Search

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1206 Sub-Urban has explored sustainable use and management of the urban subsurface, and the use of subsurface information in urban planning and development. A part of the Action (Working Group 1) has assessed the ‘state-of-art’ in cities; another part (Working Group 2) has evaluated practices and techniques. Both have considered access to subsurface knowledge in cities. A network was established by the Action with more than 100 participants in total; and in Working Group 2, there were more than 50 participants. Working Group 2 has resulted in 6 full reports and a summary report. The Action’s Working Group 1 undertook comprehensive city studies. These established that the subsurface was in effect virtually ‘Out of mind, out of sight’ with respect to planning and management and there was a significant knowledge gap to fill. The task for Working Group 2 was to improve this situation. This paper is based on the work drawn together in the Working Group 2 Summary report ‘Opening up the subsurface for the cities of tomorrow’. This deals with good practices in urban subsurface planning and management; and how the urban subsurface planning and management processes can be improved in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many urban areas in Denmark are facing rising groundwater levels due to decreasing groundwater abstraction, greater rainfall and rising sea level due to climate change. Therefore, solutions for handling excess surface water and groundwater in urban areas are needed. To ensure a good background for a continued and sustainable handling of the urban water cycle, special attention has to be paid to the development of geological/hydrogeological models of the subsurface as a basis for management and planning. A 3D geological/hydrogeological modelling tool for handling the urban water cycle within Odense City has been setup in a collaborative effort involving authorities and private stakeholders. With Odense City as a pilot area the developed tools and the gained experience has been made available for other cities facing similar challenges. This paper introduces the Odense Model, presents the major project considerations during the construction, and briefly presents the model results, the developed tools for urban planning/management and the project considerations concerning the continued use and maintenance of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European COST Sub-Urban Action (TU1206) has had the fundamental aim of closing the knowledge gap between subsurface experts and potential users of subsurface knowledge - urban decision- makers, practitioners and researchers. The Action assembled a network involving >30 countries, 23 actively participating cities, researchers, practitioners and urban decision-makers, and brought together the fragmented research and good practice across Europe in sustainable urban sub-surface use. Development of national exemplars has been encouraged, and good practice identified to inspire others, using a lighthouse-follower approach to cascade knowledge and good practice across Europe and further afield. Experts from both sides of the knowledge gap were brought together to assess and synthesise the state-of-the-art in lighthouse cities with respect to urban sub-surface knowledge, understanding, and use of that knowledge. This was achieved in 19 City Studies, with findings encapsulated in an over-view report “Out of Sight - Out of Mind”. Expert sub-groups then identified good practice in subsurface data and knowledge locally, nationally, and Europe-wide. These are highlighted in the synthesis report “Opening up the subsurface for the cities of tomorrow”, and expanded on in seven topic review reports. These also identified key gaps in knowledge, and its use. A new concept, GEOCIM is proposed for City Quarter to Conurbation scales, combining subsurface and above-ground models. These enable: a.) holistic urban planning; b.) identifying subsurface opportunities; and c.) saving costs by reducing uncertainty in ground conditions. Finally, the Action’s reports and outputs were integrated within an online toolbox, and will be further outlined in the Final Report of the Action, to be made available on the Action’s website. The Sub-Urban Toolbox promotes and disseminates the good practice, and decision-support tools: a.) to help better inform and empower city decision- and policy-makers about the sub-surface and the vital importance of its early-stage consideration; and b.) accelerate uptake amongst sub-surface experts of sub-surface modelling workflows. Users with different backgrounds and needs, require different access to, and appropriate translations of, the Sub-Urban Toolbox. Therefore different entry points are provided for sub-surface technical experts, and urban planners, and decision- and policy-makers. As the critical mass of city decision- and policy-makers that is better aware of the sub-surface and its sustainable use expands, the potential for higher level policy consideration of the subsurface grows, and a wider range of impacts will become achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of a project intended to map the subsurface layers and build a three-dimensional hydrogeological model of the subsurface of the city of Odense in Denmark. Topics covered include the effects of the city's switch to the industrial era, the assessment of the impact of man-made modifications of the urban subsurface on the urban water cycle and the establishment of a systematic collation of data within the borders of Odense municipality.

Today, there is an increasing need to understand how to link the management of the surface and subsurface to avoid disasters in many urban areas and/or reduce the likelihood of future risks. There is a need for thorough investigation of subsurface processes. This investigation should entail an analysis of water security, flood risks, and drought hazards in urban areas that may affect long-term sustainability and the ability to recover from disturbance, e.g., a capacity for resilience. In this context, as part of this analysis, potential biophysical and hydro-meteorological hazards need to be studied and subdivided according to geological, hydrogeological, man-made, and climatic origin, and by their characteristic temporal scales and site specific characteristics. The introduction of adaptive design and resilience in urban and suburban planning and management requires a shift towards more organic, adaptive, and flexible design and management strategies. This leads to the use of a complex cross-disciplinary methodology. We consider data collation, modelling, and monitoring designed to fit typical urban situations and complexity. Furthermore, implementation of strategic planning, decision-making to manage the consequences of future infrastructure and constructions are considered. The case studies presented are experiences from different hydrogeological studies performed in Odense, Denmark. Rising population and densification is affecting Odense, and there is risk of raised seawater level, groundwater, and surface-water flooding. The anthropogenic modification of subsurface structures and increased climate changes enhance the risk of hazards and the risk of coinciding impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]