PhD defence: Emilia Danuta Lausen
Emilia Danuta Lausen defends her thesis,
Vertical nature-based solutions for urban stormwater management and the role of vegetation
Supervisors:
Professor Marina Bergen Jensen, IGN
Professor Antje Backhaus, Leibniz Universität Hannover - Germany
Assessment Committee:
Associate professor Katia Perini, Università degli Studi di Genova - Italy
Principal research scientist Outi Johanna Tahvonen, Häme University of Applied Sciences - Finland
Associate professor Ole Fryd (chair), IGN
Summary:
Development of stormwater nature-based solutions (NBS) is an increasing field of study and practice. It aims to re-establish the pre-urban water balance by supplementing pipe-based stormwater discharge with elements for infiltration to replenish ground water and allow for evaporation and transpiration. Despite vegetation being a critical component to operationalize the NBS concept, it is the one least researched. Especially for stormwater management the plants’ water requirements are vital not only for proper system functioning but also to support environmental benefits provided by vegetation, including biodiversity. However, to be able to provide those benefits stormwater-NBS need to be accepted by inhabitants. Biodiverse vegetation can have aesthetical qualities that differ from traditional urban green, which can lead to tensions in NBS widespread implementation.
Through three studies, the PhD explored the possibilities of evapotranspiration-based stormwater management in vertical greenery systems (VGS), and the role of vegetation in their performance and aesthetics in order to help to operationalize the NBS concept in urban areas. The first study demonstrated the construction and implementation of the multifunctional “Green Climate Screen” and proved that a freestanding VGS based on evapotranspiration can be a viable measure for stormwater management. The second study examined performance of eight native species during reoccurring drought periods and plant traits necessary for enhancing stormwater function and evapotranspiration on non-irrigated stormwater VGS. The third study investigated Copenhageners’ perception of the aesthetics of three selected urban NBS with possible relation to stormwater management: green roof, curb extension and VGS. The focus of the study was both on the vegetation’s physical attributes influencing the perception and pre-defined cultural explanatory factors. The result indicated that cultural factors could help garner support among people whose initial impression of NBS vegetation was negative and pointed to possible physical alterations to increase acceptance of biodiverse vegetation.
A digital version of the PhD thesis can be obtained from the PhD secretary phd@ign.ku.dk