1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
Objective of Newcastle Helix - Science Central:
- Bring together academia, the public sector, communities, business and industry to create a global centre for sustainable innovation in the heart of the city (7)
- Create a living laboratory where projects and experiments run at scale, in real time. Infrastructure, urban planning, data, and ageing are the main themes of our research (2)
- Close the gap between academic research and commercial innovation (2)
- Increase capacity for research, education and engagement by providing the necessary facilities (2)
- Respond to urban challenges; generate private investment; increase growth in occupier demand; benefit the local economy; and contribute to better city living environment for citizens (8)
Green wall installation on The Core Building:
- Attract a huge amount of wildlife to the local area, including insects and smaller birds, which will be able to benefit from the plants that are being grown on Science Central.
- Encourage even more flora and fauna in the local area. (5)
- Bring together academia, the public sector, communities, business and industry to create a global centre for sustainable innovation in the heart of the city (7)
- Create a living laboratory where projects and experiments run at scale, in real time. Infrastructure, urban planning, data, and ageing are the main themes of our research (2)
- Close the gap between academic research and commercial innovation (2)
- Increase capacity for research, education and engagement by providing the necessary facilities (2)
- Respond to urban challenges; generate private investment; increase growth in occupier demand; benefit the local economy; and contribute to better city living environment for citizens (8)
Green wall installation on The Core Building:
- Attract a huge amount of wildlife to the local area, including insects and smaller birds, which will be able to benefit from the plants that are being grown on Science Central.
- Encourage even more flora and fauna in the local area. (5)
Quantitative targets
Quantitative targets for Newcastle Helix - Science Central:
- Creation of approximately 4000 jobs and 50 000 students placement (researching, learning and innovating within the city). (9)
Quantitative targets for Green wall installation on The Core Building:
Green wall on core building will consist of a 366sq m area of more than 35,000 plants. (5)
- Creation of approximately 4000 jobs and 50 000 students placement (researching, learning and innovating within the city). (9)
Quantitative targets for Green wall installation on The Core Building:
Green wall on core building will consist of a 366sq m area of more than 35,000 plants. (5)
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of plants planted; surface water captured; number of jobs provided and students researching learning and innovating within the city
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Implementation activities
- Construction of a rail framework on the side of the building (5,13)
- Planting the plants into the boxes (5,13)
- Development of an irrigation system which later was linked to the plant boxes (5,13)
- Installation of 'bee hotels' (5,13)
- Creation of a planted sedum roof (13)
- Installation of rainwater harvesting system (13)
- Planting the plants into the boxes (5,13)
- Development of an irrigation system which later was linked to the plant boxes (5,13)
- Installation of 'bee hotels' (5,13)
- Creation of a planted sedum roof (13)
- Installation of rainwater harvesting system (13)
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Sustainable urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). (Ref. 1, 3)
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The Science Central is considered an example of how to address future challenges to growing cities. Innovation of the interventions is unknown.
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Science Central will have sustainable urban drainage in place which can be used for continued research, become an exemplar and demonstrator for future blue-green infrastructure. (See e.g. Ref. 10)
Also, living green walls (like the one on the Core building) are two recent schemes aiming to bring advantages (e.g. habitat for species, improved air quality) to Newcastle, (see e.g. Marks and Spencer living [green] wall on Northumberland Street). (Ref. 11)
Also, living green walls (like the one on the Core building) are two recent schemes aiming to bring advantages (e.g. habitat for species, improved air quality) to Newcastle, (see e.g. Marks and Spencer living [green] wall on Northumberland Street). (Ref. 11)
