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Valuation of Ecosystem Services:
Must progress come at the cost of nature?
Valuation of Ecosystem Services
Environmental Challenges
Biodiversity
Urbanisation
Water Sustainability
Extreme Weather
Energy Consumption
Health Concerns
Air Quality
Did you know….
• The annual cost of road traffic noise in England has been estimated at £7 billion to £10
• Poor Air quality causes 29,000 deaths each year at a cost of around £16 billion per year.
• Value Inland water wetlands bring to water quality £1.5
• The amenity benefits of living close to rivers, coasts and other wetlands is worth up to £1.3billion per year
• The health benefits of living with a view of a green space are worth up to £300 per person per year.
• Pollinators contribute more to the economy than the royal family £430M
Defining economic benefits
• DIRECT ECONOMIC OUTPUTS
• INDIRECT ECONOMIC OUTPUTS
• COST REDUCTION TO PRIVATE and PUBLIC SECTORS
• MANAGEMENT OF RISK
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• Climate change adaptation
• Flood alleviation water management
• Health and well being
• Air quality
• Land and property values
• Products from the land
• Productivity and labour
• Pollinators
• Recreation and leisure
Focus
£ Air Quality
£ Water Sustainability
£ Energy Consumption
Air Pollution in London
The air we breathe has a direct impact on our health and quality of life:
• 3,500 - 8,000 people die prematurely each year due to poor air quality in London
• Individuals could have their lives cut short by 9 years
• Economic cost of the health impacts of poor air quality in the UK is around £15 billion
Source: City of London Air Quality Strategy 2011-2015
Headlines and Articles
• Air pollution death rate up in half of London boroughs – Standard, 06 November 2013
• Air pollution: High levels to spread across England – BBC 2 April 2014
• Air pollution: Long term exposure damages brain in older adults - Jayalakshmi K April 24, 2015
• City too polluted for joggers
Evening Standard, 6 June 2015
• London Boroughs Need Help, Not Fines, To Tackle Air Quality – Londonist, 8 June 2015
Air Pollution and its Sources
Main hazards to health in Cities:
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
• From vehicle emissions and industrial processes
• Particulate Matter (PM10, PM2.5)
• From different sources
Most Polluted Areas in London
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Putney HighStreet
Brent Euston Road Walbrook Road Oxford Street
µg/
m3
Monitored Average NO2 levels
Legal Limit
Source: City of London Air Quality Strategy 2011-2015
Plants: The Natural Purifier
Studies show passive vegetation in a street canyon can reduce concentrations of NO2 by 40% and PM10 by almost 60%.
Active Green Walls can capture microscopic pollutants (PM10) whilst the microorganisms in the substrate breakdown harmful NO2 along with other unwanted emissions and VOCs to 99% purity.
Source: Pugh, et al. Effectiveness of Green Infrastructure for Improvement of Air Quality in Urban Street Canyons. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(14), pp.7692-7699.
Multiple Environmental Benefits Not only Air
Air purification
Reduced heat island effect
Increased biodiversity
Storm water attenuation
Max Fordham Consulting Engineers
2013 - 2014 Floods
• Wettest December – January since 1876
• Damage to train network, homes and businesses, agriculture and industry
• Annual cost of flood damage = £1.6b per year
Approximately 5.2m (one-sixth) of properties in England are at risk of flooding. 1m of these are vulnerable to surface-water flooding. A further 2.8m properties are susceptible to surface water flooding alone. - The Guardian – UK floods the facts
How We Benefit from Attenuation
Permeable surfaces allow water to soak away alleviating surface water run off.
Vertical Rain Garden
Vertical Rain Gardens
Fairs street London Bridge
All we need to do is invite nature back in … one plant at a time
Do Plants Help Us Save Energy?
• Ross Cameron from Reading University reports 26% energy savings can be attributed to retrofitting living façades and roofs
• M&S reported energy saving of over 40% in the Cheshire Oaks store in 2013 after installing large living wall
– Green cladding helps to reduce heat lost overnight during winter
Max Fordham Consulting Engineers
35oC Dry table top
25oC Moss – No fan
Table in the sun
21oC Moss with fan
Hertfordshire UK 17:15 11th August 07
Thermal Benefits of Vegetated Surfaces
Ross Cameron University of Reading (Jan 2010)
Harborne blocks brick box – no plant covering
Harborne blocks brick box – lightly covered in Hedera Helix
Multiple Benefits
Max Fordham Consulting Engineers
• Dust suppression
• Noise reduction
• Aesthetics
• Air quality
• Health & wellbeing
• Anti graffiti
Greener Cities are Healthier Cities
Rubens Hotel – London, Victoria
Seeing greenery reduces stress and recovery rates
Summary
More than we can begin to understand
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