A green wall as an approach in treated grey water reuse at Margarita beach

Description: Reuse of treated grey water for gardening, through the created outdoor green wall at Margarita beach. (IRIDRA, 2021).

Country: Italy

City: Marina di Ragusa (RG)

City size: ≈ 2.5 km²

Population: 3.468 (2011)

start: 2018

Timeframe: No Data

Phase: Completed

Nature-based solutions (NBS) : Yes

Initiator: Svimed Centro Euromediterraneo per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile

Website source: http://www.iridra.eu/en/applicazioni-en/recupero-acque-grigie-en.html

Latitude: 36.782

Longitude: 14.5586

Co-benefits

Increased provisioning of ecosystem goods (e.g. Food, water, etc)

Yes, through the reuse treated grey water for irrigation and toilet flushing.

Increased infiltration, water retention and flood protection

Yes, it has been established that a green wall can be effectively used as an urban drainage system in order to reduce surface runoff (Lau, Mah, 2018).

Reduced drought risk, cooling effect, urban heat island mitigation

Covering walls with plants can significantly reduce the ambient temperature during hot summer months. Green walls not only shield grey surroundings from direct sunlight (50% is absorbed and 30% reflected), but ‘evapotranspiration’ (a combination of evaporation of water and release of water vapour) by plants also helps cool walls. (European Commision, 2013; Sempergreen, 2020).

Biodiversity conservation or increased biodiversity

Yes, the implemented green wall may provide a new habitat in the built environment.

Increased quality and quantity of green and blue infrastructures

Yes, the green wall can be a valuable element of green infrastructure in urban settlements.

Sustainable urbanisation

Yes, through reuse of treated grey water for gardening and enhancing natural capital in the urban settlements. A green wall also lowers the incidence of heat stress associated with heatwaves. Areas with more greenery suffer less from aggression, violence and vandalism. The green wall can contribute to air purification because the plants filter particulate matter from the air and convert CO2 into oxygen (Sempergreen, 2020).

Improved aesthetic value

Yes

Increased access to green infrastructure

Yes

Provision of health benefits

Living and working in a green environment may have a positive effect on human well-being. Greenery offers relaxation and reduces stress. (Sempergreen, 2020).

Original problems

Drought and heat risk

Investigations of mutation in the compound occurrence of drought and heat conditions have identified many hotspots of compound drought and extreme heat conditions in Europe. These include, among others, France, Benelux countries, Italy and Balkan Peninsula. Trend detection has shown that these areas were characterized by a rising trend in the compound occurrence of drought and heat extremes. (Bezak, Mikos, 2020).

Low aesthetic value

Yes

SDGs

Good health and well-being (SDG3)

Yes

Clean water and sanitation (SDG6)

Yes

Sustainable cities and communities (SDG11)

Yes, the reuse of treated grey water for toilet flushing and irrigation aims to save about 300/400 litres of drinking water per day.

Climate action, resilience, mitigation and adaptation (SDG13)

Yes

Terrestrial biodiversity (SDG15)

Yes

Reference: Bezak, N., Mikos, M. (2020). Changes in the Compound Drought and Extreme Heat Occurrence in the 1961–2018 Period at the European Scale. Water 2020, 12, 3543. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.3390/w12123543.

IRIDRA (2021). Nature-based solutions - Sustainable water management. Information obtained: 2021-02-16. Available at: http://www.iridra.eu/en/applicazioni-en/urbani-en.html.

Lau, J.T., Mah, D. Y. S. (2018). Green Wall for Retention of Stormwater Pertanika J. Sci. & Technol. 26 (1): 283 - 298 (2018). Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322921333_Green_wall_for_retention_of_stormwater.

European Commission (2013). Science for Environment Policy: Living walls help cool building in hot climates. Information obtained: 2021-02-16. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/338na6_en.pdf.

Sempergreen. 2020. Benefits of a living wall. Information obtained: 2021-02-16. Available at: https://www.sempergreen.com/en/solutions/living-wall/living-wall-benefits.