Embedding Green Infrastructure in Urban Regeneration Projects

Sustainable urban regeneration has been a long-standing ambition. Numerous sustainability and resilience initiatives have been taken to achieve this goal. Among these efforts, “greening” towns and cities, also referred to as “reforestation” and “beautification,” has been a priority in many Western nations. The objective of this chapter is to examine a project put forward in Padua, Italy, advocating the development of a green infrastructure alongside the established roads connecting the outer urban areas to the city centre. This project endeavours to control the contrasting state of street conditions within urban areas and overall enhance the environmental state in terms of bioclimatic standards and water drainage. The project undergoes a comprehensive evaluation covering various challenges and tensions pertaining to the relationship between costs involved in green infrastructure investments and sustainability objectives. This includes assessing preferences for proven technology and innovation, discussing long-term impacts and transformational flexibility, weighing economic sustainability against social and health benefits as well as determining the profitability of sustainable options. Additionally, the evaluation will consider aspects such as public governance and stakeholder engagement. All these points will be discussed while considering the decisions made by the local government in all currently approved planning documents.