HEPIA and the City of Sion, with the support of the Federal Office for the Environment (OFEN), are publishing and distributing free of charge a collection of 16 generously illustrated sheets, a veritable kit of good practices for the garden or open space in the city.
Climate change is bringing heat islands to the forefront of urban problems. Responding to it has become a crucial social and public health issue, which of course requires reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but above all measures to adapt urban structures to the new climatic conditions.
Today, 80% of the Swiss population lives in cities. Private spaces therefore represent a major opportunity to bring nature into the heart of the city. In the framework of the City of Sion's «AcclimataSion» project, which was part of the Confederation's «Adaptation aux changements climatiques» pilot programme, HEPIA's Landscape Architecture students were invited in 2018 to imagine outdoor facilities adapted to the climatic conditions of the central Valais.
As an extension of this project, researchers from HEPIA's inPACT research institute have developed a «Guide to outdoor development on private property». It is available in the form of 16 sheets, with the aim of raising awareness among private stakeholders of good landscaping practices that give priority to vegetation and the water cycle.
Three major themes were addressed: soil, water and vegetation, a triptych that is inseparable and essential for promoting nature and biodiversity in the city. The emphasis was placed on proposals that were easy to implement and resource-efficient. The sketches and the «Tips & Tricks» section encourage action. This is a real toolbox that allows for quick and easy implementation on the scale of a terrace, a garden or green spaces in urbanised areas.
While Sion was the first town in Switzerland to have such a didactic document to encourage its inhabitants to adopt practices adapted to climate change, this new edition, supported by the Federal Office for the Environment (OFEN), is now more general and available in three languages in order to cover the entire country.
The fact sheets are available for free download in digital format and are intended for use by municipalities, public authorities and all gardeners.
The availability of a paper version reserved exclusively for the use of municipalities is currently being studied in the form of pre-orders to be placed with HEPIA.
Project partner(s)
Project leader - team
Eric Amos
(HEPIA)
