Urban regeneration of Silk District

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Iaşi (FUA)

Region

Europe

Native title of the NBS intervention

Regenerare urbană Silk District

Short description of the intervention

The Silk District is a real estate project by Prime Kapital in partnership with MAS P.L.C., integrating green spaces into its urban design (1-10). It focuses on regenerating a brownfield site, an abandoned industrial area left undeveloped in one of Iasi's neighborhoods (1). The project aims to revitalize the area, improving its aesthetics, reducing pollution, and repurposing it into a commercial and residential space (1). A key feature of the project is the incorporation of green spaces throughout its design (1).
The development spans 101,000 square meters, with 40,500 square meters (combined) dedicated to green spaces and "car-free" open areas (1, 2, 6, p.2). These green elements are designed to offer spaces for relaxation, recreation, and social interaction, while also contributing to environmental benefits such as air filtration, temperature regulation, rainwater drainage, and soil erosion prevention, all promoting better health for residents (1, 2, 4, 6, p.12). The landscape design includes “green islands” and vegetation-covered roofs for parking structures (4).
Launched in 2021 after receiving municipal approval, the project is ongoing and has already made significant progress, with over 10,000 perennial plants and 401 trees planted (4, 9). Upon completion, the landscape will feature 7,100 square meters of perennials, 3,000 square meters of shrubs, and an urban forest containing 2,400 trees (6, p.12).
The total investment in the project is €20,000,000 (7). In 2024, one of the completed office buildings earned a BREEAM green certification, achieving one of the highest possible scores, in collaboration with the consulting firm BuildGreen (5, 8). The landscape design was carried out by the architectural firm Beros Abdul+ (4). Before receiving approval, the project was opened for public consultation, and an independent online survey showed strong support from the community (15, 16).

Website of the intervention

https://silkdistrict.ro/blog/concept-peisagistic-integrat-vino-sa-vezi-primele-…

Principal problems

Climate-Related Hazards

Heat stress & Extreme temperatures

Environmental Degradation

Soil degradation and loss

Air pollution

Physical water retention and availability

Health, Well-being and Social cohesion

Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)

Mental health issues (stress, anxiety)

Inadequate access to recreational opportunities

Social fragmentation and isolation

Implementation area characterization

Climate

Continental (Cold-summer humid continental, Cold-winter dry continental, Cold-summer dry continental)

Ecosystem

Urban or built environment

Address

Calea Chișinăului 22
700264 Iași
Romania

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 image 1: https://apix.ro/cea-mai-inalta-cladire-de-la-silk-iasi-va-avea-25-de-etaje/
Source image 2: https://silkdistrict.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SILK-office-brochure-without-offer.pdf

Total area

101000.00m²

Area description

Urban (main city)

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Brownfield site (previously contaminated or derelict land)

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2019

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2021

End date of the intervention

ongoing

Present stage of the intervention

Ongoing

2. Objectives of the intervention

Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

To transform a former industrial area into living quarters with green spaces including green roofs, urban park/forest
To create spaces for relaxation, recreation, and social interaction.
To improve air quality and temperature through filtration and regulation.
To regulate local temperature through natural cooling.
To manage rainwater through drainage and filtration.
To prevent soil erosion.
To reduce energy consumption costs. (1, 2, 4, 6, p.12)

Key Priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

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

Climate change adaptation

Environmental quality

Air quality improvement

Soil quality improvement

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Green space creation and/or management

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Regulation of built environment

Conversion of former industrial areas

Water management (SDG 6)

Stormwater and rainfall management and storage

Improvements to water quality

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Creation of opportunities for recreation

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Social interaction

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Real estate development

Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides

Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect

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

Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater

Implementation activities and NBS focus

Implementation activities

The project includes the plantation of a diverse range of species to act as an urban forest, comprising 2,400 trees, 3,000 square meters of shrubs, and 7,100 square meters of ornamental, floral, and perennial plants (6, p.12). It also involves the creation of playgrounds and areas with sports equipment, all surrounded by green elements (1 & 2). Additionally, green islands and vegetation-covered roofs are being incorporated into parking lots (4). A smart landscape design has been developed to direct rainwater toward green surfaces, allowing for natural retention and regulation of water (2 & 4). In 2021 401 trees and 10,000 plants have been planted. The project selected plants that are more resistant to drought and need little care. (4)
Before implementation, a public consultation was held with the municipality, involving citizens and representatives from various organizations, associations, local businesses, and public institutions (15). An independent survey was also conducted to gather feedback from the residents of Iași regarding the initiative (16).

