Journal of Heat Island Institute International Vol. 9-2 (2014)

Academic Article

Integrative Spatial Concept Climate Protection & Adaption
Kristin Barbey*1*1

Department of Architecture, Institute for Urban and Landscape Design,
KIT Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Corresponding author: Kristin Barbey, kristin.barbey@berlin.de

ABSTRACT
Climate change and climate impacts require in consequence of their anthropogenic causes a changed handling ofspace and nature. The objective of this research project is to develop a consistent INTEGRATIVE SPATIALCONCEPT towards a NATURE-ORIENTATED, CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPOLITAN REGION 2050, looking
for the best place to implement most efficiently the different measures of CLIMATE PROTECTION & ADAPTION
in the urban and regional spatial context. THE CONCEPT OF INTERACTING STRATEGIES: NATURE
DEVELOPMENT – URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY TRANSFORMATION presents the strategies of
CLIMATE PROTECTION & ADAPTION as qualification processes, which can lead to an improvement of existing
qualities. In connection and interaction of these strategies a path of spatial sustainability will be developed in an
ecological, aesthetical and sociopolitical regard. The PROJECT NATURE is the theoretical background and content
base of the INTEGRATED SPATIAL CONCEPT and signifies within the conceptual process the objective for the
strategic spatial decision.
Key Words : The PROJECT NATURE

The society of the 21st century is in a state of flux, regarding the

1. Spatial Significance Climate Change

climate change and its impact, the depletion of fossil energy
The global budget of anthropogenic operating causes bysources and the nuclear disaster in the Japanese city Fukushimahandling with space and nature, especially with the open spacein March 2011, which revealed the obvious risks of nuclearof the earth atmosphere, an impact on the global climate.

energy again. In April 2011 the German Advisory Council on

Anthropogenic greenhouse emissions in summation reinforce

Global Change (WBGU) described this structural change as

the natural greenhouse effect and support, beside natural“The

impetus, global climate warming, whose climate impacts[post-nuclear] society. Recognizing the anthropogenic causes,

basically affect all local, regional, national and continental

climate change and climate impacts require a different handlingspaces, as well as every human society, biologic life-form andof space and nature – climate protection, climate adaption andlarge scale, as well as small scale ecosystems.

energy transformation have to be located on every spatial level.

Great

Transformation”

fromfossiltopost-fossil

The representation of climate warming by the climate research

In this context the space itself obtains fundamental relevance forclarifies

climatica sustainable and climate-friendly development, as location forinterdependencies and allows a contemporary perspective on thethe realisation of climate protection and adaption and as basis forcorrelations of human and nature existence. The knowledge ofupcoming transformation processes. While the causes of

the anthropogenic responsibility, referring to global warming

anthropogenic climate change result from the previously

and the involved climatic consequences by the IPCC 2007,

dominant way to deal with space, it is possible to reduce climate

questions the previous forms of anthropogenic use of space (e.g.

change, depending on the spatial strategy (climate protection),

CO2-emissions  atmosphere) and previously used spatial

and to adapt to the impacts on climate change (climate adaption).

strategies for urban development, energy and agriculture,

Spatial strategies have to be developed to locate the change ofindustry and mobility, because they exceedingly contribute toenergy systems from fossil to renewable and thereby counteract

anthropogenic climate warming.

climate change (climate protection) and to adapt spatial

theexistential

globalspatialand- 49 -

structures to the expected climate impact (climate adaption) toemissions  Atmosphere) in expression (e.g. CO2 emissions)secure ecosystems and human living conditions.

and development (e.g. land use). Climate change and climate

SPATIALSTRATEGIES,

CLIMATEPROTECTION

and

impacts require in consequence of knowledge of their

CLIMATE ADAPTION increase additional demands on space –anthropogenic causes a changed handling of space and nature.

existing potentials have to be used in terms of resource

The PROJECT NATURE is the theoretical background andprotection and energy efficiency, renewable energy systems havecontent base of the spatial concept and represents within theto be located and free space has to be protected in a special way.

