INDEX

1. Objectives of the

research………………………………………………………………….……page 1

2. Research

a. Research in CO2 emissions and absorption in the area of

Sant Gervasi BCN…………………………………………………..page 3

b. Analysis of the area and absorption of CO2 by vegetation

……………………………………………………………………….………page5

c. CO2 emissions by density and traffic……………..………page 6

d. Conclusions…………………………………………………..……….page 7

3. Proposals

a. Suspended

garden………………………………………………………………….page 9

b. Green

wall……………………………………………………….……….……page 10

c. Network……………………………………………………..…….…page 11

d. Render……………………………………………………..………….page 12

4. Conclusions…………………………………………………................page 13

RESEARCH

RESEARCH IN CO2 EMISSIONS AND ABSORPTION IN THE AREA OF

SANT GERVASI BCN

ANALYSIS OF THE AREA

In the three neighborhoods Saint Gervasi – La Bonanova, Les

Tres Torres and Saint Gervasi – Galvany the research fields that

stand out the most due to its visual impact are vegetation,

transportation and residencies. Located on the foot of the Collserola

park the area presents a great of amount of gardens, parks (such as

Parc de Monterols, Jardí de Les Tres Torres and Turó Parc), and

individual green areas in between the buildings by Les Tres Torres

and Bonanova area. The occupational uses of the buildings in the area

diverge with the access of transportation to the places. Along the

main roads and subway stations in the area between the streets of

Avenida Diagonal, Via Augusta, Ronda del General Mitre and Balmes,

the buildings have a mixed use of commercial stores on the ground

floor and residencies on the floors above. Along the rest of the area,

there are mainly residence buildings, with few local services located

spread out. In the northern part of the study area, towards Collserola,

the typology starts changing; some houses can be seen between

dense green areas unlike the high concentration of buildings side by

side with internal patios in the block in the rest of the area.

CO2 EMISSIONS OF TRAFFIC

To analyze the traffic influence a research on the website

www.bcn.cat/transit/en was made searching the hours with most

traffic during the period of October 14th to October 21, 2010. The

traffic of the region was mapped during the hours of 10am-12pm,

2pm-4pm and 8pm-10pm. Finally the time that represented the

biggest fluency of cars and motorcycles was from 2pm-4pm.

Therefore, to have even further accurate and specific data the

number of cars and motorcycles that passed by per minute were

measured in every corner of the case study region during those

hours. Given the information that each car emits 145,9 g/km/min of

CO² gases, a calculation with the emissions per block per street was

generated and a map of the CO² emissions by traffic was created

representing 0.4tons/m²/year of CO².

CO2 EMISSIONS OF DENSITY

The use of energy in buildings is another pollutant source

analyzed in the case study through density. The three neighborhoods

had a population of 145,532 people in 2009 distributed in an area of

2.009,4ha. That gives a total population density of 72 inhabitants/ha.

Saint Gervasi – La Bonanova has an area of 223,50 ha with a

population of 46,829 people, giving a density of 109 inhabitants/ha.

Les Tres Torres occupies 78,80 ha with a population of 15,832 and

density of 201 inhabitants/ha. Saint Gervasi – Galvany occupies

165,9ha with a population of 46,829 people with a density of 282

inhabitants/ha. The area of the case study that contains the 30

blocks is 266,690m². Given that in 1m² of a house 0,014

tons/m²/year of CO² is emitted, a research of the amount of floors of

each building was done. By calculating the total occupational area

and multiplying by the CO² emission coefficient (0,014 tons/m²/year)

a map of the buildings emissions of CO² through density was

developed, representing 12.5 kg/m² O/year of CO².

3

CO2 ABSORPTION BY VEGETATION

In order to compensate the CO² emissions of the case study

region a research on the amount of absorption by vegetation was

made. As a first step a map of the different typologies of vegetation

was created, categorizing it in flowers, short vegetation, tall

vegetation and trees along the streets. Through research, it is given

that a tree absorbs 22,7kg CO² per year and has an average surface

of 19,8m². Therefore, 1m² of vegetation with trees absorbs 1,15kg of

CO2/year, but if the vegetation is short it is considered only 60% of

that value. After all calculations were made, a map of the CO²

absorption by vegetation was generated representing 250gr/m²/year

of CO2.

CONCLUSION

Considering the great amount of parks and trees in the

region, the hypothesis was that the pollution and absorption would

finally balance out. Calculating the potential of each block to absorb

its own CO² emissions produced by traffic and density through

vegetation we were able to find out that the vegetation in the area

doesn’t make up for its pollution at all. More specifically, we

concluded that in order for the vegetation to compensate the traffic

pollution we would need to have 1600 times more the amount of

vegetation existent and to cover the pollution from residences and

commerce it would be necessary to plant 100 times more.

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5

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7

PROPOSALS