INDNATUR

Why in industrial areas?

Industrial areas are functional urban spaces for industrial uses and, in general, they have been planned without considering design criteria for environmental improvement (green areas, water areas, reduction of vehicle use, spaces for pedestrians...). In the case of the Argales industrial estate in Valladolid, it should also be noted that its space is already integrated into the rest of the city and surrounded by urban residential areas. There is thus a key reason for implementing this project: improving industrial areas means a better quality of life for people. 

The ‘renaturalisation’ of cities consists of providing them with natural elements of vegetation and water, in search of benefits such as CO2 absorption, evaporation and transpiration, reduction of the heat island effect, more shade, humidity and coolness, contributing to the biodiversity of fauna and flora and improving the road surface, which favours the filtration of rainwater.

Renaturalisation actions

The project combines green infrastructure and sustainable urban drainage systems located along a blue-green corridor in both industrial estates. In Valladolid, the action will be implemented on one of the main roads of the industrial estate, with trees being planted, green medians installed, pavements to facilitate drainage, a rain garden and a retention pond.

It is also expected that interventions can be undertaken in private spaces such as landscaped roofs, façades with vertical gardens, landscaping of unused courtyards, etc., but these interventions would require additional funding if the entrepreneur wishes to implement them.

On the other hand, certain indicators have already been measured before the intervention in order to later check the effectiveness of the measures adopted, such as air quality indices (PM2.5, NOx, O3, CO), humidity, temperature, biodiversity and the citizen's perception of the results.

Adaptation to climate change

Reducing risks related to climate change (temperature rise, heat waves, air pollution, heavy rainfall, droughts) is a key objective of the project. 

Nature Based Solutions mitigate these effects with the consequent reduction of greenhouse gases by absorbing CO2. 

Valladolid in particular suffers from an air quality problem mainly related to pollution and rising temperatures, which cause an increase in ozone (O3) and other gases harmful to health.

In addition to environmental improvement, this project is expected to bring social and cultural benefits, such as raising awareness and learning among citizens about the urban environmental quality problem and, therefore, a change of mentality and habits. 

Another outcome will be a boost to the competitiveness of companies in the industrial estates by committing to environmental quality, and an increase in the economic value of the real estate.

INDNATUR and other Agency projects

Aligned with the Urban GreenUp project, also managed by Valladolid City Council through the Innovation and Economic Development Agency (IdeVa), INDNATUR is in line with the Sustainable and Integrated Urban Development Strategy (EDUSI) Innolid 2020+, approved in 2017, which includes the Argales industrial estate as one of the areas of action for the development of innovative actions and its revitalisation from a socio-economic and environmental point of view. It is also related to the Cencyl Verde project, which will design a climate change adaptation strategy for the city of Valladolid.