Bridging the Gap: How do we retrofit the urban landscape with green infrastructure?

Presentations

Slides from this event can be downloaded from the last section on this page.

Agenda

10.30   Arrival, coffee and tea                                                                                 

11.00   Introduction: Professor Kevin Gaston (Director of ESI, University of Exeter) and Professor Lora Fleming (Director of ECEHH, University of Exeter) – master/mistress of ceremony

11.10   Humanism in our Designed Environments: Mr David Kamp (Founding Principal of Dirtworks, PC, New York, USA)

 11.25   Health and Wellbeing Impacts of Green and Blue Infrastructure: From experimental to population level evidence: Dr Mat White (European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter)

 11.40   Why green is better: an overview of green infrastructure in the built environment: Mr Tony Norton (Head of the Centre for Energy and the Environment, University of Exeter)

 11.55   Health and Wellbeing Impacts of Green and Blue Infrastructure: Critical Issues for Application of Cost Benefit Analysis for Policy Appraisal: Dr Tim Taylor (European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter)

12.10   Fragmentation of the landscape used by bats. How bad is the problem and can we fix it?: Dr Fiona Mathews (Biosciences, University of Exeter)

 12.25   Engaging with communities about 'green' infrastructure: Professor Patrick Devine-Wright (Geography, University of Exeter) 

12.40   Facilitating access to green infrastructure in the urban environment in Cornwall:  Mrs Victoria Whitehouse (Head of Nature Conservation, Cornwall Wildlife Trust)

12.55   Green infrastructure and water engineering – a match made in heaven?: Professor David Butler (Director of the Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter)

13.10   Ecological enhancement of hard coastal structures: Dr Larissa Naylor (Geography, University of Exeter)

13.25   When money is denser than concrete - strategies for greening that work despite urban economics: Dr Tony Kendle (Foundation Director, Eden Project)

13.40   Buffet lunch

14.40   Breakout sessions

15.10   Summary session

15.30   Finish, tea and coffee available

Additional information

A large and diverse body of evidence demonstrates the importance of access to both blue and green natural spaces in urban areas for maintaining and improving  the health and wellbeing of the residents.

These benefits are variously direct and indirect, tangible and intangible, focused and diffuse. In sum, they provide an overwhelming case for ensuring that people have adequate access to environments that in some sense are the very antithesis of the built form that currently dominates urban settings.

Just as one of the big challenges for energy conservation is how to retrofit an existing building stock to make it more energy efficient, an analogous challenge for a health and well-being (and ecosystem goods and services) agenda is how to retrofit existing urban areas so as to improve their natural space and sustainability credentials within the context of rapidly expanding urban areas and climate change.

At one extreme, this could mean the creation of entirely new natural spaces, but this will often be difficult to achieve; therefore, a host of other approaches will be required.

Understanding which methods could be useful, and how effective and practicable they could be, will require the perspectives and expertise of individuals from a host of different fields of interest.

In this Bridging the Gaps event, we will bring together a broad range of environmental and health perspectives on this issue.

Talk Abstracts

Humanism in our Designed Environments: David Kamp

What is the role of design in shaping individual and collective choices that promote health? 

Salutogenic concepts can be extrapolated to inform design choices to help establish health-promoting resources for communities. Our approach to sustainable development must consider the individual perspective in promoting health – creating conditions that enhance individual experience and help individuals better cope with life’s challenges. A case study will explore a response to aging urban infrastructure, damaged natural systems and neglected opportunities for contact with nature. A holistic design methodology incorporating salutogenesis, natural systems and green infrastructure can help create a more vibrant, resilient and equitable future.

Health and Wellbeing Impacts of Green and Blue Infrastructure: From experimental to population level evidence: Mat White

There is growing concern among policy makers about negative trends in population level mental health and well-being. While acknowledging a complex set of causes, it has been proposed that these trends may, at least in part, be due to the increased levels of stress associated with urbanisation and a growing detachment from “natural” green and blue spaces. This talk will briefly review some of the evidence in support of this hypothesis including some of our own research which focuses on the role of aquatic environments in promoting mental health and well-being.  

Why green is better: an overview of green infrastructure in the built environment: Tony Norton

Green infrastructure can have a profound effect on the characteristics of the built environment. The Centre for Energy and the Environment has worked with architects and local authorities to optimise green infrastructure in the built environment to provide a comfortable and healthy spaces. Our research has shown that the use of green roofs and green space in and around buildings can provide a net cooling effect, which can offset the effects of climate change. On a larger scale green space can reduce surface runoff, limit flash flooding and alter the microclimate while also providing pleasant recreational spaces.

Health and Wellbeing Impacts of Green and Blue Infrastructure: Critical Issues for Application of Cost Benefit Analysis for Policy Appraisal: Dr Tim Taylor

Improvements in green and blue infrastructure may lead to significant benefits in terms of health and wellbeing. The use of monetary valuation methods in this context is discussed. Key gaps in the literature include the valuation of mental health impacts. Application of cost benefit analysis requires consideration of the latency of impact and consideration of other values attributable to green infrastructure.

