Water Sensitive Urban Design Research Articles

Thriving under multiple stressors: performance of drought-tolerant perennials and their suitability for infiltration swales

Infiltration swales are considered an essential and multifunctional component of water-sensitive urban design. To maintain their functionality, a robust planting is required. However, species selection poses a major challenge due to the extreme site conditions. To identify stress-resistant species, container experiments with 60 perennial species native to Germany were used to investigate their performance and responses to multiple stressors typical for urban swales receiving traffic area runoff. As plant performance is more severely affected if multiple stressors occur rather than single ones, test plants were exposed to de-icing salts, cyclic flooding, and drought. Species were selected primarily for their drought tolerance, as it was assumed that their adaption to drought might also be advantageous for the other stressors. The resistance to drought was examined in a reference group and was approved for 90% of the experimental species. With a low mortality rate of < 25%, 72.2% of the species confirmed as drought tolerant also proved robust to the multiple stressors of an infiltration swale and are therefore recommended for use. Considering all experimental species, significant effects of the multiple stressors compared to the reference group were only found in mortality and a visual vitality score. Data on growth height, chlorophyll fluorescence, and phenology (e.g., flowering time) did not differ significantly between the groups. However, there were large species-specific variations to be considered and investigated in further research. The study serves as a basis for a resilient greening of urban infiltration swales with native species. It is essential to their implementation, as more research is needed to date.

Analyzing urban water metabolism of Adama city using water mass balance method for advancing water sensitive interventions

Urban water metabolism focuses on measuring water inflows and outflows within a defined urban system. As an emerging concept, it provides valuable understandings into water flow dynamics, supporting evidence-based decision-making. One approach to quantify these flows is the urban water mass balance method, which accounts for both human-induced and natural water resources. By equating these flows, it identifies whether water movement within the system is linear or circular. The primary goal of water mass balance analysis is to assess how closely a city aligns with water-sensitive management approaches. However, urban metabolism studies are rare in developing countries, where cities often lack the experience to estimate water inflows and outflows for informed water-sensitive interventions. This study addresses this gap by analyzing Adama city in Ethiopia using the water mass balance method to measure its water metabolism. The result revealed that the city faces a negative water balance with outflows exceeding inflows by 46.89 million cubic meters annually. The results indicated that Adama’s water flow follows a linear “take-make-use-dispose” model. The imbalance in Adama’s water cycle is driven by urbanization, impervious surfaces, and climate change, which increase runoff and evaporation. The study found that 61.3% of the city’s water comes from a centralized system, with 90% sourced from distant rivers through a telecoupling system. In the city, inadequate water harvesting, high population density and intensive water use are worsening water scarcity. Urban water metabolism indicators reveal significant losses and indicating the need for water conservation efforts. Despite the reliance on centralized systems, the study identifies strong potential for decentralized solutions and alternative water harvesting. To tackle these challenges, the research recommends adopting water-sensitive strategies such as low-impact development, sustainable urban drainage systems, and water-sensitive urban design and planning. These approaches can reduce the negative effects of urbanization, mitigate urban water scarcity risks and improve water management through water sensitive management approach. The study also emphasizes the need for collaborative learning, community involvement, and innovative technologies, supported by legal frameworks to ensure effective water wise interventions. Shifting toward circular water management and decentralized water systems will boost Adama’s resilience and promote sustainable water resource management, making the city more internally self-sufficient.

A 3D Spatial Model to integrate Stormwater Drainage Design into Public Space

Abstract. This paper explores the integration of water sensitive urban design within public space planning using integrated 3D digital technologies. In traditional design processes, drainage and public space design often utilise distinct software and are led by different professionals, which creates significant communication barriers.Although civil and hydraulic engineers have made significant strides in integrating hydrology analysis with multi-objective space design, the collaboration of conventional 2D hydrology with 3D landscape design still presents challenges. To address these challenges, this study proposes a novel approach that integrates drainage analysis and design within a 3D design model. This methodology is specifically designed to aid landscape and urban designers in incorporating stormwater management and drainage systems early in the design process. The approach involves three key steps: (1) identifying critical factors that impact, or are impacted by, drainage design; (2) translating these factors into specific spatial parameters; and (3) developing a workflow to integrate these parameters. This integration not only streamlines the design process, making it more cohesive and efficient but also mitigates potential conflicts between drainage requirements and spatial design, thereby reducing unnecessary revisions. Ultimately, this approach enhances the incorporation of essential drainage considerations into urban and landscape planning, leading to more sustainable and functional public spaces.

