1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Gdansk (FUA) Region Europe Native title of the NBS intervention Ogród deszczowy 2.0 Short description of the intervention The Rain Garden 2.0 project at Gdańsk University of Technology is an innovative green infrastructure initiative that manages and purifies rainwater while enhancing biodiversity. Part of the international NICE (Nature-based solutions for urban climate adaptation) initiative, this project serves as a living hub for testing solutions to address urban climate challenges. Opened in July 2023, the rain garden exemplifies a multifunctional approach to water retention, pollutant filtration, and urban biodiversity support. It is located behind the Faculty of Chemistry's Building C and has a capacity exceeding 11 cubic meters. (Ref. 1; Ref. 6) The garden, designed by researchers from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the leadership of Prof. Magdalena Gajewska, captures rainwater runoff to prevent urban flooding and mitigate the strain on storm sewer systems. It absorbs pollutants, improves water quality, and supports over 1,100 hydrophyte plants, creating a natural solution for heavy rainfall events. Beyond water management, the garden contributes significantly to urban biodiversity. Its moist soil and diverse plant species—designed to thrive in a range of conditions—help create habitats for insects and other small wildlife, boosting ecological resilience. (Ref. 1) The rain garden’s innovative design consists of several key components. The first stage channels rainwater into reservoirs, reducing the energy of inflowing water. Subsequent parts purify the water through sedimentation processes, effectively filtering out pollutants such as those from streets and roads. Early research shows that these purification methods work exceptionally well, retaining a broad spectrum of pollutants before the water reaches the garden’s main basin. The project also benefits from cutting-edge laboratory equipment, allowing for detailed monitoring and analysis of water quality. (Ref. 1) Website of the intervention https://pg.edu.pl/aktualnosci/2023-10/ogrod-deszczowy-20-w-gdansku-powstal-na-pg Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards River flooding Urban flooding (stormwater) Drought Heat stress & Extreme temperatures Environmental Degradation Biodiversity loss Poor water quality Implementation area characterization Climate Temperate ( Humid subtropical, Hot-summer Mediterranean, Warm-summer Mediterranean, Warm-temperate with dry winter) Ecosystem Rivers/streams Urban or built environment Address Traugutta 33 80-221 Gdańsk Poland Location The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by). Area boundary (map-based) NBS area image Source of NBS area image Source: https://pg.edu.pl/aktualnosci/2023-10/ogrod-deszczowy-20-w-gdansku-powstal-na-pg Area description Urban (main city) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Public Greenspace Area Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2022 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2023 End date of the intervention 2023 Present stage of the intervention Completed 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention To manage rainwater effectively through innovative green infrastructure. (Ref. 1) To purify rainwater from pollutants before it enters water systems. (Ref. 1) To ensure water retention for sustainable urban water management. (Ref. 1) To protect urban areas from flash floods caused by heavy rainfall. (Ref. 1) To adapt the city to the impacts of climate change through nature-based solutions. (Ref. 1) To regulate the temperature in the immediate surroundings of the rain garden. (Ref. 1) To increase biodiversity by creating habitats and supporting native species. (Ref. 1) Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration) 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 Habitat and biodiversity restoration Water management (SDG 6) Flood protection Stormwater and rainfall management and storage Improvements to water quality Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention? Species-focused Ecosystem-focused What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets? Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified) Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities This project is being implemented at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering of Gdańsk University of Technology. Gdańskie Wody designed and built the rain garden on behalf of the university. The key activities include the detailed design and construction of the garden, which has a capacity of over 11 cubic meters. The garden captures and retains rainwater, particularly during heavy rainfall, to prevent it from overwhelming the storm sewer system. The project also implemented a purification system that filters out pollutants through sedimentation processes before the water reaches the retention basin. The structure is crowned by a retention basin, in which over 1,100 hydrophyte plants have been planted. These plants are not only pleasing to the eye of PG students and employees. They are also used by bees from the university hives located nearby.The team responsible for the creation of the garden includes scientists from the Department of Technology in Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology:(1,2). Type of NBS project Creation of semi-natural blue areas Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens) 3. NBS domains, ES and scale NBS domain and interventions Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented Green areas for water management Rain gardens Amenities offered by the NBS Benches and drinking water stations Design elements for well-being Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation) Auditory