Green infrastructure
Green Infrastructure
This seminar concentrates on ecosystem-based infrastructure. Students attend a project team and read some books and articles about ecosystem-based infrastructure. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines green infrastructure as a cost-effective, resilient approach to managing wet weather impacts that provide many community benefits. Also, it states that while single-purpose gray stormwater infrastructure―conventional piped drainage and water treatment systems―is designed to move urban stormwater away from the built environment, green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater at its source while delivering environmental, social, and economic benefits. On the other hand, Natural England defines it as a strategically planned and delivered network comprising the broadest range of high-quality green spaces and other environmental features. It should be designed and managed as a multifunctional resource capable of delivering those ecological services and quality of life benefits required by the communities it serves and needed to underpin sustainability. In short, green infrastructure is basic social systems and facilities supplied by natural resources or approaches, making the best use of them. Science Council of Japan announced a proposal about ecosystem-based infrastructure in September 2014. It means green infrastructure based on ecosystem. In the seminar, students see what green infrastructure is through books or articles and practice through projects. There are some special talks.