Last updated: November 2021
The project "Sustainable Support Program for Greening Buildings and Minimizing the use of space using the example of Hanover" was established jointly by BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) and the state capital of Hanover. The goal of the project is to transform as many barren house walls and dull grey roofs and asphalted areas into green oases throughout the city. Since May 2013, all house and landowners, housing associations and building communities have been able to apply to the BUND for a subsidy for green roofs and facades. On 2017, the project was expanded to include unsealing of areas like inner courtyards, driveways, etc, thus creating new green areas. Advice on the correct greening measures and on professional unsealing have been also offered by BUND. The project is funded by the state capital of Hanover, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Sparkasse Hannover and by proKlima. The "Green Hanover" funding program will end on December 31, 2020. (Reference 1)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Green walls or facades
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Other
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Noise reduction
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving mental health
- Improving physical health
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Strategy, plan or policy development, Improved governance of green or blue areas
Project objectives
The main goal of the intervention is to transform as many bare houses walls, dreary gray roofs and asphalted areas into green oases throughout the city (Ref. 1).
The specific objectives of this project are as follows:
1) Providing green habitat for species in the city; 2) Aiding in urban water storage and air quality; 3) Having temperature-compensating effect and preventing the summer heating of the buildings; 4) Preserving and increasing biodiversity; 5) Contributing to the well-being of the inhabitants (Ref. 1,2).
Implementation activities
Greening of façades and roofs with eligible measures for small buildings such as houses, garages or carports, as well as commercial buildings such as offices, factories and storage halls.(Reference 1)
-Support program for green roofs and facades: This funding offer has been available in Hanover since mid-2012 and has so far been successfully accepted so that over 10,000 square meters of roof areas and various facades have already been planted.
-Support program for unsealing: With the expansion of the program to include the aspect of unsettling, a new greening offensive has started in the city since 2017. For unsealing measures in the state capital Hanover provides financial grant. (Reference 2)
- Unsealing of areas like courtyards, driveways, etc to increase green areas
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
- Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Create new habitats
- Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
- Capacity building
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was implemented by the city of Hannover in cooperation with the BUND Region Hannover (NGO) and it is directed to different citizens' groups who are eligible to apply for funding.(Reference 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(In response to the "Sustainable Support Program for Building Greening and Minimizing the Use of Land Use in Hannover".(1)
The current project is a continuation of "Innovative Open-End Security Concept for the Development of Green Urban Neighborhoods".(2))
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
- Other
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Reduced noise exposure
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- Increased property prices
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- 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
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
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
References
1. Source link. 2020. 'Greening Hannover' ('Begrüntes Hannover'). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
2.Bund. (no date). 'Greening Hannover' ('Begrüntes Hannover'). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
3. Source link. (no date). '"More Nature in the City" continues' ('"Mehr Natur in der Stadt" wird fortgesetzt') Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
4. BUND. (no date). ‘Good reasons for green roofs and facades’ (Gute Gründe für Dach- und Fassadenbegrünung). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
5. Helmut Wahle and Dirk Schmidt. (2015). ‘Greening buildings as a climate adaptation strategy’ (Gebäudebegrünung als Bestandteil der Klimaanpassungsstrategie). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
6. BUND. (2020). ‘BUND and the city of Hanover promote greenery on walls and roofs’ (BUND und Stadt Hannover fördern Grün auf Wand und Dach). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
7. BUND. (no date). ‘Wild bees on green roofs’ (Wildbienen auf Gründächern). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
8. BUND. (2020). ‘Guided tours and lectures 2020’ (Führungen und Vorträge 2020). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
9. BUND. (2014). ‘Review: Conference "Paths to greening buildings in big cities"’ (Rückblick: Fachtagung „Wege zur Gebäudebegrünung in Großstädten“). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 14 July 2020).
10. City of Hannover. (2016). ‘City development plan’ (Mein Hannover 2030). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
2.Bund. (no date). 'Greening Hannover' ('Begrüntes Hannover'). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
3. Source link. (no date). '"More Nature in the City" continues' ('"Mehr Natur in der Stadt" wird fortgesetzt') Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
4. BUND. (no date). ‘Good reasons for green roofs and facades’ (Gute Gründe für Dach- und Fassadenbegrünung). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
5. Helmut Wahle and Dirk Schmidt. (2015). ‘Greening buildings as a climate adaptation strategy’ (Gebäudebegrünung als Bestandteil der Klimaanpassungsstrategie). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.
6. BUND. (2020). ‘BUND and the city of Hanover promote greenery on walls and roofs’ (BUND und Stadt Hannover fördern Grün auf Wand und Dach). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
7. BUND. (no date). ‘Wild bees on green roofs’ (Wildbienen auf Gründächern). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
8. BUND. (2020). ‘Guided tours and lectures 2020’ (Führungen und Vorträge 2020). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 13 July 2020).
9. BUND. (2014). ‘Review: Conference "Paths to greening buildings in big cities"’ (Rückblick: Fachtagung „Wege zur Gebäudebegrünung in Großstädten“). Available at: Source link. (Accessed 14 July 2020).
10. City of Hannover. (2016). ‘City development plan’ (Mein Hannover 2030). Available at: Source link. Accessed 13 July 2020.