Urban and built environment issues
Urban heat island effect
Ecological Engineering
Urban forestry, urban greenspace, water sensitive urban design using vegetation and living roofs/walls all provide shade and absorb incident solar radiation.
monument-info-search.co.uk
Conventional Engineering
In the absence of vegetation, physical shade/sail structures may provide one of the few means to reduce heat exposure to people in exposed spaces (but will not address the heat island effect).
Urban storm water
Ecological Engineering
Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) allowing drainage via vegetated retention basins reduces peak flows and filters contaminants from water prior to discharge to streams.
marrickville.nsw.gov.au
Conventional Engineering
Engineered drainage via hard channels results in direct discharge to surface waters without filtering of contaminants, and may produce increased storm-flow rates and flood potential.
Built environment
Ecological Engineering
Evidence is growing that use of natural building products such as wood lowers sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation and provides a healthier working and living environment.
Conventional Engineering
Use of non-natural building products.
