THE THEORIES

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS (NBS) Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are defined by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”.

The Building with Nature project, which is restoring mangroves in Indonesia, is already benefiting communities and heal the ecosystem

two types of NBS: 1. Existing natural areas that can be used to provide ecosystem services as well as being cared for to conserve and increase biodiversity. 2. Those that can be designed and constructed to support the ecosystem for a given purpose.

From the figure above, the most suitable solution for coastal areas through nature-based solution is restoring coastal wetlands, and absorb floodwater from SLR. This could be seen through the projects has already been done at Indonesia, where they are restoring mangroves, and it has already benefitting the communities while heal the ecosystem. For this study, it fall into the second type of Nature Based Solution which is something that is designed to support the ecosystem for given purposes.

sponge city theory

This theory is designed by Prof Kongian Yu and derived from Nature-based solution. A city structured and designed to absorb and capture rain water and utilize it to reduce floods. Rain water harvested can be repurposed for irrigation and for home use. It is a form of a sustainable drainage system on an urban scale. What does a Sponge City need in practise? A sponge cities needs to be abundant with spaces that allow water to seep through them. Instead of only impermeable concrete and asphalt, the city needs more: Contiguous open green spaces, Green and porous design Water savings and recycling, Concepts of Dr. Yu’s sponge city model challenge us to rethink our relationship with nature. At the end of day, we need it more than it needs us. “ We are turning cities into giant green sponges to absorb and cleanse flood waters”.

-Prof Kongian Yu, landscape architect, China

Create nature-based engineering models inspired by ancient wisdom

Performance Test: Such kind of ecological embankment can reduce peak flow at more than half of the flow at the basin’s outlet. The maximum daily peak reduction rate can reach 53%- 63% 3

However, this sponge city is a large scale intervention. Its only dealing mostly on the stormwater and rainfall, most of the water are being absorbed downward towards the earth. Contradicting to the sponge city theory by Professor Konajian Yu (the Sponge City inventor) . When the water rise from the sea , the earth cannot accommodate on the extra water so it cannot absorb downwards, thus sponge building will act as “sponge” to absorb the extra water upwards and store the water and use it for different purposes such as for agriculture, residential etc. This will support on sustainable development and at the same time adapt the development to sea level rise (SLR)

Sea Level Rise

RESPOND TO WATER NEEDS AND SHORTAGE AT MELAKA This also could respond to water needs and shortage at Melaka as they also try to explore new solution using sea water as part of the solution of water shortage. This also could benefits the settlement where they need lots of water for their daily activites and their unique celebration of Intrudo which is a soul purification using water events which being held anually.

case study

desalination treatment plant Desalination Treatment Plant often need a wide space area for treatment to takes place. However, based from recent innovations, researchers has found a faster and sustainable desalination process that doesn’t need a wide space area for desalination machine and its use an energy-efficient and renewable energy,

Researchers based in Australia used a metal-organic framework (MOF), a type of synthetic materials of lattice-like crystals made up of carbon and metal compounds, which form a porous honeycomb structure, to desalinate water.The hollow framework of pores separates the salty solute within the brackish water or even saltier seawater, in a process known as molecular sieving. Under dark conditions, the framework absorbs salts and other impurities in the water in 30 minutes. The MOF itself is then regenerated for reuse in just four minutes, using sunlight to remove the adsorbed salts. The light-responsive MOF was used to filter harmful particles from water and generate 139.5 litres of clean water per kilogram of MOF per day.

B a r t / / Bratke and studioDE developed a raft structure named “Foram” that illustrates the future of floating platforms in sustainable development. Foram aims to desalinate sea water while providing a structure to educate people about water shortages. It is a floating pavilion supported on polyethylene boxes that floats along the Santa Monica coastline.

However, this structure located floating at the sea which is different from the site proposal for this thesis study. Using the same concept of desalination where it used the whole structure for the treatment to takes place, can also be implemented in my project. Where the system can be exposed and at the same time give education possibility to the public on SLR and