Natuurinclusief bouwen en ontwerpen in twintig ideeën – Amsterdam Nature-Inclusive Design Handbook
The Handboek natuurinclusief bouwen en ontwerpen in twintig ideeën is a technical guidance document published by the Gemeente Amsterdam. It serves as a framework for urban planners, architects, landscape designers, and developers to integrate biodiversity into the built environment. The handbook establishes nature-inclusive design as a prerequisite in the early stages of spatial planning to ensure a healthy and climate-adaptive urban ecosystem within the municipality of Amsterdam.
The document categorizes ecological interventions into twenty distinct ideas, spanning structural building modifications and public space designs. The regulatory scope covers measures for fauna, including nesting facilities for the Huismus (house sparrow), Gierzwaluw (swift), and various species of Vleermuizen (bats). It also details technical specifications for green infrastructure, such as Groene gevels (green facades), three types of Groene daken (green roofs), and hydrological systems like Wadi's and Waterdaken (water roofs). These measures are designed to mitigate the hitte-eiland effect (heat island effect) and improve rainwater management through urban infiltration.
Professional users are advised to consult the stadsecoloog (city ecologist) during the planning phase to tailor measures to specific regional characteristics. The handbook provides precise technical parameters for the placement, orientation, and dimensions of ecological provisions to maximize their effectiveness for urban flora and fauna.
Fauna Provisions for Buildings
Structural provisions for birds and bats are integrated into building envelopes to provide permanent nesting and roosting sites. The document specifies that different species require specialized nesting bricks or boxes, categorized as follows:
- Neststenen voor vogels: Designed for species including the Huismus, Gierzwaluw, and Slechtvalk (peregrine falcon). Stones must generally be placed on the northeast side of facades to avoid excessive solar heat.
- Kasten voor vleermuizen: Bat boxes should be installed on southwest-facing facades at heights between 4 and 50 meters, ensuring a free fall space of at least two meters.
- High-rise requirements: Buildings exceeding 80 meters are designated as suitable breeding sites for the Slechtvalk, requiring specific nesting boxes on the northeast side.
- Insect provisions: Includes Bijenbakstenen (bee bricks) and Insectenhotels for solitary bees and butterflies, ideally placed in sunny, sheltered locations.
Technical Roof and Facade Systems
The handbook defines specific technical layers and substrate thicknesses for various green and functional roof types to support biodiversity and water buffering:
- Extensief dak: Features a substrate layer of 4 to 7 centimeters, typically supporting moss and sedum.
- Intensief dak: Functioning as a full garden with substrate between 80 and 120 centimeters for grasses, shrubs, and trees.
- Natuurdak: A variation with substrate thickness between 20 and 40 centimeters to create microclimates for diverse flora.
- Bruin dak: Utilizes sand, stone, and recycled rubble to provide nesting ground for birds like the Scholekster (oystercatcher).
- Waterdak: Buffers rainwater to provide cooling and drinking water for birds and bats.
Vertical greening is categorized into three types: Zelfhechtende klimplanten (self-adhering), plants requiring support structures (e.g., Blauwe regen), and Groene muren where plants grow from wall-mounted containers.
Ecological Infrastructure and Public Space
Public space design focuses on connecting urban areas to the wider ecological structure and managing urban water runoff:
- Wadi: A planted trench with a water-permeable base that directs runoff from roofs and roads into the groundwater.
- Ecologische oever: Sloped embankments (recommended 1:3 ratio) that allow fauna to exit the water and provide breeding grounds for birds.
- Rugstreeppaddenpoel: Specialized concrete pools for the Rugstreeppad (natterjack toad) with bare, sandy surroundings.
- Geveltuin: Facade gardens with a minimum depth of 45 cm and width of 120 cm to serve as stepping stones for small mammals like the Egel (hedgehog).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the required building height for a peregrine falcon nest box?
Buildings must be taller than 80 meters to be suitable for Slechtvalk nesting boxes.
Which orientation is recommended for bird nesting stones?
Nesting stones for birds like swifts and house sparrows should be placed on the northeast side of the building to prevent overheating.
What are the minimum dimensions for a functional facade garden (geveltuin)?
A geveltuin requires a minimum depth of 45 centimeters and a width of 120 centimeters.
How high should bat boxes be installed?
Bat boxes should be placed at a height between 4 meters and 50 meters on the southwest side of a facade.
What is the purpose of a Bruin dak (brown roof)?
A Bruin dak uses sand and recycled rubble to mimic natural stony or sandy environments, primarily as a nesting site for ground-breeding birds.
What substrate thickness is required for a Natuurdak?
A Natuurdak requires a substrate layer of varying thicknesses between 20 and 40 centimeters.
How much free flight space is needed for swifts?
Swifts require a free approach route of at least four meters from the nest stone to the ground.
What defines a Wadi in urban design?
A Wadi is a planted trench with a permeable bottom designed to infiltrate rainwater from roofs and roads into the soil rather than the sewer system.
