Valuation of Ecosystem Services:

Must progress come at the cost of nature?

Valuation of Ecosystem Services

Environmental Challenges

Biodiversity

Urbanisation

Water Sustainability

Extreme Weather

Energy Consumption

Health Concerns

Air Quality

Did you know….

• The annual cost of road traffic noise in England has been estimated at £7 billion to £10

• Poor Air quality causes 29,000 deaths each year at a cost of around £16 billion per year.

• Value Inland water wetlands bring to water quality £1.5

• The amenity benefits of living close to rivers, coasts and other wetlands is worth up to £1.3billion per year

• The health benefits of living with a view of a green space are worth up to £300 per person per year.

• Pollinators contribute more to the economy than the royal family £430M

Defining economic benefits

• DIRECT ECONOMIC OUTPUTS

• INDIRECT ECONOMIC OUTPUTS

• COST REDUCTION TO PRIVATE and PUBLIC SECTORS

• MANAGEMENT OF RISK

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• Climate change adaptation

• Flood alleviation water management

• Health and well being

• Air quality

• Land and property values

• Products from the land

• Productivity and labour

• Pollinators

• Recreation and leisure

Focus

£ Air Quality

£ Water Sustainability

£ Energy Consumption

Air Pollution in London

The air we breathe has a direct impact on our health and quality of life:

• 3,500 - 8,000 people die prematurely each year due to poor air quality in London

• Individuals could have their lives cut short by 9 years

• Economic cost of the health impacts of poor air quality in the UK is around £15 billion

Source: City of London Air Quality Strategy 2011-2015

Headlines and Articles

• Air pollution death rate up in half of London boroughs – Standard, 06 November 2013

• Air pollution: High levels to spread across England – BBC 2 April 2014

• Air pollution: Long term exposure damages brain in older adults - Jayalakshmi K April 24, 2015

• City too polluted for joggers

Evening Standard, 6 June 2015

• London Boroughs Need Help, Not Fines, To Tackle Air Quality – Londonist, 8 June 2015

Air Pollution and its Sources

Main hazards to health in Cities:

• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

• From vehicle emissions and industrial processes

• Particulate Matter (PM10, PM2.5)

• From different sources

Most Polluted Areas in London

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60

80

100

120

140

160

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Putney HighStreet

Brent Euston Road Walbrook Road Oxford Street

µg/

m3

Monitored Average NO2 levels

Legal Limit

Source: City of London Air Quality Strategy 2011-2015

Plants: The Natural Purifier

Studies show passive vegetation in a street canyon can reduce concentrations of NO2 by 40% and PM10 by almost 60%.

Active Green Walls can capture microscopic pollutants (PM10) whilst the microorganisms in the substrate breakdown harmful NO2 along with other unwanted emissions and VOCs to 99% purity.

Source: Pugh, et al. Effectiveness of Green Infrastructure for Improvement of Air Quality in Urban Street Canyons. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(14), pp.7692-7699.

Multiple Environmental Benefits Not only Air

Air purification

Reduced heat island effect

Increased biodiversity

Storm water attenuation

Max Fordham Consulting Engineers

2013 - 2014 Floods

• Wettest December – January since 1876

• Damage to train network, homes and businesses, agriculture and industry

• Annual cost of flood damage = £1.6b per year

Approximately 5.2m (one-sixth) of properties in England are at risk of flooding. 1m of these are vulnerable to surface-water flooding. A further 2.8m properties are susceptible to surface water flooding alone. - The Guardian – UK floods the facts

How We Benefit from Attenuation

Permeable surfaces allow water to soak away alleviating surface water run off.

Vertical Rain Garden

Vertical Rain Gardens

Fairs street London Bridge

All we need to do is invite nature back in … one plant at a time

Do Plants Help Us Save Energy?

• Ross Cameron from Reading University reports 26% energy savings can be attributed to retrofitting living façades and roofs

• M&S reported energy saving of over 40% in the Cheshire Oaks store in 2013 after installing large living wall

– Green cladding helps to reduce heat lost overnight during winter

Max Fordham Consulting Engineers

35oC Dry table top

25oC Moss – No fan

Table in the sun

21oC Moss with fan

Hertfordshire UK 17:15 11th August 07

Thermal Benefits of Vegetated Surfaces

Ross Cameron University of Reading (Jan 2010)

Harborne blocks brick box – no plant covering

Harborne blocks brick box – lightly covered in Hedera Helix

Multiple Benefits

Max Fordham Consulting Engineers

• Dust suppression

• Noise reduction

• Aesthetics

• Air quality

• Health & wellbeing

• Anti graffiti

Greener Cities are Healthier Cities

Rubens Hotel – London, Victoria

Seeing greenery reduces stress and recovery rates

Summary

More than we can begin to understand