Netherlands

Candidate – Netherlands

Submission by: Stadswerk072 N.V.

Project name: Climateproof Neighborhoods

Link: stadswerk072.nl/vergroenen-hans-de-riesstraat

Short description

The green-blue project Hans de Riesstraat Alkmaar is a small but delicate project. That the project triggers the imagination was proven by the fact that during the online poll this national entry won overwhelmingly with 52% of the votes. This project falls under the assignment ‘Making neighborhoods climate proof’. The residents of this neighborhood made a proposal for greening their street. This project focuses on resident participation, circularity, sustainability, climate resilience, greening and biodiversity. Innovative solutions have been applied by disconnecting downspouts and street gullies from the sewer system, allowing them to flow naturally into the wadi of the new green design. The sewer will not be overloaded as a result. In total more than 1.500 m2 paving with stones was aditionally greened with native plantings and wildflowers, and 33 additional trees were planted. Situations like here, you find in every European city and therefore this entry is the reason to participate.

a) Social cohesion

Public green space, a field of grass, trees and flowers connects people with each other. This increases social cohesion within a neighborhood, which in turn increases the enjoyment of living. In short: greenery has a positive effect on social well-being, according to research and, in case of the Hans de Riesstraat, practical experience. The residents are full of praise for the new design of their street and overjoyed that they are going to represent the Netherlands in Europe. The residents are even helping to green their street and have adopted climbing plants. So as to address every opportunity to green up, we facilitated the climbing plants for 9 stone pillars. The residents care for and guide the plants. In addition that almost all residents wanted to participate in disconnecting their downspouts to reduce the burden on the sewer system during heavy rains.

b) Biodiversity

At the new facility, you’ll find just about every aspect of biodiversity. With the new landscaping, more than 1,500m² paving with stones has been de-tiled and greened. 33 new trees were planted, most native species and 16 different species, such as oak, elm, linden and maple. Besides trees, berry-bearing shrubs have been applied for the birds. The neighbourhood makes their own choice for the plants and flowers. The choice was fallen on a concept called Wild at Heart which consists of 70% native perennials. Urban Meadows, consisting of native wildflower mats have been applied in the wadi for direct result. A Vibrant Verge, a combination of bulbs with wildflowers, was last applied along the lake in the month of October. Hortus Alkmaar, a local company put together the mix with area-specific species. Along the edge of the pond, we applied Aquarolls with riparian plantings such as cattails, iris, and basswood. The named climbing plants that residents adopted were 4 per pillar and consist of 9 different species of climbing plants.

c) Economic factors

Research has proven that investing in green spaces pays off. People naturally become happy when seeing greenery. It’s in their DNA. Happy people are healthy people, so less sick both physically and mentally. This project applied the now familiar 3-30-300 rule by planting additional trees. The air is purified by the trees and the green landscaping invites residents to spend more time outside. The green landscaping connects the neighborhood to the natural area on the city borders. Houses in a green neighborhood have more value, therefor the municipality receives more taxes. Flooding and extreme heat will be countered with the new green&blue design. This part is prepared for the future. Large licensed nurseries provided the plantings and trees. Many of the plantings were 100% organically grown, which is very important for the insects. Materials, such as paving and tiles were reused. To verify our approach, landscaping and choice of products, an independent company labeled the work.

d) Climate

We did extensive research by engaging expert agencies. For example, NL Greenlabel did an environmental scan beforehand and HB Advies did research into the permeability of the soil.
In summary, the most important outcomes from the studies are:

  • Energy and climate resilience
  • Mobility
  • Biodiversity and landscape values
  • People and health
  • Soil and water
  • Guarantee
  • Development principles and
  • Products and materialization

Once the project is completed it is labeled for areas, sites, products and the use of plants are assessed by independent assessors. 

e) Wellbeing of visitors/users

At the Hans de Riesstraat, it was the residents who brought this location under attention. In 2019 they submitted a petition a request for greening here. For your imagination the residents are very happy with the new situation and so immensely proud that last Sunday, they recorded a VLOG especially for this submission. We could start explaining it here but let the resident community tell it for themselves. Even though the project started this year and thus has only been green for a few months, it is already bringing people together outside. In addition, the new design draws people from the neighborhood through a green corridor to the nature reserve located just outside the city limits. The fact that the residents have cooperated in this way is in the spotlight and we hope that this inspires other residents and cities to think and cooperate in the same way. After all, we need each other.

f) The selection, origin and quality of used products and materials (greenery and constructing materials)

We work with only quality parties, preferably local parties. The nurseries must be at least Planet Proof certified and grown in the Netherlands.

