Water sensitive urban design (WSUD): The newly emerging international approach of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) has been identified as a more integrated approach placing the management of surface water at the centre of urban planning and design. It effectively captures Nature based Surface Water Management (SuDS/Sustainable urban Drainage Systems) in a holistic approach to urban planning and design, putting water concerns front and centre of planning, and looking at the benefits that water provides in addition to planning resilience etc.

Nature Based Surface Water Management: Nature Based SuDS work with nature (rather than trying to control it) and are now being mainstreamed across the globe. The benefits of taking a nature-based approach includes not just flood risk management benefits, but also improved water quality (e.g. can filter out >80% heavy metal pollutants), biodiversity (e.g., provide habitat for range of species) and Climate adaptation and mitigation (resilience, micro-climate cooling, carbon sequestration etc.).

The issue of climate change and the resultant need to adapt our cities and towns to be more resilient to increasingly frequent and intensive rainfall events have also brought sustainable water management in the urban context to the fore.

Therefore, the DHLGH, LAWPRO and the CCMA have established a project to actively promote the implementation of nature-based surface water management solutions to our cities and towns through new developments (greenfield and brownfield), as well as urban regeneration and, indeed, all projects that intervene in the urban fabric, using an urban design and plan led approach.

The project will develop an implementation strategy for the development of Water Sensitive Urban Design for the Irish context, which includes Nature Based SuDS. The project is currently engaging with all Local Authorities, state agencies including EPA, IFI, NPWS and OPW, Government Departments, TII and DMURS and the private sector to better understand how Water Sensitive Urban Design can be implemented more coherently in Ireland. The project will run for 6 months and report on its findings in time for the 3rd WFD Cycle. More information on the background leading up to the project is provided below including presentations given at the November 9th 2020 Webinar on Urban Planning and Nature Based Surface Water Management: From Theory to Practice organised in partnership with the Irish Planning Institute and Engineers Ireland.

For more information contact naturebasedsuds@lawaters.ie

Nature-based solutions is a growing area for engineers in Ireland and presents its own challenges. Two years ago, Engineers Ireland together with the Irish Planning Institute, the Local Authority Waters Programme and the Department of Housing Local Government (DHLGH) and Heritage ran a webinar on “Urban planning and nature-based surface water management: from theory to practice” on November 9^th, 2020. Over 500 people attended. A key recommendation from that webinar was the development of training for practitioners.

This webinar organised with Engineers Ireland focuses on some of the practical considerations to taking a nature-based approach when addressing surface water management from the engineers perspective.  

The webinar focused on

• Process from preliminary design right through to detailed design,
• Engagement with design team and client – who wanted NBS and why,
• What specialists were on the design team
• How NBS was incorporated into the design and why
• The construction process  – details, how easy or difficult was it?
• Lessons learnt during the process
• How the NBS is preforming now.

 You can view the presentations from this session here: https://youtu.be/P2d0xqZG7Z4

PROGRAMME

BUILDING NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT & STORAGE SUDS INTO A LARGE PROJECT (CORK DOCKLANDS): The multiple benefits from design to construction as well as the challenges faced and solutions identified. Noel Murtagh and Liam Casey, Cork City Council – Presentation

N59 MAAM CROSS TO BUNNAKILL: Nature Based SuDS Solutions on a large roads project through a sensitive landscape. Paddy De Feu, Project Engineer, Jacobs Engineering – Presentation

TREE PIT DEVELOPMENT IN LUAS CROSS CITY TRAMWAY: A Collaborative approach of engineering and landscape architecture to the development of root zones under streets. Tony Williams, Principal Landscape Architect Transport Infrastructure Ireland – Presentation

A NBS SOLUTION FOR TRAFFIC CALMING, ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, CLIMATE ACTION & CLIMATE MITIGATION IN ONE SIMPLE DESIGN: A small case study from Greystones, Co Wicklow. Ruairí O’Hanlon, Greystones Municipal District Engineer, Wicklow County Council – Presentation

DELIVERING SUCCESSFUL (NATURE-BASED) SUDS SOLUTIONS: Design Practice and Lessons Learnt. Emma Oldroyd, Landscape Architect and Emer Kennedy, Senior Engineer, Arup – Presentation

Training: LAWPRO and DHLGH have been working with partners to follow through on feedback and recommendations received through these webinars and sectoral consultations to develop supports including training, in support of water, climate and biodiversity objectives.

Engineers Ireland are organising training Fundamentals of Nature Based Urban Infrastructure Design and Practical Steps for Delivery (engineersireland.ie)

Fundamentals of Nature Based Urban Infrastructure Design and Practical Steps for Delivery

The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to the concepts, techniques, processes and systems founded on the principles of nature based solutions.

Next course commences 26^th January 2023, Engineers Ireland, 22 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland.

Organised in association with the Irish Planning Institute, Engineers Ireland and the Department Housing Local Government and Heritage and launched by Minister of State Malcom Noonan, the webinar approached the above referenced areas of nature-based solutions and how best to implement them, having canvassed planners and engineers in particular. The webinar also looked at key overlapping areas such as the Water Framework Directive, and wider Statutory agency objectives (e.g. OPW and Inland Fisheries Ireland). The webinar also included the launch by Inland Fisheries Ireland of their revised “Guidelines for Urban planning along watercourses” – making the case for sustainable development by making space for water and amenity use: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/sites/default/files/migrated/docman/IFIUrbanWatercoursesPlanningGuide.pdf

The event culminated in a discussion moderated by Adrian Conway (former executive manager with Dublin City Council) with Water and Planning representatives from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the OPW.
A subsequent poll of attendees (almost 500) showed a significant percentage of attendees were planners and engineers, mostly from local authorities but also the private sector. Other attending disciplines including architects, landscape architects, environmental, climate action, heritage, biodiversity, community and enterprise.

Feedback from the attendees at the webinar confirmed that Nature Based SuDS would significantly benefit water, climate adaptation, biodiversity and human well-being objectives. However, 81% of respondents believed that Nature Based SuDS were not being adequately implemented in Ireland. Improvements in factors such as policies, legislation, leadership, governance, technical guidance, training, local government capacity and funding were considered necessary by the majority of respondents. The engagement of other state agencies, Inland Fisheries, Office of Public Works, National Parks and Wildlife and the EPA as well as the private sector was further emphasised. The need for a cross agency and multi-disciplinary integrated approach was also highlighted, incorporating all aspects of urban planning and design, from strategic and planning phases to the more detailed preparation or assessment of plans and projects.