Balázs Borkovits, International Project Manager of the International Proposals and Project Management Department, Directorate for Proposals and Project Management, UP Chancellery, reported on several projects related to the Green University Program. The event was organized by the Green Library Working Group of the University Library and Knowledge Center of the UP on 23rd January.
The experts of the Chancellary of the UP are now working with the Urban Development Department and plan to involve the public in order to address these issues. "The Sponge City is, by definition, about increasing green spaces, reducing the amount of soil covered by asphalt and creating green roofs. The aim is to ensure that the large amounts of rainfall that fall can be successfully stored and used for irrigation or even fire-fighting, if necessary," said Balázs Borkovits.
Rain gardens are areas under which the soil structure has sufficient water retention capacity. It is nothing new in climate protection, but most of what we have heard in the past is about rain gardens attached to family houses or individual buildings.
The project involves Ervin Pirkhoffer dr. and Szabolcs Czigány dr., researchers on flash floods from the Faculty of Sciences. The project is led by the UP, with thirteen partners in twelve countries working together under the project aegis. "We have included cities with different geographical characteristics, so we have the opportunity to test our models in cities with large populations, small populations, on hills and in hilly or flat areas. We are looking at several aspects: the current water management of the city, hydrological conditions, past practices and technical designs," said Balázs Borkovits.
The project also includes 4 investments: rain gardens will be created in 4 cities and their impact will be studied. In Pécs, the project will take place in the Botanical Garden of the UP, on the site of the former shooting range, on the grassy area northeast of the swimming pool. This is a 10 m x 3 m area where 5 plastic tanks will be dug below ground level, filled with different soil mixtures and topped with native perennial plants. Underground sensors will be used to measure the soil moisture and the data will be recorded by a weather station already in operation at the Botanic Garden.
The plan is for the Pécs rain garden to be the first to be completed, so that early experience can be used to sow the seeds in Pécs as soon as possible. Among the target areas, several locations have been identified that could have been used for the pilot rain garden, such as the Rókus walk or the steep road section above the roundabout leading to the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. Another reason for starting in early summer is that other cities in the project could use it to store rainwater.
More information: https://univpecs.com/zold/szivacsvaros?fbclid=IwAR3AsjIfxxfQMbwCEK_jhxT1...
