Problems include high level of disconnection among green areas, heat island effect (HIE), poor air quality, and noise. Furthermore, the Esgueva River periodically causes flooding in the city. The interventions suggested for the city are the following:
- Re-naturing urbanization: green route, arboreal intervention, resting areas and carbon capture
- Water interventions: Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), flood actions, water treatment and green pavements
- Singular Green Infrastructures: cycle pedestrian infrastructures, smart soils, pollinators, vertical GI, horizontal GI, pollutants filter and urban farming
- Non-technical interventions: educational activities, engagement, city coaching, and support activity
Thus, with these solutions, the following impacts may be expected:
- Renaturing urbanization
- Green Route: It is expected that the creation of an 8 km green corridor will encourage sustainable mobility, reduce 212 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions and allow the creation of 7800 square meters of new green surfaces. It is estimated that more than 200,000 citizens will benefit from it.
- Arboreal intervention: Expected impacts include allergy reduction by 50% in the long term both in intensity and duration. Parking lots are recognized as thermal "hot-spots” in cities. By increasing parking lot canopy cover from 0% to 80% the following impacts are expected: reduction of ambient temperature by 2-4°C, reduction of gas emissions coming from vehicles and of NOx gas emissions by 2% and by less than 1% respectively, and CO2 sequestration of 29.18 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
- Resting areas: The green corridor in the football stadium and the floodable park are expected to provide 100m2 of resting area for leisure and sports purpose.
- Carbon capture: It is expected to reduce the ambient temperature by 2°C during summer time, while it should reduce the carbon dioxide level to 16.50 tons equivalent per year.
- Water interventions
- Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDs): By installing them in selected green cycle lanes, it is expected to avoid the need to irrigate 35m3 of water. On the other hand, by installing a rain garden in the car park, it is expected to generate 1000m2 of rainwater, thus removing the need to irrigate 67.5m3 of water per year.
- Flood interventions: It is expected to save at least 5000 m2 of urban land and nearly 8000 citizens from serious flood damage.
- Water treatment: The new green filter area is expected to produce 45000 m3 of water per year. On the other hand, the newly installed plants are expected to avoid the emission of 20.35 tons of CO2 equivalent produced by present day water treatment. The carbon dioxide equivalent emission for both areas are expected to reduce to 14.24 and 7.75 tons per year respectively due to the trees recently introduced to the area.
- Singular Green Infrastructure
- Horizontal green infrastructures: Using microbial fuel cell technology on a wetland, the system is expected to provide electricity needed to irrigate nearby gardens etc. The newly installed green areas in España square and in Zorilla Square are expected to capture water runoff (300 m3/year) and improve energy efficiency in buildings, improving the lives of 1.2 million people per year.
- Pollutant filters: It is expected to improve the air quality by reducing the pollution level produced by road transport. Furthermore, the Volatile Organic Compounds’ pollutant level and the NOx gas level from underground parking areas are expected to reduce by 90% and 75%. respectively
- Urban farming: It is expected to promote the ecological education/awareness between citizens and improve their mental health while an expected number of 2000 students will be visiting the area.
- Non-technical interventions
- Educational activity: It is expected to raise environmental awareness among young people.
- Engagement: 50000 people are expected to participate in all 200 sponsor activities.
- City coaching: 250000 recipients are expected to involved in engagement activities.
- Support activity: A platform, complimentary projects/actions, and city mentoring will be implemented within the city to inform them on NBS solutions. The expected number of recipients are 40000, 250 and 50, for the three respective activities.