consideration of spatial strategies, climate protection and

The challenge of the space, city and landscape planning is toadaption, the collective objective for the strategic decision.

develop and direct these demands in a reasonable way towards a

All represented spatial strategies (NATURE DEVELOPMENT –sustainable, nature-orientated and climate-friendly

spatialURBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY TRANSFORMATION)

development, which is closely connected to the aims of climate

are orientated on the PROJECT NATURE. In the process of theprotection and adaption, also in a spatial-aesthetic appropriate

overall spatial concept development, the orientation on theway. An integrative spatial concept is needed, which locates thestrategic aims of the PROJECT NATURE is of primarystrategies of climate protection and adaption and communicates

importance for the development of future decisions in dealinga spatial understanding of the future development andwith space.

transformation processes.

The PROJECT NATURE contains the qualification of ecologicalThis research project is an exemplary attempt to develop apotentials, the stabilisation of ecosystems and the renewal of

consistent spatial concept relating to the Metropolitan Region

existential space substance. We must turn the principle of theRhine-Neckar (5.640 km2, 2,4 Mio. inhabitants, the warmest

ruthless use of natural resources (e.g. CO2 emissions 

Region in the South-West of Germany with projections ofatmosphere), as the actual cause of the expected damaging

increasing heat, rain and flood events, dense polycentric urban

effects of anthropogenic climate change, into the principle ofstructure of cities as Heidelberg, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen

saving, protecting and developing nature.

and villages in a diverse open space and landscape structure,

It is the fundamental project to secure the human existence andimportant universities and highly industrialized urban poles

maintain decent living conditions as well as to sustain actively

situated in a beautiful Rhine-valley landscape framed by hilly

climate protection and adaption. Climate protection, climate

Palatine and Odenwald forests, confluence of the rivers Rhine

adaption and energy transformation have to be placed on every

and Neckar) looking for the best place to implement most

spatial level.

efficiently the different measures, which could be the basis forFor

discussions and civic participation with the intention to support

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY

the spatial realisation of the climate protective and adaptive

following strategies are essential: NATURE DEVELOPMENT –transformation.

URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY TRANSFORMATION.

thedevelopment

of

the

NATURE-ORIENTATED,METROPOLITANREGION

2050

THE CONCEPT OF INTERACTING STRATEGIES: NATURE
DEVELOPMENT – URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY

2. Integrative Spatial Concept

TRANSFORMATION has to be developed in the local andOut of the overview of the strategic focus of already establishedregional context at all spatial levels in the METROPOLITAN

concepts in European metropolitan regions and due to the

REGION – CITY – DISTRICT – QUARTER – HOUSE.

analysis of recent research results in the sectors climate researchand spatial development, forestry and energy science, space and

2.2 Aesthetical Principles

water management, planning theory and nature philosophy,

With the intention of combining ecological and aesthetical

THE CONCEPT OF INTERACTING STRATEGIES:

aspects in the spatial qualification of the metropolitan area,

NATURE DEVELOPMENT – URBAN RESTRUCTURING –aesthetical principles are defined in addition to the mentioned

ENERGY TRANSFORMATION is developed, which contains

ecological principles of the PROJECT NATURE, which are inessential theoretic basics for the spatial conception.

the consideration of the integrative spatial concept of adequate
relevant importance. These aesthetical principles orientate the

2.1 The Project Naturedesign and the decision making process of the spatial settings to

The content basis of the spatial concept, developed in thisa substantial aesthetic level and represent basically the spatial

research project, is the PROJECT NATURE. The recognition ofprinciples CONCENTRATION & PROTECTION as well as thethe anthropogenic responsibility for global warming and theparadigm of the 21st century towards a sustainable development

thereby related climate impact by the IPCC demand the change

related to a changed handling of space and nature: RESSOURCEof the previous form of anthropogenic spatial use (e.g. CO2

