Changes

==Adapting to climate change using LID==

==Adapting to climate change using LID==

[[File:Screenshot 2025-09-05 163005.png|400px|thumb|right|LID can help offset climate change impacts in urban environments (IISD, 2021) <ref>International Institute for Sustainable Development. 2021. Natural Infrastructure Solutions for Climate Resilience. https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/natural-infrastructure-solutions-climate-resilience</ref>.]]

[[File:Screenshot 2025-09-05 163005.png|500px|thumb|right|LID can help offset climate change impacts in urban environments (IISD, 2021) <ref>International Institute for Sustainable Development. 2021. Natural Infrastructure Solutions for Climate Resilience. https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/natural-infrastructure-solutions-climate-resilience</ref>.]]

Research highlights LID, such as [[bioretention]], [[infiltration]], and [[rainwater harvesting]], as a critical strategy for building climate-resilient cities. Studies show that LID can reduce runoff volumes during extreme events, decrease peak flows, reduce overflow of combined sewers, and promote [[Groundwater|groundwater]] recharge:

Research highlights LID, such as [[bioretention]], [[infiltration]], and [[rainwater harvesting]], as a critical strategy for building climate-resilient cities. Studies show that LID can reduce runoff volumes during extreme events, decrease peak flows, reduce overflow of combined sewers, and promote [[Groundwater|groundwater]] recharge:

*Vegetated LID features, such as [[green roofs]] and [[Swales|treed bioswales]], provide natural cooling that helps regulate urban temperatures and reduce energy demand and costs (ECONorthwest, 2007)<ref>ECONorthwest. 2007. The Economics of Low-Impact Development: A Literature Review. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/LID_Economics_Literature_Review.pdf </ref>.

*Vegetated LID features, such as [[green roofs]] and [[Swales|treed bioswales]], provide natural cooling that helps regulate urban temperatures and reduce energy demand and costs (ECONorthwest, 2007)<ref>ECONorthwest. 2007. The Economics of Low-Impact Development: A Literature Review. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/LID_Economics_Literature_Review.pdf </ref>.

Although LID BMPs are primarily designed to manage water quantity and [[water quality|quality]], they also provide additional co-benefits for climate adaptation:  

===Although LID BMPs are primarily designed to manage water quantity and [[water quality|quality]], they also provide additional co-benefits for climate adaptation:===

*Gill et al. (2007) demonstrated that increasing urban greenspace by 10% by installing [[green roofs]] could offset projected urban heat increases until the 2080s<ref>Gill, S. Handley, J.F. Ennos, R., Pauleit, S. 2007. Adapting Cities for Climate Change: The Role of the Green Infrastructure. Built Environment. 33. 115-133. DOI:10.2148/benv.33.1.115 </ref>.  

*Gill et al. (2007) demonstrated that increasing urban greenspace by 10% by installing [[green roofs]] could offset projected urban heat increases until the 2080s<ref>Gill, S. Handley, J.F. Ennos, R., Pauleit, S. 2007. Adapting Cities for Climate Change: The Role of the Green Infrastructure. Built Environment. 33. 115-133. DOI:10.2148/benv.33.1.115 </ref>.  

*New York City’s Green Infrastructure Plan, launched in 2010, uses [[green roofs]], [[rain gardens]], and [[permeable pavements]] to reduce combined sewer overflows and improve [[water quality]]. By 2020, over 5,000 projects were managing more than 760 million liters of stormwater annually. Beyond stormwater benefits, these projects also improve air quality, support biodiversity, and create green spaces in underserved communities (Montazeri, 2024)<ref>Montazeri , B. 2024. A Comparative Study of LID, Suds, and Sponge City Strategies: Case Study of Melbourne. Masters’s Thesis, Politecnico di Torino. https://webthesis.biblio.polito.it/secure/32417/1/tesi.pdf </ref>.  

*New York City’s Green Infrastructure Plan, launched in 2010, uses [[green roofs]], [[rain gardens]], and [[permeable pavements]] to reduce combined sewer overflows and improve [[water quality]]. By 2020, over 5,000 projects were managing more than 760 million liters of stormwater annually. Beyond stormwater benefits, these projects also improve air quality, support biodiversity, and create green spaces in underserved communities (Montazeri, 2024)<ref>Montazeri , B. 2024. A Comparative Study of LID, Suds, and Sponge City Strategies: Case Study of Melbourne. Masters’s Thesis, Politecnico di Torino. https://webthesis.biblio.polito.it/secure/32417/1/tesi.pdf </ref>.  

*LID practices contribute to climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon (Haque et al., 2025)<ref>Haque, M. T., Geronimo, F. K. F., Robles, M. E. L., Vispo, C., & Kim, L.-H. 2025. Comparative evaluation of the carbon storage capacities in urban stormwater nature-based technologies. Ecological Engineering, 212, 107539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107539</ref>.

*LID practices contribute to climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon (Haque et al., 2025)<ref>Haque, M. T., Geronimo, F. K. F., Robles, M. E. L., Vispo, C., & Kim, L.-H. 2025. Comparative evaluation of the carbon storage capacities in urban stormwater nature-based technologies. Ecological Engineering, 212, 107539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107539</ref>.

[[File:Screenshot 2025-08-26 165331.png|400px|thumb|right| A variety of LID features distributed across a catchment addresses climate vulnerabilities more effectively than traditional grey infrastructure. Image adapted from the CT Stormwater Quality Manual (2025) <ref> CT Stormwater Quality Manual. 2025. LID Planning and Design Process. https://ctstormwatermanual.nemo.uconn.edu/lid-planning-and-design/</ref> ]]

[[File:Screenshot 2025-08-26 165331.png|500px|thumb|right| A variety of LID features distributed across a catchment addresses climate vulnerabilities more effectively than traditional grey infrastructure. Image adapted from the CT Stormwater Quality Manual (2025) <ref> CT Stormwater Quality Manual. 2025. LID Planning and Design Process. https://ctstormwatermanual.nemo.uconn.edu/lid-planning-and-design/</ref> ]]

[[File:Screenshot 2025-09-04 120521.png|400px|thumb|right|A stormwater retrofit in Scarborough captures roof runoff, directing it toward enhancing green space, irrigating landscaped areas, and infiltrating stormwater. This system diverts water from the municipal storm sewer, strengthening watershed resilience to climate change. With aging stormwater infrastructure in the area that no longer meets current standards, this project serves as a showcase for lot-level LID retrofits (STEP, 2019)<ref name = CALSTONE>STEP. 2019. Evaluation of Retrofitted Stormwater Source Control Practices, Calstone Inc., Toronto. https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/home/urban-runoff-green-infrastructure/low-impact-development/evaluation-retrofitted-stormwater-source-control-practices-calstone-inc-toronto/</ref>.]]

[[File:Screenshot 2025-09-04 120521.png|400px|thumb|right|A stormwater retrofit in Scarborough captures roof runoff, directing it toward enhancing green space, irrigating landscaped areas, and infiltrating stormwater. This system diverts water from the municipal storm sewer, strengthening watershed resilience to climate change. With aging stormwater infrastructure in the area that no longer meets current standards, this project serves as a showcase for lot-level LID retrofits (STEP, 2019)<ref name = CALSTONE>STEP. 2019. Evaluation of Retrofitted Stormwater Source Control Practices, Calstone Inc., Toronto. https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/home/urban-runoff-green-infrastructure/low-impact-development/evaluation-retrofitted-stormwater-source-control-practices-calstone-inc-toronto/</ref>.]]