Guideline towards sustainable infrastructure in new urban communities – Egypt

The challenges related to sanitation and water management in new urban communities have contributed to the emergence of visions of Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) and Water Sensitive Urban Design in cities worldwide to keep pace with these subtle changes in the shape of the urban environment. This research paper aims to monitor the main obstacles and challenges facing residents of new cities in Egypt and the environmental impacts resulting from those challenges in the urban context. A questionnaire was conducted among a group of the population. This study took the economic housing model for low-income people in the 6th of October City in Egypt as a case study. As a result, the study found that the main challenges facing the residents of these areas and their impacts are:1) Lack of regular maintenance. 2) Health risks to the population. 3) Damaging of public parks and gardens. 4) Pollution of the surrounding environment, including soil and water. 5) Lack of state funding for maintenance and Limited financial resources available for projects in this type of housing. 6) Lack of government engagement in preparing programs to raise population awareness and clarity in environmental goals and quality of life policies. 7) Lack of community initiatives to participate in decision-making. 8) Lack of political guidance on planning processes for sustainable infrastructure.

An integrated framework for waterfront development to recognize nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas: evaluating the condition of two projects in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Nature-based solutions (NBS) often suggest improving the degraded urban environment through the implementation of projects for revitalizing water bodies and adjacent areas. Among various concepts of developing waterfront urban spaces, ‘water sensitive urban design (WSUD)’ asks for integrated design and management of urban water resources and water cycle, following a holistic approach. This research proposes a framework that assimilates the components of WSUD with the concept of ‘integrated urban water management (IUWM)’ that mainly focuses on governance, management, and stakeholders' engagement. This integrated approach emphasizes the need for developing a holistic framework for the management of planning and design of waterfront development projects. The framework includes detailed criteria for water sensitive approach and acts as a holistic checklist for evaluating or designing waterfront development projects. Such comprehensive guidelines that includes planning, governance, and design challenges are rare in the current body of literature. To test the framework, the research conducts a comparative study among two waterfront projects in Bangladesh and through a scored evaluation based on the proposed framework, reveals the lack of water sensitive planning, design and management processes of the projects, which has narrowed down the scope and the opportunities of practicing NBS through reviving lost urban waterbodies.

The Maharashtra River Basin's Flood-Drought-Water Scarcity Nexus

&lt;p&gt;India's droughts and floods, which have affected 8 million hectares yearly since the 1950s, make future adaptation and mitigation plans necessary, as well as an awareness of potential changes. In order to address the growing issues of flood and drought events in urban settings, the study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive water management strategies that ensure both routine water needs and severe event readiness. This study article recommends including drought and flood considerations in building codes and urban planning regulations to boost urban water resilience. The paper provides workable solutions for developing water-sensitive urban design, rainwater collecting, greywater reuse programs, and decentralized water management systems through a collection of case studies and strategy models. It also emphasizes the importance of teaching the population about the dangers of droughts and floods, water conservation methods, and emergency response procedures. The recommendations place a lot of emphasis on the need for a variety of policies that encourage cooperation between stakeholders, including local and state governments, business owners, community leaders, and experts. The policy recommendations include requests for green infrastructure, building standards for flood-resistant homes, water conservation requirements, and climate-responsive legislation, among other subjects. By encouraging sustainable water use behaviors, these concepts aim to increase urban resilience and make cities better prepared to mitigate the consequences of drought and flooding. These recommendations can aid local and state governments in creating a culture of preparedness for catastrophes, protecting communities, and fostering urban water resilience. This case study looks at the intricate relationships between a specific Maharashtrian river's floods, droughts, and water scarcity.&lt;/p&gt;

Water-sensitive urban design: sponge-cities and “smart” landscapes

Water-sensitive urban design: sponge-cities and “smart” landscapes

Water-sensitive Urban Design Based on the Perspective of "Sponge City"

