Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place

Interkultural Garten was founded in 2009 as an initiative of the Society for the Promotion of Occupational and Social Integration. The aims of the project are social integration between migrants and locals from the same neighborhood, healthy and free-off-charge food supply for those who are in need, as well as the improvement of the natural environment in the neighborhood. The garden plot is located on the former Reese barracks ground (Ref. 1).

On an office building, one of the largest green walls of Belgium was created (50.000 plants) that improves air quality, reduces heat stress, and improves biodiversity. The green wall also isolates the building, resulting in less energy use (Ref. 1-3). The wall consists of a variety of native plants and is irrigated with water collected on the roof of the building (Ref. 1, 2).

A roof garden of about 370 square meters was built on the new building of the Diakonissenklinik in the course of the general renovation. The new intensive greening of the roof can be seen from many hospital wards and serves as an additional recreation facility for its patients (Ref. 1).

Huerto del Miravete is one of the several school gardens that have been supported by municipal, regional and national policies for environmental education on orchards. Huerto del Miravete was a two-year-long project, for the creation of a school garden and irrigation system for use by students in the elementary school system. (Ref 1)The presented intervention is an effort to introduce students to the traditional orchards of the region and the labours involved with them, and to educate on ecological processes through student participation in the garden.

The intervention to regenerate 5 squares in the city of Catania is a result of an announcement published by the EU, where European cities had the chance to present projects to get funds. Catania municipality was chosen for the importance of the areas from a historical and cultural perspective, and for the aim to insert green areas and vegetation both inside and outside the historical buildings. The square will see a new green area, in a process of linkage of nature and architecture. The whole area will be filled with some Mediterranean plants and trees (Ref.1.)

The Faktory project claims to be the first European smart greenhouse, located in the Science Park of Liege. The building serves as a Private Incubator of young start-ups focusing on tech, but it has sustainability goals, too; it is a showcase of urban agriculture, there is biodiversity integration, and the plants produced in the building contribute to supplying the cafeteria (Ref. 1).

The aim of ReWaM was to show ways how different forms of use of water bodies can be reconciled with their protection in order to sustainably maintain the diversity and efficiency of the different water ecosystems. This applies to both rural, suburban and urban regions (ref. 8). Increased sealing of urban surfaces and combined sewer systems for rain- and wastewater pose major challenges for urban water management. Therefore, the university of applied sciences and the city of Münster participated in a research project as one of three pilot cities running from 2015 to 2018 concerning improved rainwater management and the development of respective planning instruments. Several green roofs at the university campus were used as test spaces to explore and monitor rainwater infiltration efficiency and feasible green roof compositions. Also, different permeable surface coatings were tested at the urban depot (Ref. 1 and 4).

The new sports campus that has recently been opened in The Hague contains multiple NBS solutions including one of the largest green roofs in the area, permeable paving of parking spots, a creek and trees that can stormwater storage. The building of the sports campus on which the green roof is created is completely CO2 neutral as it runs on solar and geothermal energy. (1,2,5,6,7,8).

The entire neighbourhood area was calling for interventions, considering the conditions of decay of this part of the city. The initiative was requested by the residents of the area, in particular considering the state of plants and trees. What needs to be provided is a new surface of grass to replace the terrain on the ground to avoid problems of flooding and new plantations. The park has an important function in terms of mitigation of anthropogenic pressures, but also in terms of social value for the residents. (Ref.1.)

The project was started by a group of local people with the aim of turning a barren piece of land into allotments. The aim was to benefit residents/members of the public by growing their own (local) food (and learning e.g. how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers for wildlife as well as bee-keeping). 29 allotments were created. (Ref. 1, 2, 3)