Blue-Green Infrastructure is a way to help mitigate climate change and improve the natural environment.
Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI), is a general term that refers to the network of natural or semi-natural features between villages, towns and cities. It is the greenspaces found between built environments that allow easy access to nature.
The blue elements include ponds rivers, canals wetlands and water management systems. While the green elements include trees and parks, fields, woodland, and other green elements. These networks can be as small as hedges, street trees, or private gardens, but they also include parks, river systems and woodlands.
BGI is an important part of maintaining our human health, and well-being. In fact, we have gained a greater appreciation for the importance of green spaces around our homes and at local levels, especially in the aftermath of the global pandemic.
Helping people, and the planet
BGI is a multifunctional infrastructure that provides many benefits for both humans and the environment.
It is capable of contributing to community resilience and mitigating climate change impacts, such as providing flood mitigation solutions. It can positively impact air quality, water quality and biodiversity, and provide access to nature, recreation, and greatly improve the environment.
Building to improve biodiversity
There is still a great demand for housing in this country. Sustainability is an important consideration when developing new housing developments.
In recent years, the main focus has been on creating energy-efficient housing that emits less carbon. The housebuilding industry, with the help of landscape architects, has the opportunity to consider other aspects of sustainability. By incorporating BGI into new development designs, they can create sustainable places to live that not only are resilient to climate change but also increase biodiversity and provide greater health and well-being benefits for residents.
BGI-rich development can have positive economic effects. By integrating BGI at the beginning of development, a new development will be more likely meet local planning policy targets. This will increase the likelihood that the development will receive planning permission. Green landscape features such as above ground drainage solutions, trees and green spaces, are often cheaper to install than hard landscape elements like underground drainage and paved areas. Attractive green settings are also a good way to increase property values and to attract investment.
Pegasus Group is emphasizing the importance of identifying existing landscape features early in the design process. This allows for consideration of how they can be preserved, enhanced, and integrated into new development plans as part of the multi-functional Blue-Green Infrastructure.
These networks are part of the development area areas and link back to the wider landscape and adjacent settlements, providing valuable connectivity and benefits for local residents, wildlife, and the overall success and success of the project.