Strategies Analysis.
Rotterdam’s long term adaptation strategy to rising sea level mitigation & climate change has been improving upon the physical works to the Delta project which begun between the period of 1953 to 2010, as part of a larger engineering effort across the Dutch coastline. More recently in 2013 the City has launched a series of climate change initiatives for longer term mitigation of water inundation from storm surges, heavy rain fall, sea level rise and in reducing c02 emissions targets.
Mitigation Strategies The Delta Project
The Delta project begun with a risk assessment of determining the likely damage and probability of future flood damages through a model of future storm surge levels; assessing the current overall capability of the Dutch Coast line defenses; what solutions could be implemented to bring those defenses to a higher standard. The final report established that the level of sea protection was dependent on the likely economic damages to infrastructure and the cost of upgrades, furthermore it recommended population centers to resist storm surge levels of a 1 in 10,000 year event. But before works were implemented a secondary impact assessment was conducted on the effects to land/water transportation, social amenity and the environment (salt intrusion) (d’Angremond, 2003).
Rotterdam’s sea defenses were enhanced with coast line reduction and three large water barriers, the Maeslant, Hartel and Hollandse Ijssel which at high tide close off the harbor, reducing the burden on the primary dyke system behind (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013). The Maeslant is a one of the largest sea walls in Europe, with a height of 22 metres and length of 360 metres (Deltawerken, 2015), it is the final section of the Delta works to be completed in 1997 and is designed to mitigate sea level rise of 50 cm (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014) (Buczynski, 2012).
CO2 Reduction
The “Rotterdam Climate Initiative”(RCI) was developed to mitigating CO2 emissions by 50 per cent in the year 2025 compared to levels in 1990. This is an yearly reduction of 30 megatons of emissions (Piert Dircke, 2015) (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2013).
The initiative includes expansion of renewable energy sources like wind & solar power (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2015). Approximately 75 per cent of city roofs in Rotterdam have a level surface, providing an opportunity to install rooftop solar panels that supply approximately 40 per cent of the cities energy needs. The strategy is to begin installation in 2018 of 6,000 dwellings and in converting civic rooftops (gyms, schools, offices) further plans for wind energy are expected to generate power to supply 200,000 homes. Other measure to recycle heat is the design of a heating network to use residual heat generated from the city & port to supply 300,000 homes (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2015). The savings per year from this program are an approximate 180 million euros over all households in Rotterdam (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2015).
The initiative also includes the a longer term structural shift to the industrial usage of biomass in create a bio-based economy that is less reliant on fossil fuels. (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2014).
Adaptation Strategies Benthemplien- Water Squares
The water square at Benthemplien built 2013 is a world’s first example of spatial planning combined with, recreation, urban renewal and adaptation to climate change through its capacity to store water. Benthemplien is a public square which is designed to hold 1,800 cubic metres of rainwater (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014) drained from surrounding urban districts during heavy rainfall. During the dry period the square is used a public amenity by city students, when it rains it fulfills a secondary role to the water system as a water reservoir. The rainwater collects in colour coded sections of the basin and is slowly absorbed or drained into ground water systems within 24 hours, thereby reducing pressure to the city’s sewerage system. Benthemplien is considered an large scale adaptive measure which addresses a component of Rotterdam’s Climate Change Adaptation strategy and connects the local community with the issue of water & climate change by involving local participants throughout the design process (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013; Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014).
Terraced Dykes
The city of Rotterdam expanded upon the traditional dyke as a water barrier to a multifunctional structure with terraced sides that heighted & widened the dyke and provided secondary uses as roads, landscaping and as public spaces integrated as a roof park (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013)
Green Roofs
As part of its longer term climate mitigation strategy Rotterdam has encouraged the developed of green roofs, which serve secondary functions in retaining rain water, reducing heating & cooling costs to buildings and co2 emissions (Linnie Mackenzie, 2015). One of Europe’s largest green roof’s projects is the renovation of a green roof on top of the Alexandrium Centre (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013) which is 35 per cent cooler than gravel. The roof comprises 22,000 square metres of green space planted with sedium and is anticipated to store 730,000 litres of water acting as a secondary water reservoir (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013), further reductions in energy bills and use of the roof as production of honey.
Blue Roofs & Underground Water Storage
Kruisplein Car Park utilizes its roof top as a water storage surface, employing ‘Water Shells’ which allow the carpark to retain 2,400 cubic metres of rain water. The design of the new carpark is an example of multifunctional urban design where climate resilience is integrated into new development (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014). The museum carpark is designed with a 10,000 cubic metre underground water storage facility for storm surges and heavy rainfall, which can store approximately 50 per cent of rainwater than predicates on the city Centre (Linnie Mackenzie, 2015).
