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- Written by: Glenn and Rick
- Category: Infrastructure
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- Details
- Written by: Glenn and Rick
- Category: Infrastructure
- Hits: 29
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- Written by: Glenn and Rick
- Category: Infrastructure
- Hits: 28
A winding brick path doubles as a temporary watercourse during heavy rainfall at this urban park in Copenhagen's South Harbour, which has been designed by Danish landscape architect Schønherr. Called Karens Minde Axis, the park was commissioned by the municipality and utility cmpany HOFOR to combine protection against cloudburst – flashes of heavy rain that often lead to flooding – with new natural spaces for the community. Dezeen Jon Astbury | Schønherr worked closely with nearby residents to ensure that existing features of the space, such a playground, dog walking park and numerous mature trees, remained intact while the park was adapted. "The project, which constitutes a yellow brick riverbed path, a watercourse, and an urban space, is designed with the philosophy of adding and subtracting as little as possible," said the studio. "The ambition was to channel cloudburst water through the city in a sensible way, and as the project is located in a valuable cultural environment in Copenhagen, it builds on what is already there to create something new that does not feel alien to the area," it added. Stretching 600 metres between two terraced residential streets, the park is organised around an area of circular wooden decking at its centre, which along with a nearby pavilion serves as a space for informal gatherings. The winding brick pathway cuts lengthwise across the site through the centre of this circle, combining more organic, flowing surfaces with areas of stepped seating.
During heavy rainfall, this sunken path is designed to handle 15,000 cubic metres of rainwater, channeling it through a purifying "trickle meadow" into a newly established rainwater basin.When acting as a river, the park's central channel is still able to be traversed via small bridges. "Besides serving as a new and green urban space, Karens Minde Axis is also used for the transport, storage, and purification of rainwater," said the studio. "The technical water management not only contributes to functionality but also serves as an aesthetic element, literally unifying an area that was previously divided.",,,,,read on
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- Written by: Glenn and Rick
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The impacts of climate change, particularly in South Asia, are examined in several IPCC reports, including the sixth Assessment Report (IPCC, AR6, 2022) and the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (IPCC, SR1.5, 2018). Extreme weather events like floods, cyclones, and droughts are increasing in South Asia, causing damage to infrastructure and property leading to economic losses. In urban areas, the impacts of floods can be particularly severe due to the concentration of infrastructure and population. Urban floods are a growing concern in South Asia, with increasing urbanization and climate change making cities more vulnerable to flooding. According to a report by the World Bank, the economic cost of floods in South Asia is estimated to be $7.2 billion annually, with urban floods accounting for a significant portion of this cost. While cities are centers of innovation and economic activity, they also face significant social, economic, and environmental challenges that necessitate efficient infrastructure development and urban planning. The effects of climate change on urban infrastructure further complicates the Sustainable Development Goals of reducing poverty and achieving other interconnected goals.
To address this issue, it is important to invest in resilient infrastructure that can withstand and adapt to flood events. Climate-resilient infrastructure refers to physical infrastructure that is designed, constructed, and maintained to withstand the impacts of climate change while either remaining in operation or quickly returning to operation after an event. Investing in resilient infrastructure can help to reduce the economic losses caused by urban floods and ensure that communities are better prepared to withstand future flood events. It can also help to promote sustainable development by reducing the long-term costs of repairing and rebuilding infrastructure damaged by floods.
There are three aspects to climate-resilient infrastructure. First, the infrastructure itself is resilient – ensuring that it can endure extreme climatic or climate-induced events. Secondly, the infrastructure ensures climate justice – to ensure that steps taken to build resilience do not lead to shifting the risk onto vulnerable populations. At the urban catchment scale, the drainage system may be designed to be resilient. However, it may happen that flood water diverted towards a waterbody can significantly affect its water quality and hydrology, jeopardizing the livelihood of those who depend on the waterbody’s ecosystem services. Finally, the infrastructure incorporates a sustainable development lens – to ensure risk is not shifted to future generations. In the urban water management system, one may go for building massive structures like, for example, the Tokyo underground reservoir for rainwater storage. But since it is built out of concrete, huge quantities of greenhouse gases were emitted to build it, to some extent defeating the main objective of mitigating climate change. As an alternative, Blue-Green infrastructure and urban landscape design that keeps in mind the hydrology of the catchment can go a long way not just in minimizing the runoff but also in acting as a sink for greenhouse gases, improving the urban climate and the quality of life of the urban population. There are several challenges to developing climate-resilient infrastructure in South Asia, including limited resources and capacity, lack of coordination among stakeholders, and limited access to climate data and information. To address these challenges, it is important to generate knowledge and build capacity among stakeholders, including policymakers, engineers, and communities, to design and implement climate-resilient infrastructure projects. Investing in research and development in climate-resilient infrastructure can also help to identify best practices and innovative solutions that can be scaled up and replicated in other contexts....... and a lot more https://www.preventionweb.net/news/urban-infrastructure-changing-climate-adapting-challenges-21st-century
In Merritt, the Coldwater River swelled, bursting the city’s dikes and swamping 640 houses in an emergency that forced the evacuation of all 7,000 residents. In the years since, Merritt has struggled to fund the reconstruction of its flood defences. Protecting the city from future floods requires raising the dikes beyond their previous height. But those improvements aren’t covered under the old disaster assistance program, and the new “build back better” funding only applies to events that occur after the program launches on April 1. Sean Strang, the city’s director of recovery and mitigation, said the municipality has spent significant time and money advising on the program’s creation, only to learn later that the 2021 flood damage in Merritt, Princeton and Abbotsford would not be covered.
