€4.6 million EU funded IGNITION Project sets target to uplift green infrastructure in Greater Manchester and develop business models for investment in Nature-base Solutions (NBS). The role of its NBS Living Lab at University of Salford is pivotal to achieving these targets as it provides a retrofit installation that showcases a variety of NBS climate mitigation solutions and delivers evidence to inform stakeholders on investment schemes based on real-time data, and raise awareness of economic, environmental and well-being benefits of such technologies for communities.
The installation integrates a green-blue roof, living wall, SUDS trees and rain garden with a connected water management scheme linking all elements, providing greater benefits as an integrated system.
The Living Lab exhibits a repository of lessons learnt from the journey towards creating innovative NBS solutions in an existing urban context. This complements IGNITION Project’s pipeline of business and engagement approaches and tools for NBS innovation
IGNITION Living Lab Team
- Professor Hisham Elkadi (Director of IGNITION NBS Living Lab)
- Prof Philip James
- Prof William Swan
- Dr Richard Fitton
- Dr Inji Kenawy
- Nourhan Heysham
- Ethan Bellmer
IGNITION Project Partners
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), University of Salford, Business in the Community (BITC), City of Trees, Environment Agency, Groundwork, Manchester City Council, Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Salford City Council, United Utilities, University of Manchester and UK Green Building Council (UKGBC).