Mod4GrIn – a new project to make cities greener already launched – Self-sustainable, smart module for city green infrastructure in climate change adaptation

On the 8^th - 9^th of September 2020 an introductory meeting of the Mod4GrIn project partners  - Self-sustainable, smart module for city green infrastructure in climate change adaptation (kick-off meeting) was held, this time in the form of a videoconference.

IETU is the project leader and the partners are the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) and the Polish company CommLed Solution from Gliwice. The project received funding from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 under the Applied Research Programme operated by the National Centre for Research and Development.

The main goal of the project is to develop a self-sustainable, smart modular system for city green infrastructure, in which native plant species resistant to typical urban stressors such as drought, high temperature or nutrient deficiency will be used.

In the first part of the meeting all partners were introduced and the most important cooperation and communication principles were discussed. Then the project research plan and the work schedule for the coming months were analysed.

We all want our projects to be successful - says Dr. hab. Marta Pogrzeba, the Project Coordinator - The way to increase our efficiency is a good start of the project, which is why the first meeting during which the research and implementation tasks have been clarified is so important. IETU, as one of the members of the consortium implementing the project of the Ministry for the Environment - 44MPA LINK http://44mpa.pl/ , participated in the preparation of urban adaptation plans for 8 Silesian cities. Now we want to prepare a practical solution enabling the introduction of greenery to those parts of the city which are the most concreted. In addition, we expect that this solution will increase biodiversity in cities, and - at the same time - reduce the costs related to maintenance.

The module designed for buildings in urban space will consist of a green roof, a green wall and vegetation at a ground level. In the module, which will be equipped with a water circulation and monitoring systems, configured on the basis of the Internet of Things (IoT) and powered by solar energy (photovoltaic panels), native plant species resistant to environmental stress will be used.

What is worth mentioning here is the fact that IETU scientists will cooperate with Dr. Hans Martin Hanslin from NIBIO, who has many years of experience in the use of native species in the installation of green walls and roofs.