1. are there specific projects or initiatives that the city administration has already implemented or started to realize the principle of a sponge city in the city?
2. what plans does the Karlsruhe city administration have with regard to future development as a sponge city?
3. would cisterns in new buildings and new green spaces be useful for consideration in future planning?
4. is water from cisterns used for watering municipal cemeteries or is drinking water used? What measures would have to be taken to re-equip according to the principle of a sponge city?
Reason
A “sponge city” is an urban infrastructure that collects, stores and uses rainwater to reduce flooding and water scarcity. Rainwater is retained by green roofs, rainwater basins and permeable surfaces such as parks or other unsealed areas. It seeps into the ground, replenishing groundwater and preventing flooding. Green spaces such as parks and gardens serve as natural sponges that can absorb and evaporate water, cooling the city during hot spells. The absorbed rainwater is reused, for example for irrigation or industrial systems. The goal is to achieve sustainable water management in urban areas and reduce pressure on natural water resources.
Particularly in the context of increasingly long periods of heat and drought, the city of Karlsruhe must position itself to be more climate-resistant. The sponge city offers a suitable approach to this. The inquiry is intended to determine the current state of affairs and development towards the sponge city.
References
Lang, R. (n.d.). Absorbent Karlsruhe: The city as a sponge. KONTEXT:weekly newspaper. https://www.kontextwochenzeitung.de/schaubuehne/548/die-stadt-als-schwamm-7743.html
Current, p. (2023b, May 11). Against heat and flooding: this is what cities in BW could look like in the future. swr.online. https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/schwammstadt-gegen-hitze-und-ueberschwemmung-100.html
Signed:
Juergen Wenzel
Friedemann Kalmbach
Petra Lorenz