1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Bielefeld
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Grüne Hülle für Bielefelder Gastronomie-Neubau - der Grüner Würfel
Short description of the intervention
Developer company Helix plant systems built a facade for the restaurant at the Kasselbrink pavilion located at one of the central squares of Bielefeld. According to the preliminary expectations, the green facade will release 760 kg of oxygen per year and absorb 1070 kg of CO2, having a positive effect on the ecosystem, reduce the building's energy use for heating and cooling while also has aesthetic value by breaking the grey tone of the square (Ref. 1, 7, 8).
Address

Kesselbrink 2
33602 Bielefeld
Germany

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
NBS area
4500.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Central Business District / City Centre
Website of the intervention
https://www.helix-pflanzen.de/de/pflanzensysteme
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2013
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2014
End date of the intervention
2014
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
1. Increase in the aesthetic value of a building (3);
2. Improvement of the microclimate in and around the building (3);
3. Facade protection and insulation against heat or cold (3).

Quantitative targets
1. To install 12 000 living plants that comprise the green facade (1);
2. The green facade is expected to release 760 kg of oxygen per year (1);
3. The green facade is expected to absorb 1070 kg of CO2 per year (1).
Monitoring indicators defined
number of plants
released oxygen per year
absorbed oxygen per year
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Environmental quality
Air quality improvement
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation
Implementation activities
1. The green facade of 4500 square meters was installed onto a facade of the pavilion with comuter controlled irrigation system (7, 8)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Green walls or facades
Type of Green Wall
Climbing façades
Vegetation Type
Other
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)
Air quality regulation
Noise reduction
Carbon storage/sequestration
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Private sector/Corporate/Company
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Private sector/Corporate/Business
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The project was financed by Bielefelder Non-profit Housing Association (Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft) (2)
The project was completed by Helix Plant Development Company (1)
The project was planned by the architect Sven Detering (1)
Key actors - initiating organization
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Land owners
Other
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Please specify other participatory methods
No participatory methods are identified
Land owners
Other
Please specify other land owner
Bielefelder Non-profit Housing Association (Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft)
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Other
Please specify other landowner
Bielefelder Non-profit Housing Association (Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
No
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
No
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Please specify other vegetation type
Ivy
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
1. Connecting Nature is an EU research project supported by the Trinity College in Dublin. The aim of Connecting Nature is to promote Europe as one Global leadership for innovation and implementation of nature-based solutions. Connecting Nature is financed by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research program. The five-year research program started on June 1, 2017 (6).
2. The University of Applied Sciences in Dresden has conducted experiments concerning the exchange of matter and energy on a hydroponic system planted with 'Hedges by the Metre' using the variety Helix building greens (4).
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The project was financed by Bielefelder Non-profit Housing Association (Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft) (2)
Co-finance for NBS
No
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Not applicable
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
BGW has invested around 2.4 million euros in the construction of the building, however, it is not specified how much the green facade installation costed.
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
2 400 000 EUR by Bielefelder Non-profit Housing Association (Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft) (7)
Source(s) of funding
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
No
Business models
Risk reduction model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Technological
Product innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The first building in Bielefeld fully covered by a green facade (1). For optimal nutrition, all planters are connected to computer control, fully automated irrigation and fertilizer system Helix facade greening system "Elata". Different sensors on sides of the house determine, when and what plants need to be watered (1).