SAVING & ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

- 50 -

3. Nature-Orientated, Climate-Friendly Metropolitan Region

neutral mobility) and 70% CO2 emissions can be reduced

2050(organic agriculture, energetic urban renewal, development of
the existing building stock, application of renewable energies,

Applying this content base and reflecting the particulardevelopment of the public transport and the climate neutral

site-specific geophysical, natural and urban spatial as well as

mobility).

climatic and energetic parameters, the integrative spatial concept

The integrative spatial concept shows the potentials of climate

for the metropolitan region Rhine-Neckar was developed

protection and climate adaption, the focus of strategies and thelooking forward the perspective NATURE-ORIENTATED,

combination of measures and their interacting effects and

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY

synergies. It represents concentrated activity of priority action

METROPOLITANREGIONRHINE-NECKAR 2050 (Fig. 1).

areas as well as challenges of local and regional interaction. It

The spatial concept shows in the regional context, which

locates the goals climate protection and adaption and formulates

appropriate strategies for climate protection and adaption should

the idea of a NATURE-ORIENTATED, CLIMATE-FRIENDLY

be placed where, i.e. at which place measures could be

METROPOLITAN REGION 2050 as a common task for local

concentrated to advance climate protection and climate adaption

stakeholders with a concrete time frame.

and to realise the processes NATURE DEVELOPMENT –In the general view of the integrative spatial concept a

URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY TRANSFORMATION

self-evident picture is developed in the implementation of theactually on a grand scale. Inside the catalogue of strategies,

different measures. The conception of spatial positioning of thewhich could be considered as a kind of ROADMAP 2050

strategies in the plan seem partly self-evident, which is caused

CLIMATEtheby the exact consideration of the site-specific geographical

Metropolitan Region Rhine-Neckar, the following strategies arereference and about the WHERE and HOW of the integration of

considered to be forward-looking:measures in the spatial context. The spatial effects of theSpatial strategies and Principles Climate Protection andstrategies serve besides climate protection and adaption to

Adaptionsubstantial improvement of ecologic and spatial aesthetic

PROTECTIONAND

ADAPTATIONfor

NATURE DEVELOPMENT 1.) forest transformation

qualities.

and forest development 2.) protection and development of open

The strategies are located within the conceptual designing andspace 3.) development of inner-city green space 4.) room for thedecision-making process in the maps (Fig. 1+2) according to theriver 5.) groundwater protection 6.) organic farming

analyzed specific characteristics and abilities of the particular

URBAN RESTRUCTURING 1.) development of the inner-city 2.)

spaces and describe the spatial potentials for climate protection

development of the existing building stock 3.) energetic urban

and adaption in metropolises and metropolitan regions. The

urban

overall view of the integrative concept shows the synergetic

renewal4.)

climate-friendly

andwater-sensitive

development

principle of the interaction of NATURE DEVELOPMENT –ENERGY TRANSFORMATION 1.) spatial concentration of wind

URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY TRANSFORMATION

turbines 2.) urban concentrated use of photovoltaic 3.) use of

for CLIMATE PROTECTION & ADAPTION. This approach isregional potentials geothermal energy 4.) use of regional andexplicitly oriented to the spatial possibilities and geographicallocal potentials  bioenergy 5.) use of regional potentials and natural conditions on the sites and to the existing urban

hydraulic energy 6.) expansion of public transport & climate

building stock. In the setting of the measures the spatial aesthetic

neutral mobility 7.) expansion of the electricity network andprinciples, mentioned above, have been applied under the title:

energy storage

CONCENTRATION & PROTECTION or rather keeping free,which will be explained here with a few examples:

3.1 Spatial Ambition: Nature-Orientated, Climate-Friendly

The principle of emphasizing the natural characteristics: The

Metropolitan Region 2050

Rhine valley is emphasized as landscape-park with new forests
and retention areas. The Palatine and Odenwald forests are kept

Roadmap 2050: Recommendations for Action in Metropolitan

free of energy-related interventions. They are protected andRegionspresented as specific natural treasure of the metropolitan region.

