In this blog post, you will learn about the six most effective measures and powerful tips for successful adaptation to climate change and increasing the climate resilience of real estate and open space.
Introduction
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and affects us all. Its impacts are felt in everyday life and will only intensify in the future. It leads to increasingly frequent heat waves that affect the microclimate and limit people's well-being and health.
At the same time, natural hazards such as floods, storms, and extreme temperatures are increasing, which have direct impacts on us humans as well as on real estate and its open space – from loss of value to safety risks. This makes it all the more important that we adapt and strengthen our climate resilience in order to cope with these changes.
But which measures are most effective for adapting real estate and open space to climate change? Below you will find a summary of the six most effective measures and tips for successful climate change adaptation.
Would you prefer plants or technology?
One of the key principles for successful climate change adaptation is the creation of green and blue infrastructure. These are natural or near-natural elements such as trees, green space, water features and areas, and building greening that are integrated into the urban environment.
Ecosystem services
Vegetation and nature-based solutions are the most effective "machines" and measures for adapting to climate change. Green infrastructure, with its ecosystem services, serves as a natural barrier against extreme weather events such as heat and flooding. They can not only improve air quality but also lower temperatures in urban areas, improving thermal comfort and the microclimate.
Plants are the most effective method for successful climate change adaptation: wherever possible, use nature first rather than technology.
In addition, vegetation and soil or substrate help minimize the impacts of heavy rainfall events by absorbing water and storing it like a sponge. Green roofs and facades also contribute to increase the climate resilience of buildings.
However, it is not only heat that poses a threat to urban dwellers and properties; rather, a multitude of physical climate risks and natural hazards are also exposed, which, according to the EU-Taxonomy, are divided into the following categories: temperature, water, wind, and solid-related risks. For successful climate change adaptation, assessing resilience and implementing adaptation measures, such as greening, are essential.
The 6 most effective measures for successful climate change adaptation
Below you will find a list of the six most effective measures for successful climate change adaptation of real estate and open space:
1. Tree planting
With their shading, oxygen production, and evaporative cooling, trees are clearly the most effective measures for increasing climate resilience and provide a variety of ecosystem services. They provide shade, cool the microclimate, and offer protection from heat.
Not all trees are the same
The larger the trees' crowns are when planted, the greater and more effective the shade effect will be. Sufficient soil or water-retentive substrate (sponge city) is important for healthy and sustainable tree growth, drought- and stress-resistant species, and, ideally, automatic irrigation to ensure water supply, plant vitality, and effectiveness even during prolonged heat waves and future climate conditions. Consider the positioning and arrangement of trees with regard to their shade effect and the wind flow.
2. Desealing and greening of surfaces
The desealing and greening of surfaces is central to optimized and efficient rainwater management and successful climate change adaptation.
Fully permeable unsealing
Due to higher permeability and water storage capacity, it is recommended to unseal surfaces with plants or greenery with appropriate substructure, such as lawns, flower meadows or perennial beds.
Permeable unsealing
Permeable, paved surfaces such as open-joint paving, drainage paving, or semi-permeable materials improve stormwater management, reduce flooding, and cool the urban climate, especially when greening is not possible.
3. Shrub plantings
In general, and when tree planting is not possible, native, biodiversity-promoting shrubs are recommended as a very good and effective alternative. They provide additional shade, promote evaporative cooling, and strengthen local biodiversity.
Recommendation: Choose shrubs that are as broad and tall as possible for shading and natural species to promote biodiversity, such as bee and bird pastures, which serve not only as a food source but also as breeding and nesting sites.
4. Building Greenery – green roofs and walls
Greening buildings is also a powerful and effective option for successful climate change adaptation, especially in areas of limited space, inner-city situations, and high-density urban development. Greening buildings should be used primarily where ground-level greening is not possible and/or insufficient. Green roofs and facades improve the microclimate, reduce heat, and protect the building.
