Increasing their capability for climate resilience is a major concern of urban communities around the world. Challenges in addressing this concern include the lack of tools for planning urban green infrastructure (UGI) at plot level and the inability to adequately respond to different building typologies (size and height). The Green and Open Space Factor Vienna (GFF-V) was developed to address these and other related concerns.
The GFF-V recognizes that the ecosystem services provided by UGI cover more than ecological benefits. In addition to climatic and ecological improvement, UGI also makes important contributions to quality of life for people living in the city. This tends to be especially true for certain population groups, including children, young people, and the elderly.
The GFF-V, as a steering and evaluation tool for UGI, is unique in that it considers UGI at plot level, considers building typology, and assesses the performance of a site by three individual values: climate, biodiversity, and well-being. The process of developing this tool included the selection and assessment of green and open space (GOS) elements important to these three values. Thirty-two GOS elements were identified, with the most frequently occurring falling into four main categories: trees and vegetation; water areas; other greening elements; and paths and squares. The GOS elements were then evaluated by experts in relation to climate, biodiversity and well-being differentiated at ground floor level, facade area, and roof level of buildings. The GFF-V includes 10 assessment categories, with attention to the accessibility and usability of open spaces as essential criteria for their quality. Some GOS elements – such as squares and paths -- while generally not considered UGI elements -- are recognized as contributing to the social cohesion and well-being of an urban community. In using the GFF-V, each of the GOS elements are assessed in relation to different aspects of well-being (physical, social, and mental) and different forms of accessibility (private, semi-public/public, and not accessible).
The GFF-V recognizes the multiple ways in which UGI contributes to urban sustainability and integrates the ecosystem service approach into urban planning. The calculation method used by the GFF-V offers a promising approach “for controlling the quantitative and qualitative supply of green and open spaces, thereby supporting socially sustainable urban development.” Use of the GFF-V as a planning tool can be helpful in promoting the multifunctionality of UGI.
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