Guidelines for climate-oriented municipalities in Bavaria Recommendations for action from the project 'Climate Protection and Green Infrastructure in the City' at the Centre for Urban Nature and Climate Adaptation

Settlement types

The " Title..." guide presents three settlement types that are common in the twin cities of Munich and Würzburg:
- Munich's Maxvorstadt as an example of a Gründerzeit block development,
- Neuaubing in Munich as a typical row development and
- Heidingsfeld in Würzburg as an example of a historic city centre.

All the measures and scenarios proposed in the guide for these settlement types are, however, described in such a way that they can be transferred to all Bavarian cities. Each settlement type has its own requirements for climate protection and climate adaptation and holds different potentials for the design of climate-stable urban nature.

The analyses of the Centre for Urban Nature and Climate Adaptation show that the block development of Maxvorstadt and the historic city centre of Heidingsfeld are among the most densely built-up and heavily sealed urban structures with a very low proportion of green space. The high building mass and poor ventilation increase the heat island effect. At the same time, there are very few open spaces for greening measures. Neuaubing is rather loosely built up with large row and point high-rise buildings and has a high proportion of green space, which offers plenty of room for climate adaptation and climate protection measures. At the same time, a large number of people who are potentially affected by climate change live there in a small area.

Design block development

Three drafts show the proposed measures and their concrete location in the respective settlement type. The figure above shows the design for the block development using the example of Munich's Maxvorstadt. The spatial design scenario concretizes the greening concept of the block development. The measures are differentiated according to their implementation either in the street space, on the building or in the inner courtyards and thus address concrete spatial potentials in the settlement type. Recommendations are also made regarding their multiple benefits for urban living spaces and their spatial feasibility.

For the block development, for example, the tree population in the main street (north-south) was supplemented to form an avenue, and the main street (east-west) was planted with single-row, narrow-crowned trees to shade the buildings while ensuring ventilation. In the side streets, deep beds can be created under the trees by reducing the number of parking spaces, which serve to infiltrate rainwater. The relatively low buildings, mostly garages, in the inner courtyards are planted with greenery, resulting in an undisturbed, small-scale habitat mosaic in the middle of the city, which also becomes a nature experience for the residents.

Microclimatic assessment of the block development design

Modelling is used to check whether the designs shown in the drawings can achieve a microclimatic improvement through increased and strategically placed greening. In the example of the block development, the proportion of greenery is increased from 9 % in the current greening situation to 38.5 % in the design. This results in a reduction of the perceived temperature (expressed by the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) at 3 p.m. of a hot day at 1.4 m above ground) by 10.6% under current climate conditions and 4.2% under future climate conditions. In the street spaces, shading from the newly planted trees in particular reduces small-scale overheating. In the strongly sunlit backyards, green facades and green balconies reduce the reflection of solar radiation into the room; the shading by shrubs and individual trees further increases the cooling effect. Consequently, the design scenario achieves a heat load of an average perceived temperature of 39 °C even under future climate conditions, which is lower than the current situation.

Integrated view

This guide is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration between engineering, natural and social scientists. It includes quantitative studies on the energy efficiency of buildings under the influence of climate change, computer simulations on the climatic effectiveness of greening measures and a qualitative assessment of urban living spaces. Technical measures with regard to energy consumption as well as greening measures are examined and related to three different types of settlements. Based on the simulation results, answers are given to the following questions: What makes public places attractive? How can backyards be upgraded? Can potentials for animal and plant habitats be developed in connection with climate adaptation measures? The guideline only recommends measures that are embedded in the legal framework; it thus refers to existing planning instruments and shows possibilities for their use in the sense of the "green city of the future".

Cut

The implementation of possible measures is shown in sections and drawing designs for each settlement type. Technical aspects such as typical spar situations or building structures such as underground car parks are taken into account. For the examination of qualitative criteria for urban living, biodiversity and open space quality are integrated. For example, in block development, different climate protection and adaptation measures create a diverse mosaic of urban living spaces. The prerequisite for this is above all the reorganisation of traffic areas and the valorisation of previously unused roof and façade areas. In the street space, trees, greened facades and deep beds increase the functional and utilisation possibilities as well as the spatial and ecological quality. By combining woody plantings with differentiated green roofs and facades, places of retreat for people, animals and plants can be created in the courtyards. The aim is to link the neighbourhood into a close-meshed network of lively streets, greened backyards and public green spaces.

The ten most important recommendations for action

1. future climate conditions must be taken into account in today's planning.
Climate forecasts show that periods of heat and extreme weather events will continue to increase, especially in
cities.

2. energy-efficient refurbishment remains necessary from a climate protection point of view, although climate change
tendencially reduces heating energy demand. However,
heating energy demand will continue to account for the largest share of energy demand in the future.

3. In order to limit costs and CO2 emissions due to the potentially increasing cooling energy demand,

passive measures for summer heat protection (including sun protection and ventilation) should be planned.

4. Urban greenery and open spaces should be evaluated from a quantitative and qualitative point of view.
In the city as a habitat, human well-being also depends on
plants or their ecosystem services, i.e., the benefits that humans can derive from
ecosystems, such as providing shade, humidifying the air, or providing
appealing environments for recreation and leisure.

5. Trees have the greatest impact on the urban microclimate. They cool through
evaporation and shade yards, streets, and plazas. They are of great importance for the conservation of
biodiversity. The tree population in the city should be protected. When planting new trees, attention should be paid to climate-tolerant tree species and sufficient
root space should be planned.

6. Green roofs and facades have a cooling effect on the immediate surroundings due to shading and evaporation
. They have a regulating effect on
the urban microclimate. On hot days, they can noticeably
lower the perceived temperature. Municipal funding programs should support private greening measures.

7. Green spaces also serve infiltration purposes. Green roofs in particular have
a high retention potential. Unsealing opportunities in public spaces
should be explored. Incentives for unsealing private areas can be created through municipal
subsidies.

8. Different demands and potentials of urban greenery, e.g. in
relation to possibilities of use and biodiversity, must be taken into account when deciding on the design of
green and open spaces.

9. Open space design statutes can secure and develop green and open spaces with foresight as
green networks. Expert opinions on the climatic significance
of the respective areas should be obtained in early planning phases.

10. Informal planning instruments, e.g. urban development contracts to determine
portions of green space, offer great potential for taking climate protection and adaptation to
climate change into account. The planning of networks of green and open spaces
with a variety of functions and benefits can decisively promote the adaptation
of municipalities to climate change, the quality of life for their citizens and the
protection of urban nature as a "green infrastructure".

back to overview

1. Settlement types
2. Design block development
3. Microclimatic assessment of the block development design
4. Integrated view
5. Cut
6. The ten most important recommendations for action