  • Within the project area, nearly 1,500m² of stones and tiles will be cleared and replaced for public urban green space.
  • The released paving will not be thrown away but immediatly reused, partly on the Hans de Riesstraat and partly at other greening locations. The left over paving we put in depot for use of small repairs to sidewalks.
  • 33 trees extra are planted. The trees were selected at a nursery, varying in a total of 16 species, sizes and tree shape. This is 30 more trees than before the project starts.
  • 23 street gullies removed. The stormwater runoff function will be taken over by wadis.
  • Residents were involved in the choice of plantings and were asked to help green up and disconnect their downspouts. Special Rain guiding tiles will ensure that rainwater chooses the right path.
  • 19 downspouts will be disconnected. To show our gratitude, the residents received several m² of greening packages for their frontgarden
  • A part of the planting that was to be uprooted has been given a new use in urban green spaces.
  • 658m² of perennial concept Wild At Heart is planted. 70% use of native plants and 100% organic growing of plants.
  • 373m² of a flower bulb and wildflower mixture is sown, also 100% organic growing of plants.
  • 230m² of shrubs and bird bushes (many native berry-bearing species)
  • 108m¹ along the water’s edge there an Aquarol with water and bank planting
  • 1,515m², is sown with grass for lawn, where picnic tables and benches will be placed.
  • 4 insect hotels are placed in the area.
  • 3 Fauna steps are placed along the waterbank for good connection between land and water for animals like birds and amfibians.
  • 9 pillars within the project are greened with climbing plants. 4 per pillar and all different species.
  • 383m² Native pre-grown wildflower mats were placed the large wadi
  • Even the sand to finish the new pavement with is Greensand, sand made from the mineral Olivine, a CO2 scavenger, to offset CO2 emitted during the project’s operations.

g) The overall design (landscape and optional associated buildings)

The draft design was created by ourselves and coordinated with the residents. An online survey was conducted on the planting plan and there was also an online survey on whether residents wanted to disconnect their drainpipes. Through a meeting, the sketch design was explained on location to residents and reviewed with the independent company NL Greenlabel for advice. The greenery connects this part of the neighborhood with the recreational nature area at the outer limits of the city. This can be clearly seen in the timelaps in the appendix. A specialized bureau worked out the definite design and calculated whether the new situation can handle peak rain showers of 70mm and 140mm per hour! The wadi fills with water and visible allows the water to overflow over the special innovative pavement of cementless concrete, which is deliberately lowered in certain places to guide the water. As you could see in the enumeration of the previous point, there is a lot of (bio)diversity applied to this project and a lot to see.

h) The impact on the environment (holistic, circular approach)

These are also points that are explained in the environmental scan and final report. By greening and planting trees, taking the 3-30-300 rule into account, the neighborhood will feel a lot more pleasant on hot summer days. The green landscaping with trees will have a healthy effect on the residents and recreational users who come here. We know that this is a regular route of dog owners and that their get together and walk through this corridor to the nature reserve. All the soil used for trees and plantings was made from compost made from locally collected green waste. A fully circular product developed with a local waste management company. In addition to soil, we also made a bedding layer from leaf and branch residues that we applied in the planting beds and pouring edges of the trees to counteract the effect of direct sun (UV) light on the soil. This dries out less quickly and stays moister, reducing the need for watering the first year after planting. At the opening of the project, packets of different species of earthworms were released with children from a nearby school. In this way, the importance of healthy soil with a healthy soil life is highlighted. Children find this a fantastic experience. Locations where there was a lot of paving have little or no soil life due to the street sand. The worms make sure they pull the bedding layer into the soil.

i) The innovation value of the project

Small but delicate, as we mentioned at the beginning of this report. The Dutch entry will certainly not be the largest. But does size matter? This entry shows how you can transform a piece of an existing neighborhood into a future-proof design. Not only in terms of climate, but also in terms of the new experience of the interior that is experienced by the residents after only a few months after completion. There is so much here that you actually have to see it with your own eyes. The beauty of the new green-blue layout of the Hans de Riesstraat will really show itself in the coming year. By then the 100% organically grown wildflower bulbs will show themselves. To be clear these bulbs naturalize and come back annually. The wildflower mixtures are customly composed by a local company called hortus Alkmaar. They have been to the site beforehand to put together a mix of naturally occurring species. The innovation value? Is investing in public urban green worth it?
The answer is yes, though you will have to look for the values in happiness, mental and physical health, social cohesion, cooling, air quality, value increase of homes, relief from sewage. A nature-inclusive future-proof neighborhood.