Type of NBS project

Creation of new green areas

Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests

Creation of green roofs and walls

Transformation of previously derelict areas

Brownfield redevelopment

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

Sustainable urban drainage systems

Nature on buildings (external)

Green roofs

Parks and urban forests

Large urban parks or forests

Amenities offered by the NBS

Benches and drinking water stations

Playgrounds

Sports areas and equipment

Design elements for well-being

Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation)

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Regulating services

Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)

Air quality regulation

Water purification / filtration

Cultural services

Recreation

Social and community interactions

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Demographics in implementation area

The project is located in the Iasi district known as "Baza 3" (13). Surrounding the project there is a lack of green spaces for the citizens (13). The area used to be an old industrial complex (1 & 2) and thus not largely populated, although the district is known for combining commercial and residental areas (12). According to open surveys available to the citizens, the district is regarded as one of the most unsafe and "dirty" of the city, although also has the highest score on quality of the air and is also regarded as an area with high costs of living (11 & 12 & 14).

Socio-economic profile of the area

High-income

Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts

Unknown

Non-government actors

Private sector/Corporate/Business

Primary Beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality

Private sector/Corporate/Company

Citizens or community groups

Specify primary beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality: "The impact study of the project showed that Silk District will bring a contribution of 159 million euros to the local budget in the next 10 years, through fees and taxes, and will generate an increase in the job offer by more than 10,000 jobs in the area of offices, retail and services" (15).
-Private sector/Corporate/Company: "We will create a new urban community through the conversion of a former industrial site, which will support the concept of an ecological neighborhood and offer expansion opportunities to national and local companies" (2).
-Citizens or community groups: "Plants and trees help filter pollutants from the air, retain dust, produce oxygen and directly contribute to increasing the health of the population and the level of social integration" (4).

Marginalized groups

Unknown

Other beneficiaries

Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification)

City infrastructure (e.g., reduced flooding, improved water quality)

Public health (e.g. increased physical activity opportunities, reduced stress)

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

Prime Kapital and MAS P.L.C. as real estate developers were the main initiators and investors of the project (1 to 10). Beros Abdul+, an architectural company was in charge of the landscape design (4). BuildGreen, a consulting company supported the achievement of the BREEAM certificate (5 & 8). The municipality approved the construction of the project in the selected area (9). Before the project was approved, it was launched for public consultation, in which citizens and representatives of interested organisation, associations, surrounding business environment and public institutions participated (15). Moreover, an independent private firm for market research services (Gfk Romania) carried out a survey among citizens to seek opinion on the real state project, which showed positive appreciation (16).

Key actors - initiating organization

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Local government/municipality

Public sector institution

District/neighbourhood association

Citizens or community group

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Stages of citizen and community engagement

Planning and design (e.g. site selection, identification of key priorities)

Level of citizen and community engagement

Limited

Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives

Creation of collaborative decision-making processes that actively involve community members

Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)

Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)

Taskforce groups

Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")

Unknown

Land owners

Private sector or company

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

Yes

Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"

Planului Urbanistic Zonal IASI, CALEA CHISINAULUI NR. 22, NUMAR CADASTRAL 14911 (17)/ IASI Zonal Urban Plan

Relevant strategy or plan

General municipal plan

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Enablers & Barriers

Type of enablers

Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)

Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.

Private real estate company collaborated with the municipality and with citizens to plan the project. (1,2)

Governace and decison-making instruments

Legislative and regulatory instruments (e.g. laws, strategies, regulations or restrictions)

Public - private business agreement (e.g. public private collaborations, public-private-partnerships (PPP))

Arrangements for governance cooperation

Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups)

Task forces or commissions (e.g. group of multi-disciplinary experts)

Barriers

Unknown.

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Please specify total cost (EUR)

20,000,000 (7).

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

Unknown.

