Dara Carroll Green Infrastructure Environ 2015

Dara Carroll Dublin Institute of TechnologySchool of Spatial Planning and TransportMSc Sustainable Development

Associate Director - MCO PROJECTSDirector - Urban Green Infrastructure

How are Green Infrastructure Policies and Plans implemented in the historic urban core?ENVIRON 2015

April 2015 Dara Carroll www.urbangreen.ie 1

Green Infrastructure Defined

– Comhar, Natural England – strategically planned and delivered network – range of high quality green spaces – multifunctional resource – ecological services /quality of life benefits– E.g. Parks, green roofs, green walls, bioswales, gardens, allotments– Corridors, places, settings (Austin, 2014)


Benefits of Green Infrastructure – Ecosystem Services

– Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)– Supporting, Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural services– Improved habitat and biodiversity– Water and air purification– Stormwater management – SUDS…– Climate change mitigation - urban heat island…– Aesthetic / recreational benefits – parks, greenways– Sustainable Development…social, environmental, economic


• US EPA, local / city government• EU – Climate Change Adaption – role of ecosystem-based

approaches• Ireland – Our Sustainable Future; Regional Planning Guidelines;

Development Plans

Green Infrastructure – Policies and Plans


Green Infrastructure – The Urban Core

Research Question:– How are Green Infrastructure Policies and Plans implemented in

the historic urban core?


European case examples─Basel, Berlin, Malmo, London

US case examples─New York, Chicago, Portland, Philadelphia

Literature Review


Case Study 1– George’s Quay LAP

─ Dublin City Council─ Local Area Plan 2012─ Green Infrastructure Strategy─ Tree planting, green space─ Biodiversity corridor - Trinity to Liffey - green roofs, green

walls, courtyard gardens ─ Pilots projects e.g Townsend St


Case Study 2– Victoria BID, London

─Business Improvement District─City of Westminster─Green Infrastructure Audit, 2010─Greater London Authority All London Green Grid─Rubens Hotel


Semi-structured Interviews

─George’s Quay LAP─ Daibhí McDomhnaill - Landscape Architect (Áit)─ Mary Tubridy - Ecologist (Mary Tubridy and Associates)─ Deirdre Scully - Planner, Dublin City Council─ Edel Kelly - Planner, Dublin City Council─ Mark Bennett - Green Business Officer, Dublin City Council

─Victoria Business Improvement District─ David Beamont - Operations Manager, Victoria BID─ Samantha Davenport - Urban Habitats Senior Specialist, Natural England─ Ian Lanchbury - Senior Landscape Architect, Arup ─ Joe Baker - City of Westminster Planning Delivery Unit


Analysis – Thematic Coding

─GI theories, principles and terminology─Policy / Strategy and Planning─Barriers to implementation─ Implementation opportunities and solutions


Conclusions – Urban GI Theory / Principles

─GI a useful term─ Sometimes misunderstood - Analogous to ‘sustainability’?─Components – not just ‘bits of greenery’ – cumulative impacts─The planned network – ‘functional connectivity’…GI doesn’t need to be physically connected – its about functionality, and from an ecological point of view its about permeability of the landscape… (Sam Davenport, Natural England)


Conclusions – Urban GI Policies and Plans

─Role of spatial planning─Neighbourhood scale best─Wider GI strategy for the city is vital


Conclusions – Barriers and Opportunities for Implementation

─Organisational / Technical / Financial barriers

─Alternative funding mechanisms and partnerships─Regulatory and financial incentives─Collaborative approaches and engagement─Champions required─Pilots are key


Thank you.

Questions?April 2015 Dara Carroll www.urbangreen.ie 14

Documents

Dara Carroll Green Infrastructure Environ 2015