At the end of the 20th century, highly urbanized areas began to explore water-sensitive urban design. In recent years, with the gradual expansion of China's urban scale, a large number of people enter the city to settle down, the pressure on urban roads is also increasing, and the limited ability of rainwater infiltration on roads leads to serious water logging in the city when it comes to the rainy season. Sponge city not only solves the problem of urban flooding, but also makes full use of rainwater resources, and will further alleviate the problem of water shortage. This paper takes the design perspective of "sponge city" in water-sensitive urban design as a starting point, explains the origin, connotation, multi-scale construction method and practice of the concept of "sponge city", and combines the Potsdamer Platz in Germany and the Vertical Forest Architecture Case in Italy, to understand the design of sunken green space in sponge city system and the architectural design of vertical garden style in resilient city.

Design of Retention Pond Kacang Pedang Area as a Water Tourism Recreation Using Water Sensitive Urban Design

The issue of changes in natural conditions, Pangkal Pinang City as a downstream area of the Baturusa Watershed (DAS) with a city center whose city morphology is a basin resulting in Pangkal Pinang City receiving excessive water runoff, plus land deforestation due to illegal mining in the upstream river which is directly adjacent to the Regency Central Bangka which causes excessive sedimentation and poorly connected drainage channels. The existence of high rainfall intensity and the uncontrolled capacity of the retention pond causes the water level to rise which then flows into the retention pond area. As a result, the Rangkui river causes excessive water runoff, resulting in floods that spread to residential areas and the center of Pangkal Pinang City. The purpose of this study was to provide design concepts for the retention pond area using the Water Sensitive Urban Design method as a strategy for urban water management, particularly in the region of raw water sources. The design process is a fragmented one that starts with a collection of regional design-related problems and ends with a simulation of regional design. Recreational, residential, and educational activities will all be accommodated within the design area’s 94 hectares. The design of the area will focus on urban design elements combined with normative principles, namely land use, intensity and building, circulation and parking, pedestrian ways, open spaces, signage, preservation, and activity support. In addition, the design simulation will also focus on the water management system in the area with a WSUD technical approach that is directed to focus on efforts to infiltrate rainwater and provide rainwater storage containers, both in open spaces, green areas, and buildings.

Water sensitive urban design approach for flood prone area (Study case: Kauman Riverfront Area, Semarang)

Kauman Semarang Riverfront Area is the center of the trade and services area in Semarang, especially for traditional trade. This area is located between three ethnic villages and is adjacent to Kali Semarang, a river that has an important meaning and historical value for the city’s development. Kauman Area is located in Central Semarang District, Semarang City, and is within a 1 km radius of the Semarang Old Town, a tourist attraction in the cultural heritage field, which is known as the priority of socio-cultural development on the city and province scale. However, with this type of potential, Kauman Riverfront Area has a medium-high flooding threat. In 2021, the number of flood incidents was the highest within five years (88 incidents). This study aims to examine the WSUD approach for the study area that focuses on the urban water system to decrease flooding risk and its correlation with urban design elements. The chosen method for this research is a fragmental method that consists of four steps, which begin with collecting data until producing the WSUD component approach, which is likely to be implied. The results show that the WSUD components and water system for Kauman Riverfront Area to increase the stormwater infiltration and storage.

From District to City Scale: The Potential of Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)

The summer of 2022 was one of the hottest and driest summers that Germany experienced in the 21st century. Water levels in rivers sank dramatically with many dams and reservoirs running dry; as a result, fields could not be irrigated sufficiently, and even power generation and supply were affected. The impact of abnormally high temperatures for extended periods (heatwaves) is not restricted to nature and the economy but is also a considerable public health burden. Experts worldwide agree that these extreme weather events are being driven by climate change and will increase in intensity and frequency in the future. The adverse impact of these extreme weather events multiplies among dense urban environments, e.g., through heat islands. This calls for cities to take action to heat-proof and water-secure their urban developments. Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is one such approach to mitigate the aforementioned challenges by leveraging the urban water ecosystem with special attention to the subject of water reclamation, retention, treatment and distribution. This paper introduces and builds upon a prototype of WSUD that centers around an artificial lake as an integrated water resource management system (IWRMS) fed by treated grey water and storm water obtained from two housing blocks flanking the water reservoir. Based on the specifications of this prototype, indicators of site suitability are derived and applied to identify potential locations for replicable projects in the city of Darmstadt. The results confirm the impact WSUD can have: a total of 22 sites with 2527 apartments are found suitable for prototype implementation in Darmstadt. Savings in town water consumption from these 22 sites would add up to 147 million liters. Further benefits include the provision of 24 million liters of irrigation water, storm water retention, adiabatic cooling during heatwave, increased biodiversity and the improvement in livability of the sites and the city.

