in green spaces improves the image of a region thereby attracting and retaining high value workers, entrepreneurs, business start-ups and industries (Sarte 2010, p.56). This consequently lowers unemployment and augments gross value added (GVA). Green infrastructure is viewed as an investment and economic growth. For instance, a research carried out by Forest Research (2010) indicated that in Winsford Industrial Estate in Cheshire, 88 novel jobs were created between 2003 and 2005 (15). More so, the Mersey Forest case study instigated an investment of 1 pound through life investment of a GVA of 2.30 pounds from tourisms and enhancements in health (Forest Research 2010, p.15). More importantly, improving and developing green space in major locations with semi-urban and urban areas hold great benefits in the sense that green spaces augment the value of land and property. Investment in green space can instigate higher returns in the sector while greener areas attract more visitors thereby increasing land value. Investments in enhancing green spaces and aesthetic quality positively affect property and land prices. In addition, the use of sustainable materials lowers energy consumption that in turns promotes costs-efficiency. According to Kong (2014, p.796), organisations gain profits and attain an extensive market share through use of sustainable building materials. In addition, firms that are built using sustainable building techniques attain indirect benefits such good reputation and long-term and sustainable relationship with customers, which is essential for future development. Green infrastructure also lowers energy needs, particularly when EPBD laws are observed. It also lowers potable water demand besides lowering maintenance costs. Unlike GI, conventional stormwater management systems are closed and calls for machinery for maintenance purpose. Permeable pavements do not hold pothole problems like gray pavement given that water moves via the surface devoid of freezing. According to Forman (2014, p.288), permeable pavements are constructed using copious small blocks of geometric shapes fit together to create a surface. One type hold blocks containing grass and soil in their centres. When vehicle traffic light is light and vehicles are not parked this surface becomes grass covered (Forman 2014, p.288). As a result, green infrastructure is easily maintained compared to Grey infrastructure that requires costly machinery to enhance their performance. Things like green roofs lower energy consumption thereby reducing energy costs. According to Nolon (2009, p.265) GI brings economic benefits to municipalities and property owners. This entails greater retail sales and business, increased property values, higher rents, lower water bills and energy costs, increased job satisfaction and less damage from floods. Green jobs linked to greening of infrastructure, buildings and landscapes can offer employment prospects. As opposed to GI, grey infrastructure holds economic costs. For instance, the USA declared that the deficit for maintaining wastewater treatment and water delivery infrastructure rose to £84 billion by 2010 ( Mieg & Topefer 2013, p.235). 2.3 Social Benefits There are scores of potential benefits associated to green infrastructure and sustainable building techniques. These benefits include enhancements in human health and physical activities besides promotion of mental and psychological health. GI also facilitates inclusion, community cohesion and social interaction (Sinnett, Smith & Burgess 2015, p.189). GI enhance community liveability in the sense that green roofs enhance a community’s local aesthetics. Vegetation and soil lowers sound transmission thereby lowering the levels of noise pollution. Green roofs, bioretention and infiltration practices and tree planting can augment recreational prospects through provision of outdoor areas for leisure an aspect that fosters enhanced community interactions. In addition, GI enhances food productions. For instance, green roofs provide prospects for urban farming.. Health issues such are respiratory disorders are minimised with reduction in green house gas emissions and improvement in air quality. According to Bueen, Bohemen, Itard and Visscher (2011, p.3), human health can be enhanced by carefully selecting materials utilised in buildings and enhancing ventilation of buildings. Putting vegetation on roofs of buildings lowers the heat during the day while the evaporation of vegetation ay night cool down the cities. GI offers a prospect to create community understanding and awareness regarding sustainable water resource management. Unlike GI, Mieg and Topfer (2000) assert that grey infrastructure comes with some social and health costs. For instance, the failed urban culverts in the US cities such as Boston were as a result of over-reliance to grey infrastructure ( Mieg & Topfer 2013, p.235). In addition, urban sprawl planning linked to grey infrastructure increases health issues such as obesity. The EU GI framework provides social, ecological and economic benefits through natural solutions. The framework facilitates understanding of the value of advantages that nature offer to human beings and mobilises investments to enhance and sustain the GI benefits. The