elements (e.g., birdsong, water features, quiet areas, rustling leaves) Olfactory elements (e.g., floral scents, earthy smells) Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Provisioning services Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes) Regulating services Local climate regulation (temperature reduction) Flood regulation Water purification / filtration Pollination Scale Spatial scale Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area The district is home to 22,979 residents, but its population has been steadily declining in recent years. This decline is reflected in a negative migration balance, which in 2016 was -9.4 per 1,000 residents, and a negative natural increase of -4.7 (7 p.180). As of December 31, 2016, the unemployment rate in the district was 3.7% (7 p.182). Additionally, 536 residents, or 2.3% of the population, received support from MOPR in 2016. The primary reasons for this assistance were disability (52.7%), poverty (47.7%), long-term or serious illness (45.6%), and challenges in care and educational matters (19.4%) (7 p.181). Socio-economic profile of the area Mixed income Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Yes Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities Coastal communities Urban heat islands Non-government actors Researchers, university Primary Beneficiaries Researchers/University Citizens or community groups Specify primary beneficiaries The primary beneficiaries of the rain garden project are the students and staff of Gdańsk University of Technology, particularly those at the Faculty of Chemistry, where the garden is located. The garden provides benefits by managing rainwater, which helps protect the university campus from flash floods and contributes to a more stable and pleasant environment. The broader urban community in Gdańsk also benefits indirectly from the garden’s role in improving water quality and regulating temperatures. These outcomes support the well-being of all who interact with or live near the university, addressing key environmental and ecological challenges (1). Marginalized groups Unknown Other beneficiaries Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators) Native plant vegetation Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification) City infrastructure (e.g., reduced flooding, improved water quality) 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Led by non-government actors Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative The researchers from Gdańsk University of Technology, specifically from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, designed the garden as part of their research initiative. Gdańskie Wody, a local utility agency, was tasked with designing and constructing the garden on behalf of the university (6). The project is part of the international NICE (Nature-based solutions for urban climate adaptation) initiative, funded by the EU. (1) Key actors - initiating organization Researchers/university Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Private sector/corporate actor/company EU body Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping) Taskforce groups Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting) Co-management/Joint management Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Unknown Land owners Educational actor (schools or universities) Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Unknown Mandatory or voluntary intervention Unknown Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Support from transitional governance actors NBS research project (e.g., H2020, Urban Living Labs, national research projects) Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives. NICE (1) The project is part of the international NICE (Nature-based solutions for urban climate adaptation) initiative, funded by the EU. (1) Governace and decison-making instruments Educational and knowledge sharing instruments (e.g. science/ living labs, awareness raising campaigns, specific educational programs, green hubs) Arrangements for governance cooperation Task forces or commissions (e.g. group of multi-disciplinary experts) Barriers Unknown Financing Total cost Unknown Please specify total cost (EUR) Unknown What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? Unknown Source(s) of funding EU funds Type of fund(s) used Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities) Non-financial contribution Yes Who provided the non-financial contribution? Other Please specify other source of non-financial contribution Academic institution (1) Type of non-financial contribution Provision of land Provision of labour Co-finance for NBS No Entrepreneurship opportunities No Business models Business models Risk reduction model Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water) Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Climate change Lowered local temperature Expected lowered local temperature Water management and blue areas Improved water quality Expected improved water quality Increased protection against flooding Expected increased protection against flooding Improved stormwater management Expected improved stormwater management Green space and habitat Increased green space area Achieved increased green space area Reduced biodiversity loss Expected reduced biodiversity loss Description of environmental benefits -Lowered local temperature: "In addition, as the researcher emphasizes, a garden with moist soil also regulates the temperature of its immediate surroundings." (Ref. 1) -Improved water quality/--Achieved increased green space area: "The garden has a capacity of over 11 cubic meters. It manages and purifies rainwater that naturally collected in this area before the investment." (Ref. 6) -Increased