Open Garden in Brno

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Brno

Region

Europe

Native title of the NBS intervention

Otevrená zahrada v Brne

Short description of the intervention

Situated in park Spilberk, the garden features a building with a green roof and a garden with various plots. The building is designed to be carbon neutral and reuses rainwater for toilet flushing and for watering the garden plots. The garden is used for horticultural purposes and environmental education, as well as animal and beekeeping. The complex improves the local micro-climate through cooling and humidification and promotes biodiversity. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2; Ref. 5; Ref. 6)

Address

Údolní 567/33
Brno-city, South Moravian Region
602 00 Brno
Czechia

Location

Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place

Total area

16502.00m²

NBS area

16502.00m²

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Public Greenspace Area

Website of the intervention

http://www.otevrenazahrada.cz/

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2006

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2011

End date of the intervention

2016

Present stage of the intervention

Completed

2. Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

- Provide environmental education (Ref. 2)
- Provide a place for recreation (Ref. 6)
- Support biodiversity (Ref. 2; Ref. 1)
- Efficient handling of rainwater (Ref. 1)
- Reduce air pollution (Ref. 2)
- Connecting different urban public spaces and moods - parks with streets, courtyards with gardens (Ref. 4)

Quantitative targets

The project envisaged the following energy balances and parameters for the building with green roof (Ref. 5):

- Specific energy demand for heating: H = 7,0 kWh / m2a
- Specific energy demand for cooling: C = 18.8 kWh / m2a
- Specific primary energy demand = 54.0 kWh / m2a
- Highest air temperature in a residential room T = 25.3C
- Mean value of heat transfer coefficient Uem = 0.209 W / m2K
- Efficiency of heat recovery from exhaust air: 70%
- Highest air temperature in a residential room 25.3C
- Almost 50% of drinking water should be saved as a result of reusing rainwater for toilet flushing and watering the garden (Ref. 1)
70 measuring devices and sensors across the premises that provide important information about the state and consumption of the site. (Ref 6)

Monitoring indicators defined

Building targets (Ref. 5):
- Specific energy demand for heating: kWh / m2a
- Specific energy demand for cooling: kWh / m2a
- Specific primary energy demand: kWh / m2a
- Highest air temperature in a residential room: degrees C
- Mean value of heat transfer coefficient Uem: W / m2K
- Efficiency of heat recovery from exhaust air: %
- Highest air temperature in a residential room: degrees C

(Ref. 1):
Rainwater retention: % of rainwater retained and used for drinking water

(Ref. 6 - see evaluation section for links):
Tonnes CO2-equivalent saved
Litres of water used / captured
Wind speed: km/h
Humidity: %
Barometric pressure: mb
# of measuring devices and sensors across the premises that provide important information about the state and consumption of the site. (Ref 6)
number of visitors and participants in education programs each year (Ref 10)

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)

Climate change adaptation

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Green space creation and/or management

Water management (SDG 6)

Flood protection

Stormwater and rainfall management and storage

Improvements to water quality

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Improving mental health

Creation of opportunities for recreation

Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)

Sustainable consumption

Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?

Reduce exposure to climate risks directly

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

Create or improve outdoor spaces to help people escape from urban heat

Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation

Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)

Implementation activities

Building a green roof on the house provides a habitat for birds and insects, purifies the air, captures rainwater for reuse, and insulates the building. (Ref 2.; Ref. 1). The roof garden contains a wetland biotope that cleans the gray water (Ref. 3). Rainwater is also collected in a storage pond and used for irrigation and other purposes (Ref. 2; Ref. 5). Organizing educational and recreational events. These include sustainable horticulture education, beekeeping and animal care education, sustainable cooking and herbal cosmetics courses, picnics, private events (Ref. 6). "We provide a number of educational and excursion programs for many target groups. " (Ref 10)

Type of NBS project

Creation of new green areas

Creation of semi-natural blue areas

Knowledge creation and awareness raising

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Blue infrastructure

Lakes/ponds

In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors

Community gardens and allotments

Community gardens

Grey infrastructure featuring greens

Green playgrounds and school grounds

Nature on buildings (external)

Green roofs

Type of Green Roof

Semi-intensive Green Roof: depth 5 - 7 inches; plants: Selected Perennials, Sedums, ornamental Grasses, Herbs and little Shrubs; Medium maintenance and costs

Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens

unknown

Vegetation Type

Flower beds

Garden beds

Other

Amenities offered by the NBS

Benches and drinking water stations

Playgrounds

Educational or biodiversity trails

Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Provisioning services

Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)

Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)

Medicinal resources

Regulating services

Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)

Air quality regulation

Carbon storage/sequestration

Water purification / filtration

Pollination

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Cultural services

Recreation

Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)

Social and community interactions

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Non-government organisation/Civil Society

Citizens or community groups

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Led by non-government actors

Non-government actors

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

The Open Garden was built and is managed by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation, who bought the land in 2006 (Ref. 1; Ref. 6). This is an NGO that distributes different grants to projects that promote sustainable development (Ref. 7). The NGO also provides educational and professional services, including in the Open Garden (Ref. 7; Ref. 1). Regarding EU funding, the Operační program Životní prostředí was used, which is a mechanism for the Czech Republic to access funds from the European Union. The fund was operational from 2007-2013 (Ref. 12).