Cities left behind.....By June 2024, Merritt, Abbotsford and Princeton still had not received funds needed to rebuild flood protections.That month, mayors from the three communities held a joint press conference where they slammed the federal government for failing to explain why they had been denied funding from the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. As Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz said at the time, the cities were “ghosted.” “They did not return any calls. They did not return any emails. They returned nothing,” he said. Tom Davidson remembers when the dikes that were supposed to protect Princeton failed. Waters from the Tulameen and Similkameen rivers rushed down half the streets in town, swallowing up his truck. “We took seven feet of water in the street in front of our house,” said the local museum operator. A B.C. Ombudsman investigation looking into that year’s floods and wildfires later found government responses were “outdated” and “unfair.” Among its many findings, the 2023 report found application delays for disaster financial assistance were “unreasonable,” with the appeals process not open to applicants until almost a year after the disaster.
Merritt's plan to protect the city could offer a model for B.C. Merritt’s $150-million plan to protect the city hinges on 30 properties that stand in the way of a new dike. Without that wall, more than 1,274 homes will continue to sit in an unprotected flood zone, said Strang.......read on https://www.tricitynews.com/ economy-law-politics/slap-in- the-face-bc-communities- frustrated-with-new-federal- disaster-funding-10217454?utm_ source=Tri-City+News&utm_ campaign=edecb1841a-RSS_EMAIL_ CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_ term=0_6c7bdf0084-c0edaa7121- 605034597&mc_cid=edecb1841a& mc_eid=02f1af278b And elsewhere.......
Heavy rain pummels slide-prone Southern California as crashes close roads in the Northwest
Winter storm wreaks havoc on commute, closes schools across Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic
• How to disaster-proof your home and lower your insurance rate
• California's burn scars brace for flooding as freezing rain and snow head for Oregon
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- Written by: Glenn and Rick
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Soleos Energy.......7 Key Benefits of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) in Modern Architecture. The integration of solar energy into architectural design has paved the way for innovative solutions like Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). This technology not only harnesses renewable energy but also enhances the aesthetics of modern buildings. In this detailed blog, we will explore the concept of BIPV, its benefits, applications, and the future of sustainable building design.
Table of Contents........What is Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)? How BIPV Works: A Technological Overview Benefits of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic......Energy Efficiency.....Aesthetic Integration......Cost-Effectiveness........Environmental Impact.......Space Efficiency..........Durability and Functionality.......Energy IndependenceTypes of BIPV Systems..... BIPV Facades......BIPV Roofing Systems.......BIPV Skylights.....BIPV AwningsApplications of BIPV in Modern Architecture...Residential Buildings..Commercial Buildings.....Public Infrastructurelanning and Development.....Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, New Delhi......Suzlon One Earth, Pune.....Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad....CeNSE Building, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore......Kolkata International Airport, Kolkata.......U-Solar CtrlS Data Center in MumbaiSahibabad Railway Station Challenges in BIPV Adoption Government Policies and Incentives FutureProspects of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics
Conclusion- What is Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)? Building-integrated photovoltaics are solar components that not only produce electricity but also provide traditional purposes including thermal insulation, weatherproofing, and arhitectural purposes. Throughout their existence, these multifunctional active building components can achieve a better ecological and economic balance than traditional construction parts. They also give building owners the chance to adhere to ever stricter energy-related regulations. Visually pleasing power systems can be integrated into both urban and rural landscapes and significantly contribute to the energy transition when they have PV modules integrated into their roofs and façades through architectural integration. For bespoke BIPV components, it is advantageous to utilize a local manufacturer close to the end user.How BIPV Works: A Technological Overview A PV module serves as the fundamental building block of BIPV technology. A module is made up of constructed solar cells, and an array tailored to a particular site is created by wiring modules together. Solar energy is captured by BIPV systems and transformed into heat and electricity. Direct current (DC) appliances can be powered by the electricity produced by BIPV, or it can be stored in batteries. The output of PV systems is either connected to inverters or transformed into alternating current (AC) electricity for use in other applications or a connection to the utility grid.
A balance-of-system (BOS) is a term used to describe the additional parts of the BIPV system, which include the inverter, switches, controls, meters, power conditioning equipment, wiring, supporting structure, and storage components.Benefits of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics- Energy Efficiency. One of the most significant benefits of BIPV systems is their ability to generate clean, renewable energy directly from the building’s structure. By integrating photovoltaic cells into roofs, facades, windows, and other elements, buildings can produce electricity to power their operations, reducing the need for external energy sources and lowering overall energy consumption.The PV panels used should have high energy conversion efficiency to optimize the energy output with limited area. The panels should be oriented and titled in a way to ensure maximum exposure to solar radiation. Effective thermal management is necessary to dissipate the heat generated by the panels for the longevity and comfort of the building occupants. https://www.soleosenergy.com/7-key-benefits-of-bipv-in-modern-architecture/#commercial-buildings
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