Cities around the world are crafting stormwater management policies that include natural and manmade methods to store and absorb runoff to reduce flooding.
A prime example is Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The low-lying city created an urban park that features a giant holding tank with a capacity of 450,000 gallons. This “water plaza” public space makes use of the stormwater in cascading channels with pools and fountains. During dry times, the public can make use of a basketball court, skate park, and an amphitheater.
The city is also planning more water storage areas in unused parking lots. To trap stormwater before it hits the ground, every municipal building is topped by a green roof.
Dutch specialists have helped New Orleans draft its Living with Water plan for stormwater, which supplements the city’s system of levies and pumps with new water storage sites and natural infrastructure to help contain and filter floodwater. The 50-year program for upgrades and retrofits to stormwater management incorporates the principals used in the Netherlands.
(http://grist.org/cities/to-make-our-cities-green-we-have-to-think-blue/)
(http://livingwithwater.com/)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Aug 8, 2018
Too much parking in U.S. cities proving costly
As car ownership rates drop, excess parking seems more wasteful.
Codes and Standards | Aug 7, 2018
International Fire Safety Standards (IFSS) Coalition created
Professional associations and building standards organizations join forces.
Codes and Standards | Jul 31, 2018
Workers allegedly held in captivity by construction subcontractor in San Jose pay theft case
Contractor pays $250,000 in back wages in Dept. of Labor enforcement action.
Codes and Standards | Jul 17, 2018
Heat island effect can turn deadly in extreme conditions
Of all the impacts of global climate change, it’s extreme heat that kills more Americans each year than any other weather-related event.
Codes and Standards | Jul 17, 2018
NIMBYism, generational divide threaten plan for net-zero village in St. Paul, Minn.
The ambitious redevelopment proposal for a former Ford automotive plant creates tension.
Codes and Standards | Jul 17, 2018
In many markets, green features are more of a requirement for apartment renters
Renters in many U.S. cities have come to expect green features in apartments that they rent, with an eye toward energy efficiency and healthy indoor air.
Codes and Standards | Jul 16, 2018
Length of North American construction disputes continues to increase
They already far exceed global average.
Codes and Standards | Jul 12, 2018
Developer says net zero Salt Lake City apartment high-rise built at standard cost
Off-site solar, and mechanical/electrical system savings aid the achievement.
Codes and Standards | Jul 11, 2018
D.C. local worker requirement not being met
Government doing little to verify self-reported project data.
Codes and Standards | Jul 10, 2018
Carbon emissions in cement production threaten GHG reduction goals
Cement is essential to many infrastructure projects that address climate change.