Netherlands Innovative Consequences Tender

For the next four years Amsterdam will allocate 15 to 20 million euros of its urban management budget annually for new smart projects in the field of climate adaptation in public space and greenery. Together with the Amsterdam knowledge institute AMS Institute new solutions for public space are being developed tested and put into practice more quickly. This may concern projects that improve the collection of rainwater the greening of public space or buildings or heat and cold storage. The projects aim to make the city more resistant to more extreme weather as a result of climate change.Alderman Laurens Ivens Public Space and Green There is no time to lose because we are increasingly seeing serious nuisance and damage caused by extreme heat drought or downpours. By making research into new smart solutions a standard part of the maintenance of the city we can make public space more future-proof and climate-proof. This will allow us to adapt our city more quickly to new weather conditions and ensure that other cities can also benefit from this. Research projects put into practiceLast year the City of Amsterdam has already experimented extensively with innovative research projects together with the business community and knowledge institutions. The results of the roof research of the Smartroof 2.0 project into water collection on roofs for example have led to the construction of 10000 m2 of smart water-storing green roofs that respond to more extreme weather conditions. And because research into water-storing synthetic turf pitches showed that they remained 26 degrees cooler in heat the municipality now wants to make more artificial pitches water-retaining. This is how she puts innovation into practice.Science in practiceSince its foundation in 2014 AMS Institute has been working closely with Amsterdam on urban challenges such as on the topic of climate-resilient cities. The collaboration gives the municipality access to the knowledge and expertise of Wageningen University Research and Delft University of Technology. New solutions can be put into practice immediately through this collaboration but targeted scientific research can also be carried out in preparation for large management projects. The AMS Institute also trains a new generation of urban engineers who are involved in the challenges of the city during their training. These students have for example developed a sensor that can measure whether trees need water. By watering trees when they need itClimate adaptationLarge cities are vulnerable to extreme heat drought and rainfall. It can be up to six degrees warmer in the city in warm weather than it is outside mainly because stone traps heat. Rainwater in built-up areas is also less able to sink into the ground. That is why several large projects are experimenting with water management water is stored on roofs under roads verges tram rails and under sports fields. For example rainwater can be stored so that it can be used to cool the city at times of heat and drought.