Fragmentation of the landscape used by bats. How bad is the problem and can we fix it?: Fiona Mathews

A high proportion of bat species globally are threatened, and in Europe specific legislation exists to protect them and their habitats.  Nevertheless, many populations remain in a precarious state: their life history makes them vulnerable to the effects of urbanization in numerous ways.  Resolving these potential conflicts is a priority.  Fiona has been working on bats in both an academic capacity, and also as a conservation volunteer, for about 15 years.  She has close links with the statutory authorities, local planners and professional ecologists, and seeks to find practical, evidence-based solutions to some of the most pressing bat conservation issues.

Engaging with communities about 'green' infrastructure: Patrick Devine-Wright

Despite policy support, the retrofit of green infrastructure is not always popular with residents directly affected by change. In this presentation, I will draw on examples from community energy projects to discuss the role of 'symbolic resources' such as identity and trust in influencing community acceptance of green infrastructure. In particular, I will discuss how new technologies and interventions alter conventional systems of provision and consumption, with attendant changes to roles and responsibilities. 

Facilitating access to green infrastructure in the urban environment in Cornwall: Victoria Whitehouse

Facts and figures regarding green infrastructure and land cover change in Cornwall are provided.  Challenges associated with green infrastructure are outlined, along with a summary of some relevant strategic policy context.  The key issue discussed is the importance of facilitating community access to green infrastructure.  Best practice examples are provided of on the ground work carried out by Cornwall Wildlife Trust to achieve physical intellectual and spiritual access to green infrastructure in Cornwall.

Green infrastructure and water engineering – a match made in heaven?: David Butler

Water engineering is changing, and hopefully for the better.  In the face of the increasing threats of climate change, population growth and urbanisation, a wide range of ‘non-traditional’ solutions are being investigated and proposed by engineers.  These include the use of more natural and arguably sustainable solutions such as green infrastructure.  My talk will briefly introduce how GI can help water management in cities and will explore how it can be retrofitted into the urban landscape.

Ecological enhancement of hard coastal structures: Larissa Naylor

We have quantitatively demonstrated that ecological colonisation rates can be increased by manipulating material textures and/or material type, in both field-based experiments and operational coastal defence projects.  For example, barnacle colonisation was significantly higher on concrete blocks which were grooved compared with typical plain cast concrete surfaces. Our current research suggests that species commonly found on hard structures (e.g. seaweeds and barnacles) also provide ecosystem services by mediating the microclimate and reducing rock weathering potential. Together, the research illustrates that collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches can be used to meet legislative requirements (e.g. planning or EC WFD requirements) and green urban coastal infrastructure.

When money is denser than concrete - strategies for greening that work despite urban economics: Tony Kendle

Developing green areas in towns and cities is challenged not just by the physical structure of the built infrastructure but also by the land values and huge embedded capital. Many proposals for urban greening and especially urban food growing overlook the financial implications of securing land and/or constructing high capital and energy intensive infrastructure, raising the spectre of the £8000 carrot. Successful solutions are light touch in their capital and resource needs, and based on approaches that bypass the issue of land cost. 

Speaker Biographies

Mr David Kamp (Founding Principal of Dirtworks, PC, New York, USA)

David Kamp, FASLA, LF, NA is the founding principal of Dirtworks, PC, a New York based landscape architecture firm internationally recognized for their work in exploring the restorative qualities of the natural environment.

Dr Mat White (European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter)

Mat White is an applied social psychologist with a background in environmental risk perceptions, indicators of subjective well-being, time use, and the mental health effects of spending time in and around “natural” environments.

Mr Tony Norton (Head of the Centre for Energy and the Environment, University of Exeter)

Tony Norton is the Head of the Centre for Energy and the Environment.

Dr Tim Taylor (European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter)

Dr Tim Taylor is Lecturer in Environmental and Public Health Economics at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health in the University of Exeter Medical School. He has previously been involved in the management of a number of FP6 projects, including PLUREL (Peri-urban land use relationships). He was recently involved in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment, applying monetary valuation to impacts on a number of sectors. He has published in journals such as Journal of Environmental Management and Ecological Economics.

Dr Fiona Mathews (Biosciences, University of Exeter)

Fiona is senior lecturer in mammalian biology and is based at the Streatham campus.  Her group works on the links between the environment and population dynamics, and she is particularly interested in the challenges posed by urbanization.

Professor Patrick Devine-Wright (Geography, University of Exeter)

Patrick Devine-Wright holds a Chair in Human Geography at the University of Exeter and sits on the DECC/DEFRA Social Science Expert Panel. His research interests include understanding the concepts of place attachment and place identity, investigating human aspects of siting new energy infrastructure, and understanding the motivation for pro-environmental and pro-social actions.

Mrs Victoria Whitehouse (Head of Nature Conservation, Cornwall Wildlife Trust)

Mrs Victoria Whitehouse is Head of Nature Conservation at Cornwall Wildlife Trust.  She has worked in nature conservation in Cornwall for nearly twenty years.  She is an ecologist and has developed and led programmes on rural land management, community engagement in the natural environment and marine conservation research and communication.

