A GREENER EUROPE! Green infrastructure in the light of new European environmental directives

In recent years, with ever more apparent climate change and extreme weather phenomena, policy makers have come to recognise the need for change and a clear plan of action to dissuade at least some of the consequences of irresponsible human actions of the past. The values of ...

URBAN LANDSCAPING – Why greener cities are cooler, smarter and healthier

A recent study of Glasgow by researchers Emmanuel and Loconsole advocated that an increase in greenspace of 20% above the current level could eliminate between a third and a half of the city's expected urban heat island effect in 2050. (1) But why do we need to take action in ...

Grow bacteria for a clean environment, or how the right landscaping solutions can help

Bioremediation – are you familiar with the process? Bioremediation is a waste management technique that involves using organisms to remove or neutralize pollutants from a contaminated site. Bioremediation is a treatment that uses naturally occurring organisms to break down ...

Green wall: another dimension of a green roof?

Plants have been growing on building façades since the first stone was laid – but living walls represent the next generation. The father of the patent for the idea of a green wall was Stanley Hart White back in 1938. However, it was Patrick Blanc who created the most famous ...

Managing Landscaping – the Californian way

In California, the largest part of all urban water usage goes to landscaping. There, water consumption for outdoor applications can reach as much as 60% of total urban consumption (according to AWWA Research Foundation). Many ongoing initiatives for California's urban landscape ...

Is landscaping in arid areas possible – and successful?

The landscaping industry has been constantly evolving during recent years and is expected to continue to see good growth in the coming years. Wondering why? The answer is simple – because people are becoming more particular about maintaining their yards and environments, both ...

Why does urban green infrastructure matter?

Let's take a closer look at Europe1 (with similar trends worldwide): 75% of Europeans – and well more in the future – live in or around cities. City dwellers are exposed to pollutant levels exceeding EU air quality standards, in particular particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3), ...