Source(s) of funding

Corporate investment

Type of fund(s) used

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

Non-financial contribution

Co-finance for NBS

Co-governance arrangement

Unknown

Entrepreneurship opportunities

Business models

Risk reduction model

Green densification model

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer)

5. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Climate change

Lowered local temperature

Expected lowered local temperature

Energy efficiency improvements

Expected energy efficiency improvements

Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves

Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves

Environmental quality

Improved air quality

Expected improved air quality

Water management and blue areas

Improved stormwater management

Expected improved stormwater management

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Achieved increased green space area

Increased number of species present

Achieved increased number of species present

Description of environmental benefits

-Expected lowered local temperature: "Thus, we ensure a natural ecosystem that will cool the environment, reduce the cost of energy and offer residents optimal working and leisure conditions" (2).
-Expected energy efficiency improvements: "Thus, we ensure a natural ecosystem that will cool the environment, reduce the cost of energy and offer residents optimal working and leisure conditions" (2).
-Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves: "Plants and trees help regulate temperature and humidity, which creates a more pleasant climate during seasons with extreme temperatures" (4).
-Expected improved air quality: "Plants and trees help filter pollutants from the air, retain dust, produce oxygen and directly contribute to increasing the health of the population and the level of social integration" (4).
-Expected improved stormwater management: "The alleys laid out at ground level are designed in such a way as to ensure the drainage of rainwater and its direction to the green spaces, respectively the natural collection and filtration systems" (4).
-Achieved increased green space area: "Plantation of diverse species of trees to create an urban forest (2400 trees), shrubs (3000 sq. m.) , ornamental and floral and perennial plants (7100 sq. m)" (6, p. 12).
-Achieved increased number of species present: "This fall, the outdoor spaces related to Phase 1 Residential & Office have already been landscaped, including 10,000 perennials and 401 trees" (4).

Environmental impact indicators

Green space area created (in ha)

1,1

Economic impacts

Increase in GDP

Achieved increase in GDP

Stimulate development in deprived areas

Achieved stimulate development in deprived areas

Reduce financial cost for urban management

Expected reduce financial cost for urban management

Attraction of business and investment

Expected attraction of business and investment

Description of economic benefits

-Achieved increase in GDP: "The impact study of the project showed that Silk District will bring a contribution of 159 million euros to the local budget in the next 10 years, through fees and taxes, and will generate an increase in the job offer by more than 10,000 jobs in the area of offices, retail and services" (15).
-Achieved stimulate development in deprived areas: "Even though there were browfield projects in Iași, on a smaller scale, the 200 million euro investment by those from Prime Kapital becomes a landmark both in terms of the value of the project and the area of land regenerated and returned to the community" (1).
-Expected reduce financial cost for urban management: ""Thus, we ensure a natural ecosystem that will cool the environment, reduce the cost of energy and offer residents optimal working and leisure conditions" (2).
-Expected attraction of business and investment: ""We will create a new urban community through the conversion of a former industrial site, which will support the concept of an ecological neighborhood and offer expansion opportunities to national and local companies" (2).

Mental health benefits

Reduced stress

Improved mood

Restoration and relaxation

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

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Type of indicators

Outcome indicators

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

Yes

Link to monitoring/evaluation reports

https://tools.breeam.com/projects/explore/buildingdetails.jsp?id=21020341&from=…

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

Certificate tool (BREEAM) to assess the sustainability of the construction proccess and cost management of a building (5 & 8).

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.)

Online disclosure of technical reports (e.g. project documents, reports, or data)

Justice

Community satisfaction

Positive: The majority of feedback and reports indicate high levels of satisfaction and appreciation for the NBS project within the community.

Description of locals satisfaction with the project

77% of the respondents of and independent survey on the project for Iasian citizens believe that the project is welcome and beneficial to the Iasi community by creating new jobs, attracting new investments, increasing the offer on the real estate market and the economic development of the area (16).

Trade-offs & Negative impacts

Unknown

Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement

No initiatives or policies were implemented

High-quality & Transformative NBS

Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community)

Yes

Goal setting and impacts delivery

No, although benefits were delivered in all the 3 key areas, but in the planning phase, the project did not aim to address issues in all the 3 key priority areas.

