Clever Ways to Integrate Space
GreenBlue Urban had the opportunity to be a part of an award-winning estate regeneration scheme in Hackney, London, which has won the prestigious New London Architecture Mayor’s Prize and a RIBA National Award. Designed by Karakusevic Carson Architects and completed in 2017, bringing 50% of the 700 planned high quality homes to Hackney residents. The […]
Creative & Innovative Solutions from EUGIC
In the stunning setting of London’s Olympic Park, in the East of the City, the 2019 EUGIC conference showcased the best of pan European learning focused on creating resilient, healthier cities through nature-based solutions and water sensitive urban design. The programme encompassed a huge variety of topic areas ranging from the financing of green infrastructure […]
Site visit for EU ‘COOL TOWNS’ Project
Our readers may remember the launch of GreenBlue Urban’s second successful EU Interreg funded 2Seas Project, Cool Towns. This project focuses specifically on the interplay between the integration of green and blue infrastructure into the urban environment and the effect this will have on urban cooling and climate change mitigation. The pilot projects that will […]
The cost of soil compaction
It was a privilege to attend the Sustainable Soils Alliance event in Westminster this week focusing on the economics and valuation of soil. As our readers will be aware, the importance of soil cannot be underestimated. It is the fabric, the building block of our landscape and for our trees, a vital source for them […]
Embedding Biodiversity Net Gain into the Planning System
Following the close of the Government’s consultation regarding the new biodiversity net gain and the updated planning requirements it is timely to discuss the implications. GreenBlue Urban have been lucky enough to have insight from specialists at the forefront, developing best practice guidance and metrics to assist in the realisation of higher quality landscapes and […]
Pioneering Natural Green Infrastructure Solutions
It has been an immense pleasure to get to know members of the SUDs / LID community working tirelessly to deliver green infrastructure schemes across our towns and cities as part of the Water Resilient Cities project (2Seas Eu Interreg funded) and other GreenBlue Urban sponsored associations like the Green Infrastructure Foundation, the American Society […]
The Victorian Tree Legacy – How did it happen?
Many of our older cities are enjoying the benefit of large, old canopy volume trees – a wonderful legacy from a bygone era which is almost impossible to put a monetary value on. In terms of ecosystem benefit, these trees form the living green backbone of carbon sequestration, stormwater interception, urban cooling in our urban […]
Designing for Retail
There have been a number of publications reflecting the uplift that urban trees and high-quality landscape can achieve when it comes to areas specifically weighted toward retail and commercial use. The work that Treeconomics have undertaken with is a case in point. The growth of research which tries to quantify and attribute a qualitative value […]
Trees: “Frontline” Bulwark in Combatting Air Pollution
What single thing can you incorporate into a city which increases in value every year it exists? What item will remind you of seasons, enhance property value, provide shade, urban cooling and stormwater attenuation whilst simultaneously boosting retail sales, improve social cohesion and reduce crime? Well as it happens, this same entity – (it can […]
Maximising Land Value through SuDS
As we all are aware, land is a limited commodity – it’s not being made anymore. Pressure on housing means that as economies we need to provide homes for our increasing population, and there is a strong case for resisting urban sprawl into our green fields. Land values have reflected these challenges, with a direct […]