In

NATUREThe principle of integration in the environmental context: New

DEVELOPMENT – URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY

the

sum

of

the

forests are integrated in the sparsely wooded Rhine valley, in the

TRANSFORMATION,

Kraichgau, in the landscape along the Rhine and as urban forest

forinteractive
which

strategies
theeffects

canbeapproximately valued on the results of scientific reports, 50%

in the cities and additional forest in the Odenwald forest.

energy can be saved (organic agriculture, energetic urban

The principle of spatial concentration of structural, natural

renewal, development of the public transport and the climate

and energy-technical interventions as well as the continuance- 51 -

of existing potentials: Five wind parks are concentrated andare transferred on the local level of the city and of every urban

connected to existing wind parks and existing networks.

district.

According to the priority positioning of the strategy NATURE

 The urban districts, which appear partly fragmented, will be

DEVELOPMENT, the construction of wind energy plants in the

supplemented structurally (inner-city development), the existing

Palatine forest and Odenwald forest is a taboo – environmentalbuilding stock will be renovated energetically, energy clusters

andand district heating networks will be established, the energetic

landscapeprotection

play

the

mayor

role

in

decision-making.

potentials will be developed and used by public participation in

The spatial characterized choice of location (choice of thecommon power stations (in industrial and commercial areas).

adequate location, by weighing up climate protection, climate

Every urban quarter gets a resilient, spatial high qualitative

adaption and spatial aesthetics): Industrial and commercial

green system with green space for shadow and fresh air in theareas have the greatest potentials for generating solar power

direct surrounding.

compared to other urban space typologies, because of their large

 The concepts GREEN METROPOLIS, INNER CITY

roof structures, as well as façade surfaces. In these areas the

DEVELOPMENT as well as ENERGY EFFICIENCY &energy yield is the highest. For this as well as for aesthetic and

ENERGY GAIN describe in their summation the process ofpracticable reasons (simplified realisation of civic power plants),

urban restructuring for the city of Mannheim.

an urban concentrated use of photovoltaics is recommended Climate protection and climate adaption have to be developed(protection of cropland for organic farming and forest

in the city and in the quarter according to the potentials of thedevelopment).

particular place.
 The concepts GREEN METROPOLIS, INNER CITY

4. Spatial Ambition: Nature-Orientated, Climate-Friendly

DEVELOPMENT as well as ENERGY EFFICIENCY &Metropolis 2050

ENERGY GAIN have to interact on a spatial level in the quarters
and in the sum of the quarters in the city.

Roadmap 2050: Recommendations for Action in Metropolises

 The urban quarter seems to be the adequate and effective cell

The strategies are transferred from the regional (Fig. 1) to theof climate conscious and water-sensitive urban development inlocal level (Fig. 2) and the concept NATURE-ORIENTATED,

the overall urban context towards a NATURE-ORIENTATED,CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPOLIS MANNHEIM 2050 (Fig.

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPOLIS 2050, also because of its2) is developed to show in addition to the regional (Fig. 1), themanageable dimension. The development of district-related

urban spatial potentials (Fig. 2) of climate protection and climate

concepts of interactive strategies provides the opportunity toadaption. Only in the interaction of integrated regional and local

develop district-specific and qualifying solutions and beyond

urban strategies the spatial ambition: NATURE-ORIENTATED,

that the activation of local stakeholders.

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPOLITAN REGION 2050 could
be realized. The following recommended aspects of action are

5. Summary of the recommended action for the spatial

derived from the conception:

development of the metropolis

 For a climate responsible urban development it is reasonable,
1. to define a superior green space system as basis for future

The open green space as starting point of planningurban development andEstablishment of an continuous green space system

2. to develop the individual urban districts according to the(resilient spatial structure and spatial connecting of the different

concept of the interactive strategies NATURE DEVELOPMENT

quarters of the city)– URBAN RESTRUCTURING– ENERGY TRANSFORMATION.