Climate Change Impacts on Water Sensitive Urban Design Technologies

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) technologies are green infrastructures that aim to restore the hydrological balance of urban catchments. This research aimed to investigate the impacts of climate change in an infiltration-based WUSD, called soak-away, at residential allotments from a Village Green townhouse complex, Aldinga, South Australia. To do so, specific rainfall data for the study area were collected and then projected for the years 2030, 2060 and 2090, considering the RCP 4.5 and 8.5 pathways. The projections were determined using CSIRO’s Climate Futures tool, as suggested in the Australia Rainfall Runoff guidelines. The rainfall’s projected impacts on the soak-away performance and dimensions were analyzed in terms of the Village Green catchment conditions, using the MUSIC model and stormwater source control principles. When analyzing the RCP 8.5 pathway for different years, the distinction in soak-away design was more evident and was directly related to the peak flow percentage of the increase obtained in the MUSIC model. On the other hand, for RCP 4.5, the years 2030 and 2060 presented the same characteristics, and 2090 had an equivalent rainfall projection as RCP 8.5 2030. Regarding treatment effectiveness, the soak-away dimensions reached almost 100% of pollutant removal, which indicates that the approach might oversize the system. Nonetheless, when comparing all soak-away designs, the recommended soak-away system tends to be conservative due to the uncertainties surrounding future climate projections.

Policy Interventions to Address Urban Water Problems of highly urbanised area due to Climate Change

In this research firstly, the rainfall pattern of Ahmedabad and Surat, the fast-growing urban areas of Gujarat state of India have been studied and compared. It is detected that what makes Surat city more prone to floods. Then, analysis for rainfall shift in Surat over the last three decades has been carried out. It is interesting to observe that the rainfall pattern of Surat is following the local calendar, i.e. Indian calendar rather Gregorian calendar. This relation of rainfall pattern with Indian calendar shows that the prediction and the climatic condition responsible for rain is following the local calendar based on the planetary position. For the Water Sensitive Urban Design, four different wards in Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) named Adajan, Piplod, Anjana and Pandesara are studied. These wards are selected based on land use, having the highest area in commercial, residential, industrial and institutional in total SMC area. For each ward, the previous and impervious area is calculated, and the runoff is determined. Planning interventions for water sensitive urban design at a building level, street level and ward level have been given for the study area. The study will be definitely helpful for the decision-makers to prepare a policy to follow the local calendar to operate the monsoon protocol and to manage water resource infrastructure, including the planning of harvesting activities.

An integrated approach to decision-making variables on urban water systems using an urban water use (UWU) decision-support tool

In response to pressing global challenges like climate change, rapid population growth, and an urgent need for sustainable infrastructure, cities face an immediate and crucial necessity to transition swiftly toward an integrated approach to managing urban water resources. This shift is not merely an option but an imperative, driven by the rapidly evolving urban landscape. In addressing this imperative, a crucial decision support tool that has emerged as an asset in the domain of urban water planning and management is the Urban Water Use (UWU) tool. This tool offers an integrated approach for strategic planning, promoting urban water conservation and environmental health through the investigation of interventions in urban infrastructure under different scenarios. In this study, the latest version of this UWU tool was deployed in a case study conducted in Almirante Tamandaré, Brazil. The objective was to evaluate how an integrated decision-making approach concerning urban water systems influences the efficiency and effectiveness of interventions, ultimately contributing to achieve widespread adoption, accessibility, and relevance of urban water services. The refined UWU tool evaluates a spectrum of measures across diverse scenarios, incorporating various drivers, focusing on the stakeholders' visions for the locality. These visions are composed of sustainability indicators, specifying different sets of target values and importance weights for each indicator. The approach followed in this study demonstrates how the effectiveness indexes can vary based on stakeholders' perception. Measures under Water Sensitive Urban Design and Water Demand Management strategies were deployed to simulate the response of urban water systems under three distinct scenarios, embracing the complexities of social dynamics and of climate change. The findings of the study emphasize that realizing a desired vision through selected measures relies significantly on the adoption of an integrated approach within the decision-making process. The stakeholders' perception of how indicators should be weighted while defining the vision was found to significantly impact the effectiveness range of these measures.

