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Agricultural University, the Swedish Biodiversity
Centre, and the Swedish Nature Conservation
Association) was slightly disappointed with the overall
biodiversity. The jurors concluded that much more
could have been achieved through little effort at very
low cost, but that an important first step in green
and blue infrastructure planning had been achieved,
and could be further developed in the future.
Unfortunately, no baseline survey of biodiversity
was made prior to the Bo01 development. However,
surveys conducted during the years 2002-2005 found
a total of 12 nesting species in the 9 hectare housing
area and that bats had occupied one of the several
Above
Balconies with trailing/climbing plants at Western Harbour
bat nesting boxes in the area. The rate of plant
species colonisation had been high in three biotopes
studied in one of the parks, leading to high levels of
biodiversity – but the biotopes were of woodland
character and the colonising plants were weeds and
had not helped to accomplish the biotopes’ goals.
Further development of the Green Space Factor
and Green Points
The environmental and architectural qualities of
the Bo01 district were regulated by an extensive
‘Quality Programme’, produced by the Bo01 company
in conjunction with the city authorities and developer
representatives. For the Flagghusen phase of the
Western Harbour development, a different approach
was adopted, involving a process of ‘Creative
Dialogue’ among stakeholders to set environmental
goals achievable at a realistic cost. 2 The city authorities
and the developers reached an agreement to focus
on four aspects of sustainability, one of which was
greenery and urban biodiversity.
The Green Space Factor was applied less stringently
compared with the Bo01 process. The overall goal of
Box 1
Green Points for housing and
housing courtyards
● A bird box for every apartment.
● A biotope for specified insects in the courtyard.
● Bat boxes in the courtyard.
● No sealed surfaces in the courtyard, with all
surfaces permeable to water.
● All non-paved courtyard surfaces have sufficient
soil depth and quality for growing vegetables.
● Courtyard includes a rustic garden with different
sections.
● All walls, where possible, have climbing plant cover.
● 1 square metre of pond area for every 5 square
metres of hard-surface courtyard area.
● Vegetation in the courtyard selected to be nectar
rich, and to act as a ‘butterfly restaurant’.
● No more than five plants of any the courtyard’s tree
and shrub species.
● Biotopes within the courtyard designed to be moist.
● Biotopes within the courtyard designed to be dry.
● Biotopes within the courtyard designed to be seminatural.
● All stormwater flows for at least 10 metres on the
surface of the ground before it is diverted into pipes.
● Green courtyard, but with no mown lawns.
● All rainwater from buildings and hard surfaces in the
courtyard is collected and used for irrigation.
● All plants have some household use.
● Frog habitats within the courtyard, as well as places
for hibernation.
● At least 5 square metres of conservatory or
greenhouse for each apartment.
● Courtyard offers food for birds all year round.
● At least two different old-crop varieties of fruits and
berries for every 100 square metres of courtyard.
● Facades of buildings with swallow nesting facilities.
● The whole courtyard is used for the cultivation of
vegetables, fruit and berries.
● The developers liaise with ecological experts.
● Greywater is treated in the courtyard and re-used.
● All biodegradable household and garden waste is
composted.
● Only recycled construction materials are used in
the courtyard.
● Each apartment has at least 2 square metres of
built-in growing plots on the balcony or in flower
boxes.
● At least half the courtyard area consists of water.
● Courtyard with a colour (or texture) as a theme.
● All courtyard trees and bushes bear fruit and berries.
● Courtyard with trimmed and shaped plants as a
theme.
● A section of the courtyard is left for natural
succession (i.e. to grow naturally and regenerate).
● Courtyard with at least 50 flowering Swedish wild
herbs.
● All buildings have green roofs.
Town & Country Planning June 2011 : GRaBS Project – INTERREG IVC; ERDF-funded 289