Blue and Green Infrastructure: A Sustainable Approach of Urban Planning

 

Blue and Green Infrastructure: A Sustainable Approach of Urban Planning

The Environment and Economy are really both two sides of the same coin. If we can not sustain the environment, we cannot sustain ourself.

Wangari Maathai

Blue and Green Infrastructure (BGI) Ensures Livability and Sustainability.

Livability in Urban Areas is the foremost concern of stakeholders of the city. The livability mainly deals with public health, safety and wellbeing and can be achieved by economic potential, social integrity, environmental quality. To make the city livable and sustainable these three parameters need to be fulfilled on participatory approach of all the stake holders. Blue and Green Infrastructure is one of the components of Urban Planning which ensures livability and leads to sustainability of the city.   

    Introduction of Blue and Green Infrastructure (BGI)

The color Blue depicts water and the Green depicts vegetation. Blue and Green Infrastructure deals with conservation and integration of elements in these two spheres in the city environment to conserve natural features as well as provide services and amenities to the habitants.

Natural features in the city such as surface water bodies, aquifers, forests, mangroves, vegetation etc. need to be taken utmost care by all stake holders. These are the resources which are directly related to public health and well-being as well as city’s eco systems. This comes under the domain of Urban Planning and Urban Design. As per 74^th Amendment of constitution this is the subject of Urban Local Body (ULB).

Blue Infrastructure:

Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine.

Blue infrastructure refers water management and related services such as water supply, sewerage, storm water drainage, conservation of water features for utility and aesthetic purpose. 

Water Supply and sewerage: Water demand for the cities is 135 - 200 lpcd. Every city has its own water sources such as river/ lake/ streams and ground water as well. Water from these sources is treated and supplied to the inhabitants for various purposes such as domestic, commercial, agricultural, industrial etc.

Normally used water generates 80% of waste water and the amount of waste water is quite huge on the city level. So the recycling of waste water is environmentally and economically viable option.  

In sewerage system waste water generated from various sources such as houses, commercial spaces, industries need to be collected, transported, treated and reused and/ or safely discharged into the receiving water bodies. The residuals in this process (sludge and gases) can be used for various purposes such as fertilizers, fuels etc.

 

·       Storm Water Drainage:

 Rain water runs off through the storm water drains; those are natural or manmade. Alsso rain water is harvested with various techniques such as ground water recharge, storage, and arrest on micro as well as macro level.

·       Water Conservation Measures:

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, and Replenish to be practiced at every level viz; individual, community, neighborhood and city. This can be achieved by reducing wastage of water, recycling the waste water by process modifications to achieve prescribed water quality standards, reusing the recycled water after the treatment of waste water and replenishing ground water and surface water bodies with suitable rain water harvesting techniques. 

·                    Water Front Developments:

 

 

Water Front Development along edges of water bodies has many advantages. Embankment helps to retain soil strata along the bank, ensures safesty, provides accessibility to the water body. This can be used as public recreational spaces also enhances aesthetic value of the water body and overall city image.

Green Infrastructure:

Green spaces are lungs of the city.

Green infrastructure deals with conservation and protection of natural vegetation, urban farming, nurseries, development of open spaces (gardens, parks) to suffice social needs and well- being.

·       Protecting the Natural vegetation: Vegetation such native trees, shrubs, forests, mangroves maintain air quality, soil quality, ecological balance, controls ambient temperature, conserves ground water, enhances aesthetics of the space.

 

  

·       Developing Urban farming and nurseries: The need of fresh vegetables, fruits. These farms may help to lead self-sufficient community. Plant/ botanical nurseries supply plant saplings of various species for cultivation in retail or wholesale market. They can be established in fringe/ peri urban areas of the city.

 

 

 ·       Open spaces: Gardens, parks, play grounds, recreational grounds serve as the social nodes and important for society’s well-being and integrity. These open spaces need to be provided at every level of the development such as individual building level, neighborhood level, area/ ward level and city level as well.

 

 

 

Eligibility Requirements for Admission to Architecture in India:

HSC in Science Stream, with 50% Aggregate and 50% Aggregate in PCM.

Qualifying Entrance Exam: NATA or JEE-Paper II

 

(For any details contact us)

Website: www.tsapmumbai.in

E-mail: tsap@thakureducation.org

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     Need of BGI:

·       To conserve natural features

Conservation of natural features is one of the foremost responsibilities of an individual and every stakeholder of the city. These are the resources and conservation of these features ensures the quality of environment, ecological balance, public health and economy on local, regional, national and global level. 

·       To minimizes adverse impact on environment, ecology, human and animal life

BGI minimizes adverse impacts of natural disasters, environmental issues on human life and ecology. Natural disasters such as floods, storms, hurricanes, earth quakes, and environmental issues such as pollution (air, water, soil, noise), Urban heat island (UHI), etc.

·       To Enhances image and aesthetical value of the city

The elements such as clean water bodies, well designed water fronts, well and scientifically landscaped open spaces such as gardens, parks, public areas not only enhance aesthetical value but also portray a pleasant and healthy city environment.

Blue and Green infrastructure ensures public health, social well-being and livable conditions for the citizens.  

 

     The Way Forward…..

Blue and Green Infrastructure need to be framed on planning level as well as strategic implementation level. The models such as Community participation, Public Private Partnership may prove effective in overall city ambience and image.   

In the current COVID 19 situation the Blue and Green Infrastructure need to be rethought, reframed and revitalized to achieve public health from micro to macro level; i.e. individual, family, community, neighborhood, city, regional as well as on national level.

essential in planning exercises at academic and professional level.

 

 

 

Ar. Aditi V. Sontakke

M. Arch. (Urban and Regional planning)

Associate Professor -TSAP