PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Urban environmental issues operate at different scales, and this is the case for climate change adaptation strategies that necessarily complement mitigation measures. Adaptation and mitigation operate at different spatial scales: while mitigation measures have a global effect; adaptation strategies must be designed at the regional or local scale depending on their climate change impact. Urban planning must therefore take into account these variable scenarios, resorting to resilience-based strategies that integrate the long-term impacts of climate change. This can be done using the ‘flexible planning’ of biodynamic models.
OBJECTIVES
The general objective of the LIFE Lugo + Biodinámico project was to implement an innovative urban planning strategy in the city of Lugo. Activities were carried out in residential areas, to achieve a resilient urban landscape, namely one prepared to both face and minimise the effects of climate change. Specific objectives encompassed:
- Producing a strategic plan for new urban development based on the promotion of the local timber industry and sustainable management of forests;
- Identifying and valorising the Linear River Park, formed by the Miño, Rato and Fervedoira basins, as a Green Climatic Protection infrastructure;
- Improving the environmental connectivity of the action plan area by implementing a multifunctional open-air space system;
- Identifying a set of proven solutions that can be implemented at a small scale to improve the climate change adaptation potential of urban areas;
- Developing a strategy to boost the economy of the adjacent industrial complex of As Gándaras through new activities related to the bioeconomy sector;
- Applying participation initiatives and programmes to involve citizens in climate adaptation strategies;
- Restoring and implementing demonstration actions for ecosystems in the area;
- Launching the portable wood pavilion ‘Impulso Verde’ (Green Impulse), which emphasised the concept of ‘ultra-adaptability’ for future urban developments.
RESULTS
The LIFE Lugo + Biodinámico project starts from the premise that climate change can be a great opportunity to rethink cities by improving the quality of their urban spaces. The project established a total of 28 interrelated actions, focusing on the development and planning of measures linked to sustainability and climate resilience. The final aim was that of offering environmental responses for climate change adaptation of our cities. These actions included:
- The elaboration of a Catalogue of Urban Design Solutions GUD-LUGO (https://www.lugobiodinamico.eu/resources/urban-solutions-catalog/), which includes an IT tool with urban adaptation solutions that will be integrated into the urban planning strategy. It includes 51 solutions and a simulation on the Multi-Ecological Neighbourhood. This catalogue includes a series of measures aimed at medium-sized European cities, applicable both for the projection of new urban spaces and for the recovery of existing city areas. The added value of this catalogue is that it offers a climate impact calculator that allows quantifying the expected environmental effects with the implementation of the selected urban design solutions. It is currently used at multiple municipal levels, including at the level of public tenders and in agreements with other administrations for actions to be carried out in the city. It is also used for recommendations at the level of private initiatives by council officials.
- IMPULSO-VERDE Building. The 'Impulso Verde' building is the pilot wood construction project of LIFE Lugo + Biodinámico and the first landmark achievement of the Multi-Ecological Neighborhood. By incorporating the research outcomes of the two partner universities of the project, 'Impulso Verde' has become the first high-rise public building built in Spain with wood from Galicia and a benchmark in the fight against climate change, capable of self-generating with energy alternatives its consumption needs. In addition, the use of wood as a construction element implies that the building has a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than concrete and steel buildings’ ones. The building was the first public building in Galicia built with cross-laminated Galician pine wood, and the first building in Spain to obtain the FSC® Complete Project certification, which accredits that all the forest-based materials in the building are certified. The ‘Impulso Verde’ buidling has had a direct influence on other projects in Lugo. Among these, the construction of a social centre built in certified local wood by the City Council of Lugo, the project for a future three-storey sports centre featuring a similar wooden structure, called Lugo Sports LIFE, and the multi-storey building made of wood built by a private company and used as an hotel in Lugo’s downtown are the most prominent. The urbanisation of the ‘Impulso Verde’ building (0.269ha) is also an area displaying climate change solutions like permeable paving in Sustainable Drainage Systems (from LIFE CerSUDS project), cycle lanes, rain gardens, species adapted to the local climate and its evolution. Ultimately, the ‘Impulso Verde’ building showcases best practices in sustainable urbanism.
- Special Biodynamic Plan. It is the plan for the future Multi-Ecological Neighbourhood of Lugo (29.4ha), which closes the green belt of the city in its north area. The proposals for the Multi-Ecological Neighbourhood include built-in houses structurally constructed of wood, a fourfold increase of the green areas compared to the development of a conventional neighbourhood, the collection of rainwater for reuse in the irrigation of green areas and the implementation of a system for reconversion of waste into biomass.
The Plan gives a coherent structure to environmental, social and economic dynamisation actions, and will guide the climate adaptation strategy of the City Council of Lugo, classified as ‘the second great transformation of the city of Lugo’ by the mayor. The work, developed by the detailed planning of Residential Climate Comfort Area (C3), improve the plan with valuable recommendations. This Plan also generated a proposal for the improvement of one of the current city squares, so as to show the potential of this type of microclimatic planning.
- The As Gándaras Urban Forest. This urban forest of 19.7ha showcases 5 demonstrative actions (C4, C5, C6, C8, C9), namely, an area of native hardwood species (4.1ha), a chestnut forest (3.6ha) with 5 traditional native cultivars of chestnut, energy crops in urban areas (1ha), an arboretum (5ha) with representations of 8 Galician natural forest, and a wetland (6ha) recovered by eradicating invasive alien species and improving its vegetation. For this wetland, a conservation plan was drafted and approved by the City Council of Lugo. This relevant green area promotes natural resources for timber production, food and energy supply. Consequently, the valorisation of the forest and of its ecosystem enhances biodiversity, easy water supply and depuration, better flood control, growing of resources, efficient soil conservation, an improved landscape, areas for recreation, etc.
- Urban Gardens. With an area of 1.2ha, the urban gardens, with their innovative design, are a demonstrative action aimed at promoting social revitalisation and taking advantage of their therapeutic and didactic capacity. Distributed across 3 plots, this new green area also engage families, elderly people, special collectives, schools and associations in food production, and serves as a beautiful place to enjoy and socialise.
LIFE Lugo + Biodinámico has been a milestone in the city’s paradigm shift, being one of the main pillars of the so-called Second Transformation of Lugo, a new productive and economic model that is stimulating the city and its surroundings. This approach makes Lugo a city capable of facing environmental challenges through the promotion of circular economy, with a clear commitment to the development of a sustainable forestry industry and to the creation of green jobs.
