Researcher
Finlandia
Master's Thesis Title: The Green Area Ratio, as a tool for sustainable green infrastructure implementation in densely built arid environments. Case Study: Lima, Peru.Keywords: urban green infrastructure, ecosystem services, nature-based solutions, sustainability tools, resilience, Biotopflächenfactor, Biotope Area Factor - BAF, climate change, urban heat islands, water stressAbstract:Green infrastructure (GI) can be a multifunctional resource, as it delivers a range of ecosystem services (ESs) that are highly beneficial for cities. However, in densely built arid environments, implementing GI can worsen water scarcity, limiting its use and effectiveness as a climate change mitigation measure against urban heat islands (UHIs). The Green Area Ratio (GAR) could therefore be a helpful tool to calculate the quantity of functional GI, useful and sensitive to these concerns. However, it has been not fully explored in arid contexts. This thesis establishes a GAR suitable for such environments, using Lima, Peru as a study case. It analyses the suitability of greenery and high-albedo practices as UHIs mitigation measures with ENVI-met, under the lens of local water-sensitive approaches. The results show existing GARs can be helpful in their original contexts if their limitations are acknowledged but may not be fully suitable for an arid context. Therefore, a tailored GAR-model is necessary. Although its creation may demand thorough testing to warrant a balance between water conservation and thermal regulation, it represents a preliminary framework for better understanding of how to maximize the benefits provided by GI, and avoid the detrimental effects of some Xeriscape design principles, particularly against local UHIs in densely built urban areas. This thesis is, therefore, a basis for potential implementation in arid environments.
