Last updated: October 2021
The aim of ReWaM was to show ways how different forms of use of water bodies can be reconciled with their protection in order to sustainably maintain the diversity and efficiency of the different water ecosystems. This applies to both rural, suburban and urban regions (ref. 8). Increased sealing of urban surfaces and combined sewer systems for rain- and wastewater pose major challenges for urban water management. Therefore, the university of applied sciences and the city of Münster participated in a research project as one of three pilot cities running from 2015 to 2018 concerning improved rainwater management and the development of respective planning instruments. Several green roofs at the university campus were used as test spaces to explore and monitor rainwater infiltration efficiency and feasible green roof compositions. Also, different permeable surface coatings were tested at the urban depot (Ref. 1 and 4).
Green roof test spaces at the university of Munster
Source: Ref. 2
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Institutional green space
- Green areas for water management
- Swales and filter strips
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
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
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Project objectives
- Testing water infiltration capacities and evaporation on green roofs under varying conditions to provide results for the research project and improve rainwater management in densely built-up areas (Ref. 3 and 4)
- Create reality-based process-models for water balance dimensions based on meso and micro-scale simulations and define standards for the water balance in densely built-up areas as a base for planning (Ref. 2)
Goals specific to the wider research project:
- Analyze the impacts and resilience of rainwater management techniques in the face of a changing climate (Ref. 2)
- Develop efficient planning instruments for sustainable rainwater management in communities and planning bureaus (Ref. 1)
- Investigating the acceptance of rainwater management measures and collect valid data concerning costs and operation of the latter (Ref. 2)
Implementation activities
As a model city for the project "water balance of water bodies in densely built-up areas" the university of Münster created testing sites on campus in addition to other test sites for trough-trench systems (greened infiltration interventions and underground stormwater storage) and permeable paving in the city. They consist of two 80 sqm green roofs (two-layered system with 6cm substrate and a drainage plate) vegetated with extensive green (Sedum species of seeds and herbs) and ten 3 sqm green roofs with the same structure but the varying thickness of the substrate layer (6cm, 10cm and 15cm) and substrate type (foamed clay mixture and clay bricks mixture). With high-resolution measurement series, researchers assess the process behaviour of theses green roofs concerning their retention potential under these variations and varying climatic conditions. The results inform the development of a micro-scale process model and shall improve rainwater management in cities (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6).
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
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
- Researchers/university
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
While the University of Applied Sciences Münster entertains major green roof test sites, there are 8 other partners participating in the research project: the University of Freiburg (department for hydrology and human geography), the city administration of Freiburg, Münster and Hannover, a water suppy company in Freiburg and a civil engineers bureau in Karlsruhe and Hannover. Besides the national funding agency, the Ministry for Education and Research, also citizens in the three mentioned cities were involved via questionnaires (Ref. 7).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The implementation of the funding programme “Regional water resources management for sustainable water bodies protection in Germany” (ReWaM) as part of the wider programme “research for sustainable development” (FONA) is referred to Water Framework Directive with the goal to redevelop the German water resource management accordingly and in a sustained way (Ref. 8).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The implementation of the national funding programme “Regional water resources management for sustainable water bodies protection in Germany” (ReWaM) as part of the wider programme “research for sustainable development” (FONA) is referred to Water Framework Directive with the goal to redevelop the German water resource management accordingly and in a sustained way (Ref. 8).)
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€2,000,000 - €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
Yes
References
1. Fachhochschule Münster. (2015). ReWaM Verbundprojekt Juni 2015 - Mai 2018. Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer. Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Münster. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
2. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung and FONA Nachhaltiges Wassermanagement BMBF. (2017). WaSiG Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer: Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
3. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017b). WaSiG – Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer: Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
4. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017c). Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer: Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
5. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017a). Stadt Münster In der Modellregion Münster wird das Gebiet der ehemaligen Lincoln-Kaserne sowie teildurchlässige und durchlässige Flächen untersucht. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
6. Kuras. (2017). Steckbrief 1: Dachbegrünung. Münster. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
7. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017). Innovative Regenwasserbewirtschaftung. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
8. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. (2017). Regionales Waserressourcen-Management für den nachhaltigen Gewässerschutz in Deutschland (ReWaM). Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
9. Netzwerkwasser. (2016). Netzwerk Wasser. Profil. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
2. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung and FONA Nachhaltiges Wassermanagement BMBF. (2017). WaSiG Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer: Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
3. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017b). WaSiG – Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer: Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
4. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017c). Wasserhaushalt siedlungsgeprägter Gewässer: Planungsinstrumente und Bewirtschaftungskonzepte. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
5. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017a). Stadt Münster In der Modellregion Münster wird das Gebiet der ehemaligen Lincoln-Kaserne sowie teildurchlässige und durchlässige Flächen untersucht. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
6. Kuras. (2017). Steckbrief 1: Dachbegrünung. Münster. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
7. Fachhochschule Münster. (2017). Innovative Regenwasserbewirtschaftung. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
8. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. (2017). Regionales Waserressourcen-Management für den nachhaltigen Gewässerschutz in Deutschland (ReWaM). Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)
9. Netzwerkwasser. (2016). Netzwerk Wasser. Profil. Available at: Source link (Accessed 10 August 2020)