1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Málaga
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Laboratorio Urbano
Short description of the intervention
This Urban lab has been installed on the roof of the LIMASA Environmental Center, it is testing what types of plants are best suited for green urban interventions through educational and professional programs offered to women. (ref 1) Two training courses are provided connected to these green roofs through the funding of a La Caixa grant, one training course for women as a potential career opportunity through subsidies from the Ministry of Health, Social Services, and Equality (ref 1).
Address

Camino Medio Ambiental 10
29010 Malaga
Spain

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Building
Website of the intervention
https://www.malagahoy.es/malaga/laboratorio-urbano-aire-libre_0_1018098748.html
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2015
End date of the intervention
2015
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
Determine which are the most suitable plant species to form a green roof in this area where climatic characteristics are highlighted by temperate temperatures throughout the year and a fairly irregular rainfall. (ref 1)
Quantitative targets
Unknown
Monitoring indicators defined
Unknown
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change mitigation
Water management (SDG 6)
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Social justice and equity
Social interaction
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Employment/job creation
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Sequester and store carbon
Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
Implementation activities
Several tables of cultivation with some of the Mediterranean native plants that are considered more appropriate to cover green roofs of buildings as natural insulation. Ex. Rosemary, lavender, lobularia, maritime daisies, and olivilla (ref 1)

The substrates used have been provided by the host company Limasa through their recycling process (mixture of construction material with different levels of pulverization, with tissue leftovers that aid in water-retention) (ref 1)

After the samples are planted, they are exposed to different watering conditions, or left in the sun or shade, to see which ones are the most resilient for future interventions. (ref 1)

Two training courses on green roofs, through funding by La Caixa grant (ref 1)

One training course for women as potential career opportunity, through subsidies from Ministry of Health, Social Services, and Equality (ref 1)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Green roofs
Please specify other type of green roof
Unknown
Type of Green Roof
Other
Vegetation Type
Garden beds
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Please specify "other marginalized group"
Women (ref 1,2); social empowerment through courses and employment opportunities for women at risk of social exclusion and victims of gender-based violence. (ref 3)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Raw materials
Regulating services
Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)
Carbon storage/sequestration
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Recreation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Social and community interactions
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Researchers/University
Citizens or community groups
Marginalized groups
Marginalized groups
Other
Please specify other local relevant strategy
Green employment (ref 3): the intervention was developed along the lines of the Sustainable Malaga Program (Malaga Sostenible) (2015), part of a Green Employment strategy to create an urban network/ lab for the observation of indigenous ecosystems on vegetation cover (ref 3)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Researchers, university
Other
Please specify other non-government actors involved
Foundation (ref 1,2)
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
ENIAC- Foundation of Women and Technology (provides courses for women about eco-solutions) – research partner (ref 1)
University of Malaga – research partner (ref 1)
City of Malaga- institutional and program support under its area of Equality of Opportunities (ref 3)
Limasa (cleaning company) – roof of headquarter building is being used for the project, and company is providing some substrates to project from their recycling process (ref 3)
La Caixa Banking Foundation, Junta de Andalucia (regional government), and Cajasol Foundation – provide support for workshop on green employment on urban laboratory (ref 2)
Key actors - initiating organization
Financial institution
Private foundation/trust
Researchers/university
Land owners
No information found
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Financial institution
Private foundation/trust
Researchers/university
Citizens or community group
Land owners
No information found
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Co-management/Joint management
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an 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"
The intervention was developed along the lines of the Sustainable Malaga Program (Malaga Sostenible) (2015), part of a Green Employment strategy to create an urban network/ lab for the observation of indigenous ecosystems on vegetation cover (ref 3)
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
The Malaga Sostenible project is based on a “Green Employment” strategy, from which the urban lab is a part of. (ref 3)
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Other
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
The intervention itself is an urban lab researching the best-suited local plant species for green roof interventions. (ref 1)
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The activities of the Urban Lab are part of the Green Employment plan, supported by the City of Malaga. (ref 3)
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
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
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)
Unknown, but supported by La Caixa Banking Foundation grant and subsidies from Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality (ref 1)
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Private Foundation/Trust
Commercial banks
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of goods
Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Please specify other Business model
Green employment (ref 2,3)
Business models
Green education 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)
Type of innovation
Technological
Product innovation
Social
Cultural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The intervention is a product innovation because it combines technological innovation of an urban lab installation of the green roof with social empowerment through courses and employment opportunities for women at risk of social exclusion and victims of gender-based violence. (ref 3)
Please specify social innovation
The intervention is a cultural innovation in supporting opportunity and advancement of at risk groups through environmental action, thus enhancing the cultural value of the urban lab. (ref 3)
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is completely new without connections to previous initiative(s)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
There is no mention of other green-roof urban labs with a special focus on women’s education and empowerment.
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Enhanced carbon sequestration
Water management and blue areas
Improved stormwater management
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Increased number of species present
Please specify other economic impact
Employment training (ref 1)
Description of environmental benefits
Expected Impacts:
- It has a damping effect on the temperature of both cold and heat and serves as an insulator because the vegetation is capable of absorbing rainwater and releasing the rest through perfectly channeled runoff (ref 1)
- Absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) and creating a natural habitat for other species (ref 1)
Economic impacts
Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Other
Please specify other socio-cultural impact
social empowerment through courses and employment opportunities for women at risk of social exclusion and victims of gender-based violence. (ref 3)
Description of economic benefits
Achieved Impacts:
- One training course for women as potential career opportunity (ref 1)
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Increased appreciation for natural spaces
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Other
Please specify other environmental justice issue
social empowerment through courses and employment opportunities for women at risk of social exclusion and victims of gender-based violence through environmental connection (ref 3)
Description of social and cultural benefits
Expected Impacts:
- Environmental aesthetics through the green roof (ref 3)

Achieved Impacts:
- Green training workshops for women (ref 1)
- Support research at UMA (ref 1)
-social empowerment through courses and employment opportunities for women at risk of social exclusion and victims of gender-based violence. (ref 3)
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Employment training (ref 1)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Water management (SDG 6)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
other
Voluntary work opportunities
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Other
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 23 September 2020
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
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 evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 1 Un laboratorio urbano al aire libre
Ref. 2 ENIAC: Proyectos
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Ref. 3 01.-DS-Boletin-enero-2015.pdf (2.64 MB) 2.64 MB
List of references
1. Garrido Malaga, Raquel. (2016). UN Laboratorio Urbano al Aire Libre. Malaga Hoy. Available at: http://www.malagahoy.es/malaga/laboratorio-urbano-aire-libre_0_1018098748.html [Accessed: 23 September 2020].
2. Fundacion Mujeres y Tecnologia ENIAC. (2017). Proyectos ENIAC. Available at: https://www.eniac.org.es/espa%C3%B1ol/proyectos/ [Accessed: 23 September 2020].
3. Ayuntamiento de Malaga. (2015). Boletin de Comunicacion del Area de Gobierno de Derechos Sociales. [Document provided].
Comments and notes
Comments
2020 comments:
Not a lot of information available on this intervention.
Pictures of the NBS
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/urbanlab_malaga.jpg
Public Images
Urban Laboratory
Source: Ref. 1