Reaching original project goals

Most of the project goals were achieved

Please specify the achievements of the project goals

Climate action Goals:
-Expected lowered local temperature: "Thus, we ensure a natural ecosystem that will cool the environment, reduce the cost of energy and offer residents optimal working and leisure conditions" (2).
-Expected energy efficiency improvements: "Thus, we ensure a natural ecosystem that will cool the environment, reduce the cost of energy and offer residents optimal working and leisure conditions" (2).
-Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves: "Plants and trees help regulate temperature and humidity, which creates a more pleasant climate during seasons with extreme temperatures" (4).
-Expected improved air quality: "Plants and trees help filter pollutants from the air, retain dust, produce oxygen and directly contribute to increasing the health of the population and the level of social integration" (4).
-Expected improved stormwater management: "The alleys laid out at ground level are designed in such a way as to ensure the drainage of rainwater and its direction to the green spaces, respectively the natural collection and filtration systems" (4).
-Achieved increased green space area: "Plantation of diverse species of trees to create an urban forest (2400 trees), shrubs (3000 sq. m.) , ornamental and floral and perennial plants (7100 sq. m)" (6, p. 12).
-Achieved increased number of species present: "This fall, the outdoor spaces related to Phase 1 Residential & Office have already been landscaped, including 10,000 perennials and 401 trees" (4).

Long-term perspective

Yes

Cost-effective solutions

Equitable impacts

C. Unknown

Transformative capacity

Technical change (e.g. built infrastructure of cities and their parts, roads, buildings and so on)

Magnitude of change

Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation

Application of lessons learned

Unknown

Perception of Environmental Change

6. Sources

References

7 Iasi (2021). Silk District, de la ruine la un cartier modern și ecologic . Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Ziarul de Iasi (2019 ). Silk District Proiectul de regenerare urbana ce va transforma un fost sit industrial intr-un cartier ecologic. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Prime Kapital (n.d.). Jurnal de construcție - Silk District. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Prime Kapital (2023). Concept peisagistic integrat_ vino să vezi primele amenajări din Silk District!. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Prime Kapital (2024). Silk District Office - Prima clădire din Iași care obține certificarea BREEAM Outstanding! - Silk District. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Prime Kapital (n.d.). SILK-office-brochure-without-offer. p. 2 & 12. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

LaIasi (n.d.). Silk District, investiţie de 200 milioane de euro la Iaşi - La IASI. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

BRE Global (2024). BREEAM Projects. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Primaria Iasi (2020). P.U.Z. HCL_168_2020 Primaria Iasi 2020. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

10.

MAS P.L.C. (2024). MAS-Investor-presentation-Jun-24. p. 9 Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

11.

STORIA (n.d.). Trai, Storia, Cartier Baza 3 score. Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

12.

Inter Imobiliare (2022). Zona Baza 3, un cartier ce combina rezidentialul cu industrialul. Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

13.

Harta Blocuri (n.d.). Harta Iaşi cu anul construcţiei blocurilor . Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

14.

Cristian, G. (2024). Care sunt cele mai nepoluate, sigure și curate cartiere din Iași_. BZI , Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

15.

Ziarul de Iasi (2019). Proiectul Silk District, în dezbatere publică la Primăria Municipiului Iași . Accessed on October 3, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

16.

Ziarul de Iasi (2019). 77_ dintre ieşeni cred că proiectul Silk District va aduce beneficii Iaşului . Accessed on October 3, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];

Comments and notes

Comments

The sq. m. of the green spaces is combined with the amount of open air "car-free" spaces, and no other numbers are mentioned alone about green spaces, except for the surface of shrubs and perennial plants. Still it is not possible to assess the exact number of sq. m. of the green spaces.

On satisfaction about the project, I could only find google reviews and some comments on reddit, but there are no very specific about the green spaces, and seemed mixed and not very verifiable to me.

Additional insights

I selected "yes" in long-term sustainability because the selection of plants were those that "are more resistant to drought and need little care" (4). I did not know were to add this specific information.

Public Images

Silk District

https://www.instagram.com/silkdistrict/

Silk District

https://www.instagram.com/silkdistrict/

Residential infrastructure combined with green spaces

https://silkdistrict.ro/jurnal-de-constructie/?_gl=1*cl8d56*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzM0NDA2MTI3LjE3MjQ0MDk3NjQ.*_ga_NQPL62BX63*MTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4xLjAuMTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4wLjAuMA..

Residential infrastructure combined with green spaces

https://silkdistrict.ro/jurnal-de-constructie/?_gl=1*cl8d56*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzM0NDA2MTI3LjE3MjQ0MDk3NjQ.*_ga_NQPL62BX63*MTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4xLjAuMTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4wLjAuMA..

Silk District

https://www.instagram.com/silkdistrict/