The municipality of Rotterdam aims to build 500 homes in Schiehaven. In order to achieve this in the most carbon-neutral way possible, third-year students Isabelle, Marit, Wouter and Maxwell, in collaboration with the Climate and Water research group, devised a plan to construct a carbon dioxide buffer. This involves planting species of plant that absorb a lot of CO2. These plants can then be used in part for the construction of the homes. Meanwhile, the paved area will become beautifully green. It's a win-win situation.
Elephant grass
Marit is studying Spatial Development and explains, “We are planting the area with Norway spruce, bamboo, and elephant grass. We are also planting sea lettuce in the harbour.” Once these plants are fully grown and have offset enough CO2, in about twenty years' time, we can start building 500 homes. We can use the wood, bamboo and elephant grass to make insulation material and building poles.”
However, as twenty years is quite a long time, the students came up with yet another plan. “In the meantime, we plan to install 250 temporary student homes made from shipping containers within three years to tackle the housing shortage among students,” says Isabelle, a Spatial Development student.
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Sea lettuce, a type of algae that absorbs a lot of carbon dioxide, is being planted in the Schiehaven itself. “It's not at all edible,” laughs Wouter, who studies Water Management. “The sea lettuce park is a research location where the Port of Rotterdam collaborates with knowledge institutions such as Delft University of Technology.”
Paris proof
The jury selected the project because it will transform an outdated area into a sustainable space in the short term. The Schiehaven area is currently an expansive stone landscape. The project makes use of the area's resources (water for sea lettuce cultivation and space for large amounts of vegetation). In the longer term, the development of this neighbourhood will contribute to Rotterdam's climate resilience by avoiding carbon dioxide emissions and actually storing carbon dioxide, as well as producing renewable materials locally. This makes the project 'Paris proof'; in other words, it complies with the climate agreement.
City of tomorrow
The project is a prime example of how to create a liveable, green, and sustainable neighbourhood in an urban context by combining ecology, urban development, and education. It demonstrates that education at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences not only imparts knowledge, but also has a tangible impact on the city of tomorrow.
The Future Makers Awards are presented annually by a jury to projects in which the worlds of research, education and professional practice collaborate on at least one of the four societal challenges. There is an award for each of the four challenges that Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences stands for: Sustainable Delta, Vital Community, Smart & Social City, and Future-Proof Economy.