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Castellar JAC, Popartan LA, Pucher B, Pineda-Martos R, Hecht K, Katsou E, Nika CE, Junge R, Langergraber G, Atanasova N, Comas J, Monclús H, Pueyo-Ros J. What does it take to renature cities? An expert-based analysis of barriers and strategies for the implementation of nature-based solutions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 354:120385. [PMID: 38382435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
This paper uses an expert-based methodology to survey the barriers and strategies related to the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS). The ambition of the paper is to offer a bird's eye overview of the difficulties encountered by NBS deployment and ways to overcome them. With a wide participation of 80 experts from COST Action Circular City, we identify barriers specific to 35 pre-defined NBS of the following four categories: Vertical Greening Systems and Green Roofs; Food and Biomass Production; Rainwater Management; and Remediation, Treatment, and Recovery. The research sheds light on how a major interdisciplinary - yet predominantly technically-oriented - community of scientists and practitioners views this important topic. Overall, the most relevant barriers are related to technological complexity, lack of skilled staff and training programs and the lack of awareness that NBS is an option. Our results highlight concerns related to post implementation issues, especially operation and maintenance, which subsequently affect social acceptance. The paper identifies a "chain" effect across barriers, meaning that one barrier can affect the existence or the relevance of other barriers. In terms of strategies, most of them target governance, information, and education aspects, despite the predominantly technical expertise of the participants. The study innovates with respect to state-of-the-art research by showing a fine-grained connection between barriers, strategies and individual NBS and categories, a level of detail which is not encountered in any other study to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana A C Castellar
- University of Girona, Girona, Catalonia, Spain; Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Catalonia, Spain; CETAQUA, Water Technology Centre, Crta. Esplugues, 75 08940, Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucia Alexandra Popartan
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, Universitat de Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Bernhard Pucher
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Rocío Pineda-Martos
- University of Seville, School of Agricultural Engineering (ETSIA), Department of Aerospace Engineering and Fluid Mechanics, Urban Greening and Biosystems Engineering Research Group (NatUrIB), Ctra. de Utrera, km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Katharina Hecht
- Department of Biology/Department of Real Estate & Campus, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Evina Katsou
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge Campus, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Chrysanthi Elisabeth Nika
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge Campus, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Ranka Junge
- Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Grüntal, 8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Günter Langergraber
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nataša Atanasova
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Jamova 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Joaquim Comas
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Catalonia, Spain; LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, Universitat de Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Hèctor Monclús
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, Universitat de Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Josep Pueyo-Ros
- University of Girona, Girona, Catalonia, Spain; Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
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Stefanatou A, Lagkadas M, Petousi I, Schiza S, Stasinakis AS, Fyllas N, Fountoulakis MS. Vertical flow constructed wetlands as green facades and gardens for on-site greywater treatment in buildings: Two-year mesocosm study on removal performance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167362. [PMID: 37769734 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
This study focuses on the performance and clogging of vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) planted with climbing ornamentals and ornamental plants for greywater treatment, after two years of operation at mesocosm level. Different substrate (sand, vermiculite) and vegetation (Trachelospermum jasminoides, Lonicera japonica, Callistemon laevis) types were evaluated to determine the optimal removal of pollutants. Results revealed that, during the second year of operation, removal efficiencies of turbidity and COD were significantly higher (1st year: 54-94 %; 71-89 %, 2nd year: 82-98 %; 86-95 %, respectively) for both studied planted substrates, compared to the first year. Moreover, it was found that sand systems from each studied plant as well as from the unplanted systems, were more effective compared to vermiculite for most of the studied parameters (turbidity, TSS, COD, anionic surfactants, pathogens). Sand systems were also quite effective in removing total coliforms (5 log reduction) and Escherichia coli (4 log reduction). At the end of the two-year experiment, all planted systems with sand had significantly higher hydraulic conductivity than the unplanted ones. With reference to evapotranspiration, even though planted systems had significantly higher losses, C. laevis systems demonstrated less water losses than the other vegetated systems. According to the findings, the studied plants managed to continue growing without facing added stress. Therefore, the application of climbing and ornamental plants in VFCWs for greywater treatment in buildings seems a promising option for developing green infrastructures in urban areas and enhancing the removal efficiency of such systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimilia Stefanatou
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece.
| | - Michail Lagkadas
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Ioanna Petousi
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Spyridoula Schiza
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | | | - Nikolaos Fyllas
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
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