The individual urban districts are the objects on the ground3.

of the natural green space (Figure – Ground)

On

the

citywide

level

the

concept

ofthe

NATURE-ORIENTATED, CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPO-Developing the districts as functional clusters climate

LIS 2050 then results from the principle of interaction between

protection + climate adaption,

super-ordinated green space structure and climate-friendly

Interaction of the concepts GREEN METROPOLIS, INNER

developed urban districts and quarters.

CITY DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY EFFICIENCY & ENERGY The open green space of the city is the super-ordinated green

GAIN, which in total represents a NATURE-ORIENTATED,

space system, which connects the city with the landscape and the

CLIMATE-FRIENDLY & WATER-SENSITIVE METROPOLIS

urban quarters with each other. The strategies NATURE

2050.

DEVELOPMENT – URBAN RESTRUCTURING – ENERGY
TRANSFORMATION, which are formulated on a regional level,- 52 -

The nature-orientated, climate-friendly and water-sensitivecommitments have to be represented in spatial concepts with aurban development contains in every quarter the concepts:

concrete time horizon of realisation. They have to correspond to

CONCEPT GREEN METROPOLIS

the space and its specific conditions.

CONCEPT INNER URBAN DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT ENERGY EFFICIENCY & ENERGY GAIN

6. Chanceswith the aims of the development of spatial qualities andspatial sustainability in the city.

NATURE DEVELOPMENT – URBAN RESTRUCTURING –The special challenge in the realisation of spatial strategies for

ENERGY TRANSFORMATION are qualification processes,

climate protection and adaption and in the success of thewhich can lead to an improvement of existing qualities.

transformation, caused by climate change and energy turnaround,

NATURE DEVELOPMENT

is about the principles of CONNECTING, COOPERATING & Chance of ecological (+ aesthetical) Qualification

INTERACTING

URBAN RESTRUCTURING

as

the

upcoming

tasks

will

only

be

accomplished through a COMMON SOCIETAL ACT OF

 Chance of aesthetical (+ ecological) Qualification

SOLIDARITY.

ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONTheCONCEPT

OF

INTERACTINGSTRATEGIES points to the potential to realise appropriate tasks

 Chance of sociopolitical (+ ecological) Renewal

and strategies as well as to achieve an appropriate impact in the

In connection and interaction of these strategies a development

network of stakeholders. First experiences in the implementation

path of sustainable spatial development will be developed in anof the represented national and international examples point toecological, aesthetical and sociopolitical regard.

the essential role of political commitments for the spatial
implementation of the formulated political aims. Political(Received Nov. 30, 2014, Accepted Dec. 27, 2014)

Fig. 1 NATURE-ORIENTATED, CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPOLITAN REGION 2050
Legend: green:new forests, orange:wind energy, yellow:photovoltaics, turquois:hydroenergy red: geothermal energy- 53 -NATURE Development
New forests, gardens, parks
New water areas
URBAN RESTRUCTURING
Inner–city development
Energetic urban renewal
Development of the existing building stock
ENERGY TRANSFORMATION
Development of district heat network
Energiecluster 1 Block heat & power plant
Energiecluster 2 Solarenergy
in industrial & commercial areas

Fig. 2 NATURE-ORIENTATED, CLIMATE-FRIENDLY METROPOLIS 2050ATURAL Development
Legend: NATURE DEVELOPMENT: green: New Forests,Gardens & Parks, blue: New Water Areas
URBAN RESTRUCTURING: orange: Inner–City Development, Energetic Urban Renewal
orange line: Development of the Existing Building Stock +ENERGY TRANSFORMATION: Development of District Heat Network
red: Energiecluster 1 Block Heat & Power Plant
yellow: Energiecluster 2 Solarenergy in Industrial & Commercial Areas(Metropolregion im Klimawandel – Räumliche Strategien Klimaschutz und Klimaanpassung,
Kristin Barbey, KIT Scientific publishing 2012: http://digbib.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/volltexte/1000029071)- 54 -