Green Roofs
Depending on the construction height and, consequently, the plant community, as well as the performance, green roofs are divided into extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive green roofs. Extensive green roofs are cost-effective and easy to maintain, while intensive green roofs require more maintenance but also achieve greater effects.
Green Walls
Vertical greening can be divided into ground-, planter-, and facade-based greenery. Ground-based greening, e.g., with Virginia creeper or other climbing plants with direct ground contact, is the most cost-effective and effective vertical greening measure. Climbing plants can be used architecturally and in landscape design with climbing frames to achieve effective shading.
Planter-based greening allows for greater plant diversity and is an effective form of greening. Green walls are modular greening systems that entail the highest investment and maintenance costs. A variety of system solutions and manufacturers are available, some with different cost-benefit ratios and effectiveness.
Building greenery is sometimes more expensive than ground-based greening, but it is nevertheless an important and effective way to utilize the benefits of greening. Valuable roof areas, in particular, can be designed with high amenity quality and greening, while directly utilizing the many additional functions of ecosystem services.
5. Blue Infrastructure – Water Elements
Blue infrastructure, or water features on/around or on buildings, is another highly effective measure for successful climate change adaptation. The effects of water can vary greatly.
Moving water
Moving water, such as fountains, jet streams, and high-pressure mist, is preferred. This provides cooling and increases thermal comfort, creating a pleasant temperature and quality of stay on hot days. Standing and shallow water should be avoided, as it retains and releases heat, thus contributing to warming in summer.
6. Technical adaptation measures
In addition to the natural measures implemented through green and blue infrastructure, there are also technical measures that are effective for climate change adaptation. These can be building- or open-space-related.
Technical shading and sun protection
External sun protection systems such as roller blinds or Venetian blinds are preferable to internal shading systems such as interior curtains. They reduce energy and heat gain and ensure a cool interior. Shading elements of any kind, including arcades, sun sails and umbrellas, louvre structures, and more, provide a place to cool off, especially on hot days. Technical solutions complement each other effectively, especially where plants are not possible.
Digital tools for greater climate resilience
Various innovative instruments and tools are available to help identify the most effective and appropriate measures for your situation.
These include, for example, climate risk assessments, which enable the analysis of natural hazards for real estate. Digital twins and high-resolution simulations combined with numerical indicators (KPIs) allow spatial assessments. The development of adaptation strategies and plans are also important tools for strategic climate change adaptation.
It is difficult to make a blanket statement about the effectiveness of individual greening measures, as each type and situation has different effects on people, the environment, and real estate. The key lies in combining various measures from green (plants), blue (water), and grey (technology). With software-supported tools, existing resources can be used in a targeted manner, risks can be significantly and verifiably minimized, and climate resilience can be sustainably strengthened.
Resilience assessment and monitoring
To optimize adaptation measures, it is necessary to regularly assess the resilience of real estate – because you can only improve what you measure! Software and simulation-based tools are available for this purpose, which evaluate the impact of plants, buildings, and materials using numerical indicators and in combination with heat maps.
Digital solutions such as greenpass offer quick and easy tools for the entire value chain of real estate and open space, such as climate mitigation assessments for existing and new buildings using a Climate Check. With 3D Analytics and microclimate, wind and water simulations, individual measures can be spatially targeted and optimized. Furthermore, greenpass Certification can maximize cost-benefit ratios, and performance and quality in terms of climate resilience can be officially confirmed and certified with the greenpass.
Climate risk tools
Climate risk solutions are important for identifying climate risks for current and future climate conditions. For successful adaptation, it is essential to assess the resilience of the properties and the effectiveness of the measures and link them to the emerging risks.
As a baseline analysis, a state-of-the-art climate risk and vulnerability analysis (CRVA) is recommended for the site to identify its climate risks for today and the future. Based on this, appropriate steps and effective measures for successful adaptation can be implemented in the planning process – for both new and existing buildings.
In addition to publicly accessible climate risk databases, there are numerous providers of climate risk software, most of which are based purely on site-specific queries about natural hazards, without considering exposure and vulnerability. They usually either do not link measures to the risks or cannot validly quantify them in terms of impact and cost/benefit.
