UPWr guest Luigi Petito: Green infrastructure is not a trend but a necessity

• Green infrastructure has many environmental, social and economic functions.
• The European Union is working on numerous directives and laws that will push the integration of vegetation into buildings

Greenhouse gases caused by human activity contribute to global and local warming with negative consequences for health and the environment. Narrow streets surrounded by tall buildings collect the polluted air we breathe in, and the amount of concrete and other impermeable materials creates urban heat islands. Because of this, the temperature in cities is often several degrees higher than in the outskirts. 

The many faces of green infrastructure

Green infrastructure has many functions and benefits of an environmental nature, such as preserving biodiversity or adapting to climate change, of a social nature, such as providing drainage and organising green spaces, and of an economic nature, such as creating jobs and increasing the market value of property. Juxtaposed with so-called grey infrastructure, mainly made of concrete and asphalt, and focused on single functions such as water drainage or transport, green infrastructure has the potential to solve several problems simultaneously. Traditional grey infrastructure is still needed, but can often be reinforced with solutions that make use of natural processes that occur in nature. For example, by harnessing the ability of plants and soils to naturally absorb and retain water, green infrastructure can reduce the amount of rainwater running off into drains and on into lakes, rivers and streams. Benefits also include carbon sequestration, improved air quality, mitigation of the urban heat island effect, creation of new natural habitats and recreational spaces. Green spaces also have an impact on the cultural and historic landscape, giving places an identity, as well as on the appearance of urban and suburban areas where people live and work. 

In traditional terms, green infrastructure comprises parks and tree-lined streets. Most cities, especially historic ones, are densely built up, so the extension of such green infrastructure is limited. It is therefore necessary to introduce vertical greenery that occupies unused spaces such as walls and roofs. – We need to think cleverly and practically, implementing projects that are technically and economically feasible. In historical centres, due to the stability of buildings or the protection of monuments, we are not able to revitalise, but there are many places, often in residential parts of the city, where there is a lot of unused space – says Luigi Petito, who, on behalf of the Word Green Infrastructure Network, promotes green infrastructure and the European Union's activities related to the creation of directives related to the greening of cities. At the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, during the conference 'Greening the roofs of Polish cities', he spoke about the latest EU directives that bring Europe closer to the goals set during the European Green Deal. Green infrastructure is also being taken into account in other EU policies, in particular the EU Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

Green Europe

– Around 80% of national legislation in Member States is directly derived from EU legislation. Thus, in the field of green infrastructure, in particular green roofs and walls, a regulatory framework needs to be created so that these solutions for increasing green spaces in cities are pushed through legislation, so that vegetation is integrated into buildings wherever possible. Once we have the right policy framework in place, the European Union will also be able to provide the resources to implement it. I also think that private companies should join the initiative because – says Luigi Petito and cites the Netherlands as an example.

– In the Netherlands, there are insurance companies that now subsidise the construction of green roofs because they reduce the damage caused by rainstorms. Instead of paying compensation for damage caused by downpours and floods, they prefer to prevent this by subsidising green roofs, which retain water and mitigate the effects of downpours – says Luigi Petito, adding that green infrastructure may have started a trend, but in reality it is not even a need, but an urgent necessity.

– We need to completely change the way we develop cities and reduce the amount of concrete surfaces to bring nature back to cities – says the conference guest.

- In Europe, quite a few cities are introducing vertical green infrastructure, for example Basel, Hamburg, Frankfurt. But you know, none of them are perfect examples yet. I think the ideal would be a city in which green spaces are about 300-400 metres from every house, as recommended by the World Health Organisation. So within reach for everyone. It's not just the quality but also the quantity of green spaces that is important, because you can have one big, beautiful park, but at one end of the city where it takes more than half an hour to get by bus –says Luigi Petito.

However, as the guest of the event admits, there are challenges ahead for him and his colleagues. – We need to raise awareness among the public as well as investors and developers. We need to educate, debunk myths and explain, among other things, that although there is a maintenance cost, a green roof has a much longer lifespan and brings numerous benefits. The financial aspects of green infrastructure may seem complicated, but it has not only many of the benefits outlined above, but is often cheaper, more robust and more durable. Planners should therefore consider the benefits of floodplain and wetland restoration first, rather than relying by default on grey infrastructure solutions such as and flood pipes.

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