Resilient Water Infrastructure

Claire Mortimer

Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research

CSC Research findings Councils asked for;

• ‘More specific information on the effect of stormwater run-off from impervious surfaces’

• ‘Whole-of-life costs and benefits for swales and stormwater collection ponds’

Existing Research/tools

1. Body of research on impacts of stormwater run off (Landcare Research, NIWA)

2. CostNZ; compares relative life-time costs of various stormwater management devices

3. C-CALM; sub-catchment based stormwater treatment planning model

CATCHMENTCONTAMINANTANNUALLOADSMODEL

Existing research cont.

• Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD)– Working with natural systems and

minimizing environmental impacts– Integral to broader urban planning

• Social, institutional barriers and enablers to technology adoption

Emerging LIUDD Research

1. Life Cycle Assessment:What are the lifetime costs of green roofs, walls & street trees?

2. Multiple Ecosystem Service BenefitsWhat are the full suite of benefits (e.g., water supply, public health, biodiversity, amenity values) delivered under various LIUDD options?

3. OptimisationWhat are the best device designs to achieve different benefits & outcomes?

4. Scaling up Cost benefits when we scale up?

5. MonitoringTo what extent is LIUDD cumulatively being taken up in NZ settlements

TechnicalQuantifying impacts of problem Quantifying benefits of technology; Optimizing design for different benefits

PolicyAssessing relative life cycle costs of new v conventional technologyAlignment to plans, regulations

SocialCommunity acceptance; social practices, identity

ImplementationCommon construction mistakesWho maintains decentralized infrastructure?Capacity building of planners, engineers, construction companies

Hard & soft research needed for new technologies

LIUDD adoption

Research principles for infrastructure

• Integrate physical and social science – design performance and uptake

• Research and Council staff working in teams

• Resilience/adaptability as a design principle for 21st Century infrastructure

• Frame infrastructure within broader dynamic urban system and pursue multiple benefits

Links to researchLIUDD some NZ research and tools

• Website of 6 year LIUDD research programme www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/built/liudd/

• Website of LIUDD NZ case studies; their design, policy and implementation http://cs.synergine.com/

• CostNZ web based costing tool for comparing LIUDD stormwater devices with conventional options www.costnz.co.nz/index.aspx

• C-CALM Sub catchment integrated stormwater treatment planning model. contact j.moores@niwa.co.nz

• How to put nature into our neighborhoods. Urban greening Manual using LIUDD to improve biodiversity outcomes; Landcare Research Science Series No. 35 www.mwpress.co.nz

•  Low Impact Urban Design and Development: the big picture; An introduction to the LIUDD principles and methods framework Marjorie van Roon and Henri van Roon. Landcare Research Science Series No. 37 www.mwpress.co.nz

• Google link to papers on LIUDD policy and governance and barriers to adoption http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=Heslop+Dixon+LIUDD&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

Climate change social scienceThe CSC report findings indicated councils were looking for ways to communicate science to their communities, the following report provides a New Zealand take on the current state of social and community social knowledge around climate change.

• ‘Degrees of Possibility: Igniting Social Knowledge around Climate Change’, http://nzclimatechangecentre.org/sites/nzclimatechangecentre.org/files/images/research/Degrees%20of%20Possibility%20Workshop%20Report%20(NZCCC%20June%202011%20Low%20Res).pdf