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is copied/derived from previous initiative(s) with substantial adaptation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The innovation if copied from the previous projects completed by Helix, however, it is still unique in the local scale.
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Enhanced carbon sequestration
Environmental quality
Improved air quality
Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
Increased green space area
Description of environmental benefits
- 1. 12 000 living plants were installed to comprise the green facade (1)
- The ivy plants introduced have a total leaf surface of approx. 4,500 square meters. The green facade should release 760 kilograms of oxygen and absorb 1,070 kilograms of CO2 annually (7).
- In summer, the greening system also has a shading and cooling effect on the pavilion (7).
- Many birds foraging among the ivy plants and the first will probably nest here next year (7).
- The green facade reduced the latent heat to 2-3 per cent into sensible heat (4).
Economic impacts
Unknown
Please specify other socio-cultural impact
Aesthetic value
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Other
Description of social and cultural benefits
- The green facade is primary a design element contributing to the visual enhancement of the building and the square (7)
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Number of living plants installed to comprise the green facade (1);
Amount of carbon dioxide captured, and oxygen produced per year (4);
Percentage of reduced latent heat (4).
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Environmental quality
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of August 2020
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
The analysis of a material and energy balance of the wall. According to Dresden University of Applied Sciences evaluation of Material balance of the green facade (4), plants produce oxygen, which is particularly important for mankind, and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is at least temporarily bound. The data for the material balance was determined for an area of 1000 m² planted with 'Hedges by the Metre' and converted to a surface element of one square meter. The major influences on the input side are CO2 (carbon dioxide), fertilizer and water. On the output side there are O2 (oxygen), water vapor, return water and growth, i.e. organic mass. The graphic shows an overview of the significant variables that influence material balance (link).
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Submission of monitoring data (citizen observation)
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Some comments from the restaurant visitors from TripAdvosor evaluate the aesthetic quality of the facade (5)
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Project description at Come and Grow – Der Blog Der Spoga+gafa
A news article at Bielefeld Mitte
Helix Plant Systems
Material and energy balance evaluations
Restaurant reviews from visitors
Connecting Nature
GREEN, INSTANT SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN AREAS Helix Pflanzen GmbH
List of references
1. Helix Pflanzensysteme: Grüne Hülle Für Bielefelder Gastronomie-Neubau. (2014). Come and Grow – Der Blog Der Spoga+gafa. Website not available August 2020
2. Von Ansgar, M. (2013). Polat Bewirtet Grünen Würfel. Bielefeld Mitte. Neue Westfälische, Accessed August 27, 2020, http://www.nw.de/lokal/bielefeld/mitte/mitte/8669895_Polat-bewirtet-gruenen-Wuerfel.html.
3. Helix Plant Systems: About Us. (2012). Accessed August 27, 2020, https://www.helix-pflanzen.de/unternehmen/ueber-helix
4. Helix Plant Systems: Material&Energy. (2012). Website not available August 27, 2020
5. Agora, Bielefeld - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor. (2015). Website not available August 27, 2020.
6. Connecting Nature - Helix Pflanzen forscht mit. Website not available Augsut 27, 2020.
7. Die Grüne Stadt. (2014). Grüne Hülle für Gastronomie-Pavillon in Bielefelds "neuer Mitte". Die Grüne Stadt. Accessed August 27, 2020, https://www.die-gruene-stadt.de/gruen-und-gut/3946/gruene-huelle-fuer-gastronomie-pavillon-in-bielefelds-neuer-mitte
8. Growi. (n/a). Grüner Würfel Bielefeld. Accessed August 26, 2020, https://www.growi.de/referenzen_gruener_wuerfel
Comments and notes
Comments
According to Dresden University of Applied Sciences evaluation of Material balance of the green facade (4), plants produce oxygen, which is particularly important for mankind, and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is at least temporarily bound. The data for the material balance was determined for an area of 1000 m² planted with 'Hedges by the Metre' and converted to a surface element of one square meter. The major influences on the input side are CO2 (carbon dioxide), fertilizer and water. On the output side there are O2 (oxygen), water vapor, return water and growth, i.e. organic mass. The graphic shows an overview of the significant variables that influence material balance (link).
Public Images
Green Facade for the Bielefeld Gastronomic Pavilion
Green Facade for the Bielefeld Gastronomic Pavilion
Werbestudio Hild, retrieved 08/22/2018 from Jonathan Müller
Green Facade for the Bielefeld Gastronomic Pavilion
Green Facade for the Bielefeld Gastronomic Pavilion
Werbestudio Hild, retrieved 08/22/2018 from Jonathan Müller
Green facade for Bielefeld gastronomic pavilion
Source: https://www.helix-pflanzen.de/pflanzensysteme/produkte/helix-elata