36
37
Blue Green Solutions Guide
Case study 4: Marlowe road, London
Applying the BG systems approach to maximise energy efficiency and
human comfort for a residential district.
Background
The architectural practice Pollard Thomas
Edwards (PTE) was commissioned to complete
the concept design for the master plan of a
new, 41,000 m2 residential area in London. The
plan’s aim was to demonstrate how integrated
BG solutions can be employed to deliver a
traditionally planned neighbourhood with a
premier 21st century sustainability level. Key
Performance Indicators for the design included
urban heat island mitigation, low building energy
consumption, enhanced outdoor microclimate,
indoor comfort and the efficient use of water.
BG Systems Approach
The BG Team scoped and assessed design
options via the use of the GDPM (see page 24). The
preliminary analysis identified potentially useful
interactions that could be exploited to inform the
positioning of buildings and trees and the design
of building envelope shading, materialisation and
storm water management facilities.
Trees were selected and positioned to 1) facilitate
adiabatic cooling (along the predominant direction
of the summer winds); 2) shade the building
envelopes; and 3) mitigate heat island effects.
Orientation and spacing of housing units was
adjusted to enhance wind effects throughout the
site by disconnecting them at strategic points
to avoid wind blocking. This invention not only
enhances natural cooling of the site through
modifying the microclimate, but also by increasing
convective heat transfer from the buildings. The
result is an improvement of both the outdoor and
indoor comfort during the summer period.
Enhanced storm water management was
achieved by tailoring the street design to facilitate
better drainage, and harvested water was used
for watering of the plants. Some of the buildings
were designed with roof gardens that feature
community gathering points
Main Outcomes
Applying the BG systems approach yielded
a solar load reduction of 38.0 per cent,
transmission reduction 16 per cent, a heat
island effect reduction of 32.5 per cent and an
outdoor microclimate reduction of 3.5 ⁰C for
summer temperatures, relative to a standard
development. As a result, the buildings’ summer
energy consumption was reduced by 24 per cent.
Moreover, these above benefits were realised
without incurring substantial additional costs.
Key figures (graphic presentation)
Reduction of solar radiation on building envelope
Positioning of trees on south facades of buildings
20
21
38
39
Blue Green Solutions Guide
Case study 5: City of Šabac
Application of the BG systems approach to the conception of a Master
Plan for the regeneration of an entire city.
Background
BG Systems Approach
Šabac (population 80,000) is a city in central
Serbia. Situated close to three national borders
and with two main highways in its vicinity, it has a
long tradition of being a centre of trade.
The city’s government is pursuing an urban
regeneration agenda, as part of which they have
enlisted the BG Systems approach to produce
a visionary Master plan for the area. The aim is
not only to transition to state-of-the-art urban
design, but to deliver a redevelopment model
(exemplar) for other towns across the region.
The BG team ran workshops to familiarise
the city planning teams with the BG systems
approach: especially, the Goal Driven Planning
Matrix (GDPM). The city’s targets were entered
into the GDPM in order to facilitate a bespoke, BG
Solutions based Master plan. Public workshops
were held to gather further inputs and work-up
candidate design concepts, via the use of the
GDPM. The conclusions of these workshops
are being incorporated into final version of the
Master plan ("work in progress").
Goal Driven Planning Matrix form and outline results
22
Main Outcomes
The public workshops were highly valuable:
they identified, for example, several new city
resources that would not have been tapped into
using a standard design process.
A number of BG solutions were embedded into
the plans. One solution of particular interest is
the multi-functional use of irrigation canals in the
city and parks (Figure 23 ). In the past, they would
be empty for most of the time, and so would have
no aesthetic and recreational value. Under the BG
Systems plan, they deliver areas for recreation,
biodiversity and flood protection
36
.
Under dry conditions, water to the irrigation
canals/streams is supplied from a shallow
groundwater aquifer, driven by pumps powered
by solar energy. It serves to maintain minimal
water flow for supporting aquatic life throughout
the year at no energy cost (Figure 23). The
surrounding, vegetated floodplain area is used
for recreation and to support biodiversity. Under
conditions of heavy rain or high ground water
level the floodplain retains its groundwater flood
retention capacity. Because of the extended
duration groundwater flooding, and clear water,
flooded areas are used for water sport recreation
activities. Thus, instead of being "reserved for
flood storage" only, flood plains are converted
into attractive open spaces for year round use.
23
Multi-functional use of floodplains under: a. Dry weather conditions, b. Flooding conditions
1. CITY INNOVATIVE
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN
3. SOCIALLY
BALANCED
4. ENVIRONMENT
MANAGEMENT
5. SUSTAINABILITY
7. CITY
ADAPTABILITY
TO WEATHER
EXTREMES
9. SMART
GOVERNMENT
11. CITY STRATEGY
IMPELMENTATION
MONITORING AND
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
CITY GOALS
Agreed with
Mayor’s team
TARGETS
FOR EACH GOAL
FUNCTIONS
& CONCEPTS
/ INDICATORS
CITY FACILITIES
/ BG ANALYSIS
6.1. Selection of city
industries based on
specific, agreed criteria
6.3. Create integrated
food production
6.4. Create particular
economy orientated
education
6. COMPETITIVE
ECONOMY
8. REPLICABILITY
10. AVOID SHOCKS
2. QUALITY OF LIFE
W
OR
K I
N P
RO
GR
ES
S
6.2. Identity specific
resources of the
location for the
development of
specific industry.
1. Geographic location (trade)
2. Sustainable energy
resources (geothermal energy)
3. Undeveloped land (strong
real estate potential)
4a. A tradition of local
craftmanship and
entrepreneurship
4b. A tradition of industrial
manufacturing
5. Developed industries
6. Already established
infrastructure, large working
areas
7. Brownfield locations
8. Planning documentation
9. Data on number of citizens
and their education structure
10. Educational structure of
existing professors in local
schools
11. Already started
refurbishment of city port on
river Sava
12. Planned construction of
intermodal terminal and
logistic centre.
13. Data on the quantity and
quality of free land owned by
the city.
14. Resources for tourism
a
b
Solar powered pump for
groundwater abstraction