protection against flooding: " First of all, it provides water retention. It is thanks to rain gardens that we are able to protect ourselves from flash floods and adapt our city to climate change – explains Prof. Magdalena Gajewska , leader of the team that designed the rain garden at PG. – Intense rainfall, especially after long periods of drought, generates very large surface runoff. All of this, instead of going to the overflowing storm sewer system, goes to the garden, where the water is taken up by plants and quickly evaporates." (Ref. 1) -Improved stormwater management: "Instead of going to the overflowing storm sewer system, ends up in the garden, where the water is taken up by plants and quickly evaporates." (Ref. 1) -Reduced biodiversity loss: "A dozen or so species of plants that can be found in it significantly increase biodiversity." (Ref. 1) Environmental impact indicators Total number of vascular plant species protected or introduced 1100 Water retention capacity (m³ or %) 24 Economic impacts Unknown Description of economic benefits Unknown Social and cultural impacts Unknown Description of social and cultural benefits Unknown Evidence for use of assessment Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process Yes Actors involved in the assessment, monitoring or evaluation of NBS impacts Researchers/university Presence of indicators used in reporting Yes Type of indicators Outcome indicators Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports No evidence in public records Availability of a web-based monitoring tool No evidence in public records Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unkown Use of GIS in mapping impacts No evidence in public records Cost-benefit analysis Unknown Transparency Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in project governance processes (e.g. planning, implementation, monitoring, etc.) Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Description of locals satisfaction with the project Unknown Trade-offs & Negative impacts Unknown Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement No initiatives or policies were implemented High-quality & Transformative NBS Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community) No Goal setting and impacts delivery No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas. Reaching original project goals Most of the project goals were achieved Please specify the achievements of the project goals Climate action and biodiversity: -Lowered local temperature: "In addition, as the researcher emphasizes, a garden with moist soil also regulates the temperature of its immediate surroundings." (Ref. 1) -Improved water quality/--Achieved increased green space area: "The garden has a capacity of over 11 cubic meters. It manages and purifies rainwater that naturally collected in this area before the investment." (Ref. 6) -Increased protection against flooding: " First of all, it provides water retention. It is thanks to rain gardens that we are able to protect ourselves from flash floods and adapt our city to climate change – explains Prof. Magdalena Gajewska , leader of the team that designed the rain garden at PG. – Intense rainfall, especially after long periods of drought, generates very large surface runoff. All of this, instead of going to the overflowing storm sewer system, goes to the garden, where the water is taken up by plants and quickly evaporates." (Ref. 1) -Improved stormwater management: "Instead of going to the overflowing storm sewer system, ends up in the garden, where the water is taken up by plants and quickly evaporates." (Ref. 1) -Reduced biodiversity loss: "A dozen or so species of plants that can be found in it significantly increase biodiversity." (Ref. 1) Long-term perspective Unknown: No information about the project's long-term sustainability. Cost-effective solutions Unknown Equitable impacts A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project Transformative capacity Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution) Magnitude of change Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation Application of lessons learned The NBS has been shared or used as a good practice to trigger transformative change Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. Politechnika Gdańska (2023). Ogród deszczowy 2.0 w Gdańsku powstał na PG. Gdańsk: Politechnika Gdańska, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. Biała, I. (2023). Piękny i eksperymentalny. Zobacz najnowszy ogród deszczowy w Gdańsku. Gdańskie Centrum Multimedialne, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. NICE (n.d.). Gdansk. NICE, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. Polish Science (2023). New rain garden created on the campus of the Gdansk University of Technology. Polish Science, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. Gdańskie Wody (n.d.). Ogród deszczowy Politechnika Gdańska. Gdańskie Wody, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. Lisowska, K. (2023). Politechnika Gdańska ma własny ogród deszczowy. Posłuży do ważnych badań. Property Design, Accessed on August 21, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. Municipal Office in Gdańsk (n.d.). Gdańskie dzielnice tu mieszkam tu działam WRZESZCZ GÓRNY. Gdańsk: Municipal Office in Gdańsk, Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; Comments and notes Public Images Image Rain Garden 2.0 in Gdańsk Ref. 5 Image Rain Garden 2.0 in Gdańsk Ref. 5 Image Rain Garden https://www.propertydesign.pl/architektura/104/politechnika_gdanska_ma_wlasny_ogrod_deszczowy_posluzy_do_waznych_badan,45067.html?mp=promo
Image Rain Garden https://www.propertydesign.pl/architektura/104/politechnika_gdanska_ma_wlasny_ogrod_deszczowy_posluzy_do_waznych_badan,45067.html?mp=promo