Key actors - initiating organization

Non-government organisation/civil society

Land owners

Other

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Public sector institution

Non-government organisation/civil society

Citizens or community group

EU body

Please specify other participatory methods

CEO's e-mail response: "For individual actions and events we collect feedback from participants.” (Ref. 10)

Land owners

Other

Please specify other land owner

NGO/private sector: The Open Garden was built and is managed by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation, who bought the land in 2006 (Ref. 1; Ref. 6). This is an NGO that distributes different grants to projects that promote sustainable development (Ref. 7).

Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used

Other

Please specify other landowner

Policy drivers

NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy

Unknown

Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"

According to an e-mail response from the CEO of the Open Gardens, the intervention was co-funded (65%) by the EU's Operational Program Environment 2007-2013, priority 7 - Infrastructure for Environmental Education (Ref. 10). The programme was funded by the ERDF 2007-2013 and the Cohesion Fund. The ERDF was governed by Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Regional Development Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1783/1999. The Cohesion Fund was governed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1084/2006 of 11 July 2006 establishing a Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1164/94.

NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan

Unknown

Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan

Response from e-mail from the CEO: "we have incorporated national and regional strategies for environmental education into the design of outdoor educational features with the aim that they fit into the educational curricula of primary schools." (Ref. 10).

NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan

Unknown

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Enablers

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section

2050 strategy for adaptation to climate change in Brno using ecosystem-based approaches (Ref. 9).

If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.

Biodiversity strategy or plan

Please specify other vegetation type

'vegetation', no further specification used in Ref 1.

Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

UrbanAdapt - a network exploring solutions for adaptation to climate change in urban conditions with the use of ecosystem-based approaches. The Open Garden was given as an example of a climate adaptation solution in a publication by UrbanAdapt (Ref. 1).

Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Please specify

ccording to an e-mail response from the CEO of the Open Gardens, the intervention was co-funded (65%) by the EU's Operational Program Environment 2007-2013, priority 7 - Infrastructure for Environmental Education (Ref. 10). The programme was funded by the ERDF 2007-2013 and the Cohesion Fund.

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-financing governance arrangements

Unknown

Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?

Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€2,000,000 - €4,000,000

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

CZK 86 million (3,225,609 EUR) (Ref. 12)

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)

CZK 86 million (3,225,609 EUR) (Ref. 12)

Source(s) of funding

Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

EU funds

Type of fund(s) used

Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Business models

Risk reduction model

Green densification model

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Public actor (e.g. municipality)

Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)

Citizens / local communities

5. Innovation

Type of innovation

Technological

Infrastructural innovation

Social

Cultural innovation

Please specify technological innovation

The green building and the irrigation system through which it is linked to the garden are a technological innovation, while the activities organised in the garden are a cultural innovation (Ref. 1).

Novelty level of the innovation

Unknown

Please specify novelty level of the innovation

Unknown

Replicability/Transferability

Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)

Please specify Replicability/Transferability

6. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Climate change

Lowered local temperature

Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters

Enhanced carbon sequestration

Reduced emissions

Water management and blue areas

Improved stormwater management

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales

Reduced biodiversity loss

Enhanced support of pollination

Description of environmental benefits

The green roof of the building provided the following energy advantages (Ref. 5):

- Specific energy demand for heating: H = 7,0 kWh / m2a
- Specific energy demand for cooling: C = 18.8 kWh / m2a
- Specific primary energy demand = 54.0 kWh / m2a
- Highest air temperature in a residential room T = 25.3C
- Mean value of heat transfer coefficient Uem = 0.209 W / m2K
- Efficiency of heat recovery from exhaust air: 70%
- Highest air temperature in a residential room 25.3C

Additionally, the project supported local biodiversity (Ref 1.), reduced air pollution (Ref. 2) and provided energy requires for the building ina carbon-neutral way (Ref 1.).