Climate Check
With greenpass's Climate Check, existing and new properties can be easily and comprehensively assessed within seconds with regard to climate protection. This includes climate change adaptation, including climate risks and resilience, as well as an action plan and catalog with more than 50 grey and green climate mitigation and adaptation measures, financial metrics, and climate mitigation indicators.
Digital twin and simulations
With the climate, wind and water module of greenpass 3D Analytics, in addition to the climate check, you can generate in-depth and spatial information for successful adaptation and specifically control and optimize it using key figures and with the support of experts.
3D Analytics
Based on a digital twin, high-resolution simulations are carried out for microclimate, rainwater management, and flow behavior, such as wind comfort and cold air analyses. The high-resolution, scientifically developed models allow for detailed simulation and mapping of complex material and detailed requirements, such as the consideration of different materials and types of greening, as well as their physical properties and behavior.
Numerical simulation models vary greatly in quality, and currently only a small number of highly developed models are available that can appropriately account for greening, especially building greening and its various variations, and accurately depict their effects. A pure simulation does not replace analysis, and certainly not a reliable assessment, for which quantitative indicators are necessary.
Trained and certified Urban Climate Architects (UCAs) are well-founded experts in climate-proof real estate and open space and are happy to support you with climate resilience consulting for your projects.
Climate resilience certification
In order to fully and comprehensively consider the issue of climate change adaptation, there is also the option of optimizing the costs/benefits of climate change adaptation with greenpass Certification and officially confirming climate resilience with Pre-Certification and Certification.
Synergies with building certifications
The current focus of the greenpass Certification is on climate change adaptation and clearly complements building certifications such as DGNB/ÖGNI, klimaaktiv, BREEAM, and LEED, some of which also increasingly focus on climate change adaptation and where greenpass can also be used directly as proof of credit. You can find more information on this topic in the following blog post.
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To meet the EU Taxonomy criteria, the EU Taxo Check offer a quick, simple, and efficient solution for assessing environmental objectives and EU Taxonomy compliance.
Based on the Climate Check, the EU Taxo Check can be used to comprehensively assess properties with regard to all six environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy. This includes Environmental Objective 2, Adaptation to Climate Change. In addition to the 'Significant Contribution', you can also easily check the other environmental objectives for 'o no significant harm' (DNSH).
In the area of climate change adaptation, the high and very high climate risks for the property are identified, and an effective action plan is proposed to reduce them. With this verification, you can therefore qualify for green financing conditions and save money straight away! You can find out how this works in the following blog post.
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Overall, one thing is clear: without green and blue infrastructure, there can be no effective climate change adaptation. Successful adaptation requires a combination of different measures. Plants and nature-based solutions are generally the most effective measures for increasing climate resilience. Plants improve the microclimate, reduce heat islands, and provide protection against physical climate risks such as flooding, among others. Blue infrastructure and technical measures are also useful for effectively increasing climate resilience.
To identify and implement the most effective measures, software-based tools for successful climate adaptation are available. These allow the existing resources for climate change adaptation to be used in a targeted and effective manner. Regular resilience assessment is essential to monitor the effectiveness of the measures and adapt them if necessary.
It is therefore important to always consider aspects of climate change adaptation in the existing buildings, as well as in the planning and design of buildings and urban space. Only in this way can we successfully adapt to the changing climatic conditions, ensure climate-proof properties and open space with a high quality of life and without loss of value, and enable a livable future for ourselves and future generations.
Use digitalization to successfully adapt to climate change and start today to strengthen your climate resilience and secure the many benefits of climate-proof real estate and open space.
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Ich bin internationaler Experte mit jahrelanger Erfahrung in der Bewertung und Gestaltung von klimasicheren und nachhaltigen Immobilien und Freiräumen. Nach meinem Masterstudium für Landschaftsplanung & -architektur war ich an der BOKU als Forscher und der Green4Cities als Manager tätig.
