Aarhus

Formalized catchment planning. Municipality led model.

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The model describes key governance functions for implementing catchment-fit NBS in Aarhus. Aarhus has a multi-stakeholder collaboration that brings together city administration, water utility and developers to implement NBS in new-developed areas.

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STRATEGIC GOVERNANCECATCHMENT-FIT NBS DELIVERYADAPTIVE CAPACITYCatchment-fit NBS deployment is well integrated to Aarhus city policies. It is not a single a strategy or regulation enabling the policies, but rather a system approach that has been built brick-by-brick over the course of time. The political support get's its rationale and goals from both EU & national level regulations as well as data based evidences like climate projections and risk assessments. The It is formalized through the city's governance structure and role division, but many local strategies and plans, most noteworthy being the stormwater strategy, the city masterplan, the blue-green theme plan, and the two-level catchment-based stormwater management plan. These documents enable stable funding, clear procedures, control over role division and streamlined practices across the different municipal functions that enable the catchment-fit NBS deployment.
Political support
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputIAarhus water utility applies cost-efficient nature based solutions that respond to Best Available Technology model (BAT) to reduce pressure to drainage system network. This widens also to privately developed areas, where NBS deployment can be partially funded by water utility, this does not only include investments, but also routine maintenance of the solutions. The BAT funding guarantee helps municipality and developers implement stormwater detention ponts as a routine element of drainage network.
Financing model
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputICatchment-scale planning focuses on greenfield zones where NBS can be embedded into the master design from the outset.
Catchment integration
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputIEngineering design tailored to the catchment criteria, with monitoring plan and maintenance handover specified upfront.
Design of NBS
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputIThe constructed system performs hydraulically as a single NBS unit (XS), is integrated into plot-scale landscaping (S) and the surrounding development area (M), and contributes to catchment-scale stormwater objectives (L). One built artefact, four scales of fit — the signature of the Aarhus model.L — Catchment (click to filter)M — Development area (click to filter)S — Plot (click to filter)XS — NBS (click to filter)XS — NBS (click to filter)NBS INTEGRATION SCALESUtility constructs NBS as part of its drainage works, treating them as standard assets in the system.
Construction of NBS
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputILong-term operations and maintenance are owned by the utility, ensuring catchment performance over the asset lifecycle.
Maintenance of NBS
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputIPilots feed structured learning into the next generation of designs and into mainstream catchment policy.
Evaluation and learning
T — TimeTC — ControlCO — OutputOR — ResourceRP — PreconditionPI — InputI