There are over 70 measuring devices and sensors across the premises that provide important information about the state and consumption of the site.(ref 6)

- Energy and water savings were achieved in the garden and the buildings as a result of all the sustainable measures (Ref. 6).
- The difference in rainwater retention between the green roof and the classic flat roofs was measured. The green roof was found to collect up to 90% of the rainwater, while the second collected nothing. (Ref. 1)
- The green roof insulates the building, and provides a habitat for birds and insects along with the beehives in the garden. (Ref. 1)
- The environment is cooled down by pumping the retained water into it (Ref. 1)
- The vegetation captures dust from the air and provides food to people (Ref. 1)

Economic impacts

Unknown

Description of economic benefits

No specific economic benefits of the building or green-space are publicly listed. However, the space can be rented, generating some (undisclosed) income (Ref 3.). The building, which was constructed by the Partnership Foundation and houses four environmental organizations, can be rented out for events. (ref 12)

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Indicators

The green roof of the building provided the following energy advantages (Ref. 5):

- Specific energy demand for heating: H = 7,0 kWh / m2a
- Specific energy demand for cooling: C = 18.8 kWh / m2a
- Specific primary energy demand = 54.0 kWh / m2a
- Highest air temperature in a residential room T = 25.3C
- Mean value of heat transfer coefficient Uem = 0.209 W / m2K
- Efficiency of heat recovery from exhaust air: 70%
- Highest air temperature in a residential room 25.3C

Additionally, the project supported local biodiversity (Ref 1.), reduced air pollution (Ref. 2) and provided energy requires for the building ina carbon-neutral way (Ref 1.).

There are over 70 measuring devices and sensors across the premises that provide important information about the state and consumption of the site.(ref 6)

- The difference in rainwater retention between the green roof and the classic flat roofs was measured. The green roof was found to collect up to 90% of the rainwater, while the second collected nothing. (Ref. 1)
- The green roof insulates the building, and provides a habitat for birds and insects along with the beehives in the garden. (Ref. 1)
- The environment is cooled down by pumping the retained water into it (Ref. 1)
- The vegetation captures dust from the air and provides food to people (Ref. 1)
- Visitors are educated about environmental issues and sustainable living (Ref. 1)
- The number of visitors and participants in education programs for 2017 is forecast to be about 20,000 people. In 2016 they were almost 18,000 (Ref. 10)
- Energy and water savings were achieved in the garden and the buildings as a result of all the sustainable measures (Ref. 6).
The building has (Ref. 12):
- 65 seats in the new building of the center
- 49 seats in the seminar hall, 3 meeting rooms (24 counseling seats), which will be followed by external meeting and teaching rooms
- educational garden with an area of 2,900 m2 with 12 interactive views, which will move freely into the green walking roof of the building

Environmental, social and economic impacts

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)

Climate change adaptation

Water management (SDG 6)

Stormwater and rainfall management and storage

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Green space creation and/or management

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Improving mental health

Creation of opportunities for recreation

Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)

Sustainable consumption

Analysis of specific impact categories

Job creation: The NBS created ...

No information available

Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...

Positive distribution of NBS benefits

Improved access to green and/or blue spaces

Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

CEO's e-mail response: "We provide a number of educational and excursion programs for many target groups. We monitor the number of visitors and participants in education programs (the total for 2017 is forecast to be about 20,000 people), for 2016 it was almost 18,000). "For individual actions and events we collect feedback from participants.” (Ref. 10)

Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?

No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project

COVID-19 pandemic

No information was recorded as of July 19, 2020.

Methods of impact monitoring

Process of recording NBS impacts

Conduct a baseline survey before and after NBS implementation

Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation

Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)

Other

Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.

https://www.ibrno.cz/brno/43317-v-centru-brna-roste-ziva-ucebnice-zatim-ma-jedn…

Evidence for use of assessment

Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

Yes

Link to monitoring/evaluation reports

http://oz.nap.cz/OZ/files/88/88fe7812-94da-4616-9df0-9dd9be2dccd6.pdf

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

Link to a web-based monitoring tool

http://www.otevrenazahrada.cz/energie

Impact assessment mechanism

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

In the Open Garden area, they monitor energy, water, and heat and power generation. There are over 70 measuring devices and sensors across the premises that provide important information about the state and consumption of the site. There is also an online monitoring dashboard enabling online sharing of data about the energy and water balance of the buildings and gardens, plus local meteorological metrics. (Ref. 6).