Rotterdam’s long term adaptation strategy to rising sea level mitigation & climate change has been improving upon the physical works to the Delta project which begun between the period of 1953 to 2010, as part of a larger engineering effort across the Dutch coastline. More recently in 2013 the City has launched a series of climate change initiatives for longer term mitigation of water inundation from storm surges, heavy rain fall, sea level rise and in reducing c02 emissions targets.
Mitigation Strategies The Delta Project
The Delta project begun with a risk assessment of determining the likely damage and probability of future flood damages through a model of future storm surge levels; assessing the current overall capability of the Dutch Coast line defenses; what solutions could be implemented to bring those defenses to a higher standard. The final report established that the level of sea protection was dependent on the likely economic damages to infrastructure and the cost of upgrades, furthermore it recommended population centers to resist storm surge levels of a 1 in 10,000 year event. But before works were implemented a secondary impact assessment was conducted on the effects to land/water transportation, social amenity and the environment (salt intrusion) (d’Angremond, 2003).
Rotterdam’s sea defenses were enhanced with coast line reduction and three large water barriers, the Maeslant, Hartel and Hollandse Ijssel which at high tide close off the harbor, reducing the burden on the primary dyke system behind (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013). The Maeslant is a one of the largest sea walls in Europe, with a height of 22 metres and length of 360 metres (Deltawerken, 2015), it is the final section of the Delta works to be completed in 1997 and is designed to mitigate sea level rise of 50 cm (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014) (Buczynski, 2012).
CO2 Reduction
The “Rotterdam Climate Initiative”(RCI) was developed to mitigating CO2 emissions by 50 per cent in the year 2025 compared to levels in 1990. This is an yearly reduction of 30 megatons of emissions (Piert Dircke, 2015) (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2013).
The initiative includes expansion of renewable energy sources like wind & solar power (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2015). Approximately 75 per cent of city roofs in Rotterdam have a level surface, providing an opportunity to install rooftop solar panels that supply approximately 40 per cent of the cities energy needs. The strategy is to begin installation in 2018 of 6,000 dwellings and in converting civic rooftops (gyms, schools, offices) further plans for wind energy are expected to generate power to supply 200,000 homes. Other measure to recycle heat is the design of a heating network to use residual heat generated from the city & port to supply 300,000 homes (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2015). The savings per year from this program are an approximate 180 million euros over all households in Rotterdam (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2015).
The initiative also includes the a longer term structural shift to the industrial usage of biomass in create a bio-based economy that is less reliant on fossil fuels. (Rotterdam Climate Initative, 2014).
Adaptation Strategies Benthemplien- Water Squares
The water square at Benthemplien built 2013 is a world’s first example of spatial planning combined with, recreation, urban renewal and adaptation to climate change through its capacity to store water. Benthemplien is a public square which is designed to hold 1,800 cubic metres of rainwater (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014) drained from surrounding urban districts during heavy rainfall. During the dry period the square is used a public amenity by city students, when it rains it fulfills a secondary role to the water system as a water reservoir. The rainwater collects in colour coded sections of the basin and is slowly absorbed or drained into ground water systems within 24 hours, thereby reducing pressure to the city’s sewerage system. Benthemplien is considered an large scale adaptive measure which addresses a component of Rotterdam’s Climate Change Adaptation strategy and connects the local community with the issue of water & climate change by involving local participants throughout the design process (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013; Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014).
Terraced Dykes
The city of Rotterdam expanded upon the traditional dyke as a water barrier to a multifunctional structure with terraced sides that heighted & widened the dyke and provided secondary uses as roads, landscaping and as public spaces integrated as a roof park (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013)
Green Roofs
As part of its longer term climate mitigation strategy Rotterdam has encouraged the developed of green roofs, which serve secondary functions in retaining rain water, reducing heating & cooling costs to buildings and co2 emissions (Linnie Mackenzie, 2015). One of Europe’s largest green roof’s projects is the renovation of a green roof on top of the Alexandrium Centre (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013) which is 35 per cent cooler than gravel. The roof comprises 22,000 square metres of green space planted with sedium and is anticipated to store 730,000 litres of water acting as a secondary water reservoir (Delta Rotterdam (Online Magazine), 2013), further reductions in energy bills and use of the roof as production of honey.
Blue Roofs & Underground Water Storage
Kruisplein Car Park utilizes its roof top as a water storage surface, employing ‘Water Shells’ which allow the carpark to retain 2,400 cubic metres of rain water. The design of the new carpark is an example of multifunctional urban design where climate resilience is integrated into new development (Rotterdam Climate Initiative, 2014). The museum carpark is designed with a 10,000 cubic metre underground water storage facility for storm surges and heavy rainfall, which can store approximately 50 per cent of rainwater than predicates on the city Centre (Linnie Mackenzie, 2015).