Bringing Ecological Urbanism and Urban Political Ecology to transformative visions of water sensitivity in cities

Ecological Urbanism and Water Sensitive Urban Design have a central contribution to make in protecting and caring for people, nature and water in cities but readings of Urban Political Ecology evidence how ecological metaphors in urban design can easily translate into discriminatory urban development processes. This paper posits that for UPE to become meaningful for urban design practice, it is necessary to move beyond a critique. Instead, the insights of UPE should be pro-actively mobilized to develop a new vision of water sensitivity. The paper therefore identifies ways in which the key learnings of the critical social sciences, namely UPE, can be mobilized to support Water Sensitive Urban Design practice. How can ecological urbanists imagine new, more politically astute, forms of water sensitive living, charting design processes that not just recognize but also actively question and challenge uneven socio-ecological dynamics? In answering this question, the goal of this article is to make use of critique from UPE to influence Ecological Urbanists' goals and activate their political alignment with agendas that prioritize social equity. In imagining a new form of WSUD, we tried as much as possible not to over-instrumentalize UPE by rejecting the suggestion that some UPE ‘lessons’ or ‘insights’ could simply be inserted into ecological urbanism. On a different direction, we argue for a different emphasis in WSUD that does not deny the causes of current environmental degradation, pollution and depletion but, on the contrary, actively takes issue with and challenges the extractive and exploitative roots of contemporary urbanization processes.

Flood adaptation impacts of blue-green infrastructure through hydrosocial framework.

Modern dualisms between society and nature affect understandings of “what water is?” and “how water fits into society?”, according to the hydrosocial cycle concept. Understanding the urban stormwater system within the tensions inherent in designing flood-resilient cities is crucial from a social, cultural, and ecological perspective. Therefore, it is essential to comprehend how the hydrosocial cycle altered the use of blue-green infrastructure over time and how these modifications reflect the values of urban waterscapes and urban flood adaptation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyse historical and contemporary perspectives on correlations between the hydrosocial cycle and blue-green infrastructure networks, which are beneficial to water-sensitive urban design principles. A comprehensive literature review and comparative analysis of two case studies of waterscape impact on public space based on the hydrosocial framework were used to conduct the research. This study employs comparative case studies to evaluate the implementation of the hydrosocial cycle by examining the dynamics of social power and structure, technology and infrastructure, and the materiality of water at each respective site. The results of this study indicate that urban landscape and engineering systems that are influenced by ecological and social values are advantageous to the current state of flood adaptation and urban runoff management. The comparison demonstrated that the implementation of blue-green infrastructure that incorporates the symbiotic values of society and nature offers opportunities for urban flood adaptation. In a nutshell, the integration of the hydrosocial cycle in the context of reducing flood susceptibility contributes to the enhancement of the existing framework by incorporating an analysis of societal interactions and utilisation of urban waterscapes, alongside a transition towards urban flood adaptation.

Enhancing Water-Sensitive Urban Design in Chiang Mai through a Research–Design Collaboration

Water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is a subset of nature-based solutions (NbSs) that are implemented worldwide. However, the WSUD guidelines in some local contexts, such as Southeast Asia, remain unclear both for ecological and cultural reasons. This study aims to gather collaborations between researchers, designers, and laypeople in WSUD, which have the potential to be implemented to address water quality issues. The study consisted of three stages: site selection, a design workshop, and public interviews. Utilizing geo-design principles and geographical data, the potential pilot site was identified: a vacant space next to the Tha Phae Gate Plaza. A two-day workshop with landscape design experts yielded six conceptual designs, focusing on diverse themes such as water treatment, plant-based solutions, educational opportunities, and cultural enrichment. Public interviews provided insights into the community’s perspectives on stormwater management, desired amenities, environmental considerations, and governance concerns. The results highlighted a collective interest in using NbSs for stormwater treatment and enhancing the area’s recreational and educational potential. This study offers a comprehensive approach to addressing water quality issues in urban settings while considering local cultural, recreational, and environmental needs.