Link to the output of assessments

http://www.otevrenazahrada.cz/energie

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

Other

Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment

CEO's e-mail response: "We provide a number of educational and excursion programs for many target groups. We monitor the number of visitors and participants in education programs (the total for 2017 is forecast to be about 20,000 people), for 2016 it was almost 18,000)
For individual actions and events we collect feedback from participants.” (Ref. 10)

Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation

Unknown

Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment

Unknown

7. Sources

References

Web links relevant to the intervention

Ref. 1. Climate change adaptation strategy of the Czech Republic

Ref. 3. Building company doc about the garden

Ref. 4. Encyclopaedia page about the garden

Ref. 5. Architectural website page about the garden

Ref. 6. Open garden website

Ref. 7. Czech Partnership Foundation website

Ref. 8. UrbanAdapt project description

List of references

Ref. 1. UrbanAdapt (2015). Adaptace na zmenu klimatu ve mestech. [pdf] [Available at: http://urbanadapt.cz/cs/system/files/downloads/publikace-urbanadapt.pdf] [Accessed Jul 20, 2020].
Ref. 2. zelenestrechy.info (2015). Otevrena Zahrada v Brne. [online] [Website unavailable in Jul. 2020]
Ref. 3. Skanska (2012). Vzdělávací a poradenské centrum Otevřená zahrada. [pdf] [Available at: http://www.skanska.cz/cdn-1cf4cd60cca19bc/Global/Produkty_Sluzby/Images/Pozemni_stavitelstvi/DPS-%C4%8Cechy/Otev%C5%99en%C3%A1%20zahrada%20-%20texty_internet.pdf]. [Accessed July 20, 2020].
Ref. 4. Internetova Encyklopedie Dejin (2015). Otevrena Zahrada a Poradenske Centrum. [online] [Available at: http://encyklopedie.brna.cz/home-mmb/?acc=profil_domu&load=895]. [Accessed on July 20, 2020].
Ref. 5. Šmídek, Petr (2013). Otevřená zahrada a poradenské centrum NNO. [online] [Available at: http://www.archiweb.cz/buildings.php?action=show&id=3820]. [Accessed on July 20, 2020].
Ref. 6. Partnership Foundation (No date). Open Garden. [online] [Available at: http://www.otevrenazahrada.cz/Uvod.aspx]. [Accessed July 20, 2020].
Ref. 7. Nadace Partnerstvi (No Date). Environmental Partnership. [online] [Available at: http://www.nadacepartnerstvi.cz/About-us/About-u]. [Accessed July 20, 2020].
Ref. 8. UrbanAdapt (2015). About the Project. [online] [Available at: http://urbanadapt.cz/cs]. [Accessed July 20, 2020].
Ref. 9. Eea Grants (2016). Zásady pro rozvoj adaptací na změnu klimatu ve městě Brně: s využitím ekosystémově založených přístupů Východiska pro zpracování Strategie pro Brno 2050. [pdf] [Available at: https://www.brno.cz/fileadmin/user_upload/sprava_mesta/Strategie_pro_Brno/dokumenty/urbanadapt/Brno_adaptacni_strategie_fin.pdf]. [Accessed July 20, 2020 2017).
Ref. 10. Kundrata, M. (2017). Interview. Available below.
Ref. 11. GotoBrno. (No Date). Open Gardens (Otevřená zahrada). [online]. [Available at: https://www.gotobrno.cz/en/place/open-gardens-otevrena-zahrada/]. [Accessed on July 20, 2020].
Ref. 12. iBRNO. (2012). The living textbook Open Garden grows in the center of Brno. [online]. [Available at: https://www.ibrno.cz/brno/43317-v-centru-brna-roste-ziva-ucebnice-zatim-ma-jedno-patro.html]. [Accessed on July 20, 2020].

Additional comments

An e-mail was sent to the team leader of the Gardens asking for information about policies, building codes, impact and performance monitoring, and financing (Ref 10)

Interview

Attachment	Size
E-mail response to questions about the database (16.94 KB)	16.94 KB

Interview comments

The initial e-mail asked whether the contact could provide any supporting documentation or websites to reference the information, but no such sources were received (Ref 10)

Comments and notes

Comments

In Ref. 1, the building and the garden next to it are presented as two different projects - "otevrena zahrada v Brne" and "Boromejská zahrada v Brne". However, there is virtually no separation between them.

ecosystem services, medicinal resources- they produce herbs with medicinal properties: http://www.otevrenazahrada.cz/Pro-skoly/Bylinky.aspx.

Regarding EU funding, the Operační program Životní prostředí was used, which is a mechanism for the Czech Republic to access funds from the European Union. The fund was operational from 2007-2013 (Ref. 12).

Pictures of the NBS

/sites/default/files/nbs/images/boromejska_zahrada.jpg

/sites/default/files/nbs/images/otevrena-zahrada-770x560_0.jpg

Public Images

Open Garden Education and Counseling Center Building

Source: https://www.archiweb.cz/b/otevrena-zahrada-a-poradenske-centrum-nno

Open Garden in Brno

Source: https://www.gotobrno.cz/en/place/open-gardens-otevrena-zahrada/

Open Garden in Brno

Source: https://www.gotobrno.cz/en/place/open-gardens-otevrena-zahrada/