Houten Climate Safari

During four climate safaris, residents of Houten worked intensively with climate experts, architects and designers with the aim of coming up with measures together to combat pluvial flooding, drought, and heat stress. Measures to deal with the consequences of climate change are necessary in Houten. In recent years, the city has been confronted with heavy rainfall, during which the regular drainage of rainwater proved insufficient. As a result, tunnels and the sewer system were full of water.

Much is possible in the realm of adapting to climate change. Simple measures vary from planting more vegetation, installing a simple rain barrel and reducing stone/brick surfaces to raising the height of kerbs and installing roadside gutters. A more complex challenge is the creation of wadis, infiltration zones, roof gardens with clever water retention, façade wall vegetation and advanced water storage systems. More complex measures are necessary in certain situations to realise a climate-adaptive area. Interventions must be tailored to each specific location in spatial planning terms.

The participants took walking tours in the three urban districts (the Erven, the City Centre and the Campen), and explored Vijfwal by bicycle. The first problems brought on by climate change are expected to occur at these locations. Each group of participants was given the assignment of determining what spatial planning improvements and embellishments were possible to make the district more climate-resilient and sustainable.