Reviewing Historic Urban Water Transitions to Advance Water-Sensitive Urban Design for Bhuj, India

In rapidly growing urban contexts, water plays a pivotal role in the transitions the urban environment goes through to sustain the quality of life of its population. Spatial planning and design are essential for the facilitation and manifestation of such transitions. Focusing on Bhuj, a rapidly growing Indian city in a hot arid desert climate, its crucial yet changing sensitivity to urban water flows over time is assessed. The concept of water sensitivity is coined as a goal to pursue by the Water-Sensitive Urban Design approach. In India, however, much of the urban design and development processes are of an unplanned and informal nature, seemingly inhibiting the water sensitivity of urban transitions. Reviewing spatial planning paradigms and their manifestation in space in Bhuj over time, however, brings to light a pre-existing water sensitivity. Yet it also shows a shift from the supply security-oriented ingenious watershed expansion to catastrophe-steered and urban expansion-driven water system negligence. Review and discussion of past and present urban water transitions and management points out drivers, barriers, and their interrelationships, to enable and advance water-sensitive urban development tied to local history, traditional knowledge, and context specificities.

The dynamic challenges of mainstreaming water sensitive cities in our built environment: Lessons from Australia

Stormwater has been acknowledged as a major concern in cities because of mismanagement of this resource. It has also been underestimated as a resource in climate change actions and policies. Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is considered as an effective adaptation measure to address these issues while providing many co-benefits. This paper reports the challenges of implementing WSUD in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 57 experts in Australia. The experts are involved in design, research, engineering, and planning policy in both public and private sectors. The qualitative analysis of the interviews involved thematic and content analysis through NVivo12. Analysis of the responses indicated six main challenges including financial, innovation and evaluation tools, capacity, institutional arrangements, and policy. The experts believe that a lack of standardized design and implementation can be addressed through collaborative design processes. They suggest a robust structure of approval process and establishing clarity of roles and responsibilities in all sectors. All respondents confirm the critical role of monitoring and maintenance in these projects. It is suggested that allocating recurrent funding for these ongoing activities from the beginning and setting incentives to engage communities and local councils in maintaining the projects can be helpful.

A Framework for Assessing Nature-Based Urban Stormwater Management Solutions: A Preliminary Spatial Analysis Approach Applied to Southeast Serbia

The development of the stormwater management strategies, e.g., low-impact development (LID), water-sensitive urban design (WSUD), and sustainable drainage solutions (SUDS), was initiated in the mid-1980s as a set of engineering approaches and technologies to reduce the harmful effects of stormwater. Over time, all of them evolved in the holistic, multidisciplinary approaches and, today, they are increasingly viewed and implemented under the umbrella term “Nature-based Solutions” (NbS). The technical elements and measures of these NbS represent various technical solutions, implemented i.a., according to the suitability of the site to achieve their maximum efficiency. Currently, there are no standards or procedures for the application of NbS technologies in Serbia. To overpass this and encourage implementation, we carried out preliminary assessment of NbS elements suitability for application in eight urban settlements in the Region of Southern and Eastern Serbia. The assessment is based on publicly available data and performed according to the existing recommendations in the field of spatial planning and rainwater management for WSUD. The analyses were conducted by GIS tools that involved spatial analyses of various terrain characteristics and provided an insight into the criteria, i.e., constraints that are key to the placement of various technical elements, including bioretention, rain garden, and permeable pavement. Research findings point out that creation of the thematic maps with area suitability ratings for individual NbS stormwater elements might represent a good starting point for further investigation, planning, and design. The proposed framework for preliminary assessment is potentially useful for the countries and regions without regulations in the field of NbS for stormwater management.