Funding secured for green infrastructure in cities

Funding for a project that aims to investigate new ways of implementing green infrastructure schemes has been secured.The £110,000 project will see Arup, Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council join together to bring best-practice knowledge to the region, drawn from green infrastructure projects that have been developed around the world.Arup Newcastle will work with colleagues in New York, London and Melbourne, as well as with academics from Newcastle University and the University of the West of England, to review the latest thinking.Additionally, a new community-led green infrastructure scheme will also be developed in Melbourne. It will then be compared to opportunities in Newcastle.The project aims to build on existing research happening in the city, including the BlueGreenCities research project, which is exploring how blue infrastructure such as ponds and lakes, and green infrastructure such as green roofs and walls could be used to manage flood risk across Newcastle city centre.Richard Dawson, professor of earth systems engineering at Newcastle University, said green infrastructure is “extremely effective” in tackling risks from climate change and at the same time bringing benefits to physical and mental health, biodiversity and the economy.