EU GI blueprint contributes to the sustainable growth in the region through smart specialisation. EU prohibits over-exploitation of natural resources and works with in harmony with nature and local landscape to provide crucial services and goods via GI projects. The EU GI framework functions to lower carbon emissions that promote sustainable development through development of Green transport corridors. The DEPB supports use and development of new design features and materials in building construction as a way of ensuring sustainable development. The EU GI framework also promotes disaster resilience where GI solutions such as protection forests, barrier beaches, functional flood plains and coastal wetlands are made along with infrastructure aimed at reducing disasters. The GI framework in EU lowers vulnerability to dangers by promoting local economies and livelihood. In addition, the GI framework facilitates protection of natural capital such as land and soil, air and water. In EU GI makes major contribution in regional development, disaster management, forestry/agriculture, environment and climate all aimed at promoting sustainable development. According to Sinnet, Smith and Burgess (2010), EU had promoted the development of GI through enabling a framework that encourages and facilitates projects within existing financial, policy and legal investments. EU has approached GI policy dissemination process through publication of guidance and supporting environmental and landscape policy strategies. The EU GI framework promotes sustainable development through an integrated/holistic GI management approach to the environment. 3.0 Conclusion and Recommendation The problem of climate change and other environmental issues has prompted effective urban planning and design disciplines. These plans and disciplines helps in addressing the challenge of resilience and sustainability. While understanding that sustainable development holds numerous dimensions, people have adopted green infrastructure compared to grey infrastructure. GI experiences help scores of European cities to bring nature into the city centre, and establish ecological and physical connections amid surrounding natural areas and built-up areas and green spaces. The collaborative nature brings neighbourhood together, offers ecological conduits and promotes a wealth of green spaces besides enhancing economic growth and health. As a result, GI offers a blueprint that can be utilised to govern future growth, future land conservation and development to accommodate growth of the human population, preserve, and protect natural resources and assets. Given that, GI helps in the identification of major lands for future restoration and conservation efforts and shapes the location and blueprint of future growth it fits in the concept of sustainable development. GI enhances economic growth devoid of depletion of natural resources for prospective generations. Therefore, nations should ensure that they provide biodiversity guidance for individual, community, businesses, and other public bodies. Communities and business should be educated on the importance of environmental protection and conservation as well as the benefits of green infrastructure. Biodiversity guidance should be divided into strategies and policies; educational and awareness’ management of buildings and land, and planning and development. To attain sustainable development, people should make their towns and cities healthy, clean, green, pleasant, attractive and efficient. 4.0 References Born, C, Cliquet, A, Schoukens, H, Missonne, D, Hoorick, G 2014, The habitats directive in its EU environmental law context: European nature’s best hope, UK, Routledge. Bueren, E, Bohemen, H, Itard, L & Visscher, H 2011, Sustainable urban environments: An ecosystem approach, UK, Springer Science & Business Media. Davies, A 2011, Health and safety, premises and environment handbook 2012, UK, Kogan Page Publishers. Heartburn. Davoudi, S, Crawford, J & Mehmood, A 2009, Planning for climate change: Strategies for mitigation and adaptation for spatial planners, UK, Routledge. Forest Research 2010, Benefits of green infrastructure. Report to Defra and CLG, Forest Research, Farnham. Great Britain, Parliament. House of Commons. Environmental Audit Committee 2006, Pre-budget 2005 tax, economic analysis, and climate change: Hc 882, fourth report of session 2005-06, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence, UK, Stationery Office. Kong, A 2014, International conference on management and engineering (CME 2014), German, Destech Publications. Mieg, H & Topfer, K 2013, Institutional and social innovation for sustainable urban development, UK, Routledge. Nolon, J 2014, Protecting the local environment through land use law: standing ground, UK, West Academic. Oughton, D, Hodkinson, S & Brailsford, R 2014, Faber & Kell’s heating & air-conditioning of buildings, UK, Routledge. Sarte, S.B, Sustainable infrastructure: The guide to green engineering and design, UK, John Wiley and Sons. Sharma, A, Kar, S 2015, Energy sustainability through green energy, UK, Springer. Sinnet, D, Smith, N & Burgess, S 2015, Handbook on green infrastructure: Planning, design and implementation, UK, Edward Elgar Publishing. Read More