Professor David Butler (Director of the Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter)

David Butler is Professor of Water Engineering and Director of the Centre for Water Systems at the University of Exeter.  He is also the Principal Investigator of the Exeter Science Exchange Bridging the Gaps project.

Dr Larissa Naylor (Geography, University of Exeter)

Dr Larissa Naylor is a biogeomorphologist, with specialist expertise in understanding the interplay between rock, biota and geomorphic processes in the coastal zone. She has worked in industry, government and academia and typically designs projects which are of both academic and applied value. Aspects of the work presented today were shortlisted for a University of Exeter Impact Award in 2011.

Dr Tony Kendle (Foundation Director, Eden Project)

Prior to joining Eden Project as Foundation Director in 2000, Dr Kendle taught and researched at the University of Reading. His specialisms were urban landscape regeneration and social and therapeutic horticulture.

Why green is better: an overview of green infrastructure in the built environment: Tony Norton

Green infrastructure can have a profound effect on the characteristics of the built environment. The Centre for Energy and the Environment has worked with architects and local authorities to optimise green infrastructure in the built environment to provide a comfortable and healthy spaces. Our research has shown that the use of green roofs and green space in and around buildings can provide a net cooling effect, which can offset the effects of climate change. On a larger scale green space can reduce surface runoff, limit flash flooding and alter the microclimate while also providing pleasant recreational spaces.

Health and Wellbeing Impacts of Green and Blue Infrastructure: Critical Issues for Application of Cost Benefit Analysis for Policy Appraisal: Tim Taylor

Improvements in green and blue infrastructure may lead to significant benefits in terms of health and wellbeing. The use of monetary valuation methods in this context is discussed. Key gaps in the literature include the valuation of mental health impacts. Application of cost benefit analysis requires consideration of the latency of impact and consideration of other values attributable to green infrastructure.

Fragmentation of the landscape used by bats. How bad is the problem and can we fix it?: Fiona Mathews

A high proportion of bat species globally are threatened, and in Europe specific legislation exists to protect them and their habitats.  Nevertheless, many populations remain in a precarious state: their life history makes them vulnerable to the effects of urbanization in numerous ways.  Resolving these potential conflicts is a priority.  Fiona has been working on bats in both an academic capacity, and also as a conservation volunteer, for about 15 years.  She has close links with the statutory authorities, local planners and professional ecologists, and seeks to find practical, evidence-based solutions to some of the most pressing bat conservation issues.

Engaging with communities about 'green' infrastructure: Patrick Devine-Wright

Despite policy support, the retrofit of green infrastructure is not always popular with residents directly affected by change. In this presentation, I will draw on examples from community energy projects to discuss the role of 'symbolic resources' such as identity and trust in influencing community acceptance of green infrastructure. In particular, I will discuss how new technologies and interventions alter conventional systems of provision and consumption, with attendant changes to roles and responsibilities. 

Facilitating access to green infrastructure in the urban environment in Cornwall: Victoria Whitehouse

Facts and figures regarding green infrastructure and land cover change in Cornwall are provided.  Challenges associated with green infrastructure are outlined, along with a summary of some relevant strategic policy context.  The key issue discussed is the importance of facilitating community access to green infrastructure.  Best practice examples are provided of on the ground work carried out by Cornwall Wildlife Trust to achieve physical intellectual and spiritual access to green infrastructure in Cornwall.

Green infrastructure and water engineering – a match made in heaven?: David Butler

Water engineering is changing, and hopefully for the better.  In the face of the increasing threats of climate change, population growth and urbanisation, a wide range of ‘non-traditional’ solutions are being investigated and proposed by engineers.  These include the use of more natural and arguably sustainable solutions such as green infrastructure.  My talk will briefly introduce how GI can help water management in cities and will explore how it can be retrofitted into the urban landscape.

Ecological enhancement of hard coastal structures: Larissa Naylor

We have quantitatively demonstrated that ecological colonisation rates can be increased by manipulating material textures and/or material type, in both field-based experiments and operational coastal defence projects.  For example, barnacle colonisation was significantly higher on concrete blocks which were grooved compared with typical plain cast concrete surfaces. Our current research suggests that species commonly found on hard structures (e.g. seaweeds and barnacles) also provide ecosystem services by mediating the microclimate and reducing rock weathering potential. Together, the research illustrates that collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches can be used to meet legislative requirements (e.g. planning or EC WFD requirements) and green urban coastal infrastructure.

When money is denser than concrete - strategies for greening that work despite urban economics: Tony Kendle

Developing green areas in towns and cities is challenged not just by the physical structure of the built infrastructure but also by the land values and huge embedded capital. Many proposals for urban greening and especially urban food growing overlook the financial implications of securing land and/or constructing high capital and energy intensive infrastructure, raising the spectre of the £8000 carrot. Successful solutions are light touch in their capital and resource needs, and based on approaches that bypass the issue of land cost.