Nature-inclusive construction is becoming increasingly important due to challenges related to climate adaptation and enhancing urban biodiversity. However, integrating green and blue elements within an urban development project is not always straightforward. Municipalities, housing corporations, developers, and other initiators can therefore submit a project to a Nature-Inclusive Design Workshop, an initiative of the Province of Utrecht. In this workshop, a network of external experts reviews the initiative with a fresh perspective and from multiple angles. Our colleague Merlissa Diele, as a member of the expert pool for the Design Workshops, advises on how nature can also provide value for policy challenges, offering insights into the qualitative, quantitative, and monetary benefits of increasing natural elements.
During the first Natuurinclusief Top, held on June 21 at Boerinn in Kamerik, several members of the expert pool hosted a design workshop in a breakout session. Participants were asked to contribute ideas on a real case that had previously been discussed in one of the design workshops. We explored ways to involve stakeholders at various stages of the process and how to achieve cost-effective green-blue design. It was an inspiring session where, together with the participants, we concluded that cost-effective design is possible by focusing on planting diversity and that it is crucial to involve partners such as managers and residents early in the process.
