1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
1. Design and build a green barrier aimed at improving the air quality of a school playground in Sheffield, UK;
2. Assess the impacts of the green barrier in terms of playground air quality, pupils’ health, and the co-benefits/dis-benefits perceived by the school community;
3. Assess the feasibility of installing a green barrier in two schools in different contexts: Sheffield, UK and Buenos Aires, Argentina (1).
Green barriers are vertical and horizontal spatial arrangements of various types of vegetation. These barriers will be installed in two schools, between the playground and the street. Currently, two schools are taking part in this project. These schools are in Sheffield and Buenos Aires. (3)
2. Assess the impacts of the green barrier in terms of playground air quality, pupils’ health, and the co-benefits/dis-benefits perceived by the school community;
3. Assess the feasibility of installing a green barrier in two schools in different contexts: Sheffield, UK and Buenos Aires, Argentina (1).
Green barriers are vertical and horizontal spatial arrangements of various types of vegetation. These barriers will be installed in two schools, between the playground and the street. Currently, two schools are taking part in this project. These schools are in Sheffield and Buenos Aires. (3)
Quantitative targets
Serving 269 pupils;
Creating 60 m (3600 sqm) of green barrier between the playground and the street where the school is located;
Involving 50 businesses across the city;
Raising 20,000 pounds;
Planting 50 ivy screens and over 240 plants (1, 2).
Creating 60 m (3600 sqm) of green barrier between the playground and the street where the school is located;
Involving 50 businesses across the city;
Raising 20,000 pounds;
Planting 50 ivy screens and over 240 plants (1, 2).
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of students impacted;
Amount of area covered;
Number of business to which the project reached out;
Amount of money raised to start the project;
Number of plants needed (1, 2).
Amount of area covered;
Number of business to which the project reached out;
Amount of money raised to start the project;
Number of plants needed (1, 2).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Implementation activities
Since its inception in 2017 over 50 businesses and organisations from across the city have supported the #GoGoGreen campaign, offering in-kind services, funds and partnerships essential to its delivery. A combination of fundraising led by our incredible Home School Association and supported by the whole school community, private donations and corporate sponsorship, raised the £20,000 needed for materials, services and plants. The project has also received over £54,000 of in-kind services from businesses donating their time, tools and expertise for free.
In October 2019 teams of volunteers planted 50 ivy screens and over 240 plants in a series of well-attended planting parties.
Daily measurements of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) from the school playground were taken since April 2019 (2).
In October 2019 teams of volunteers planted 50 ivy screens and over 240 plants in a series of well-attended planting parties.
Daily measurements of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) from the school playground were taken since April 2019 (2).
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Previous cases have not been discussed so it's unclear from where the initiators inspired. This being said, before the implementation there was a literature review of green barriers and plants for air pollution mitigation; plant selection and green barrier design; construction of the green barrier in the school playground; lab experiments to assess the capacity of the green barrier plants to capture particulate matter pollution (1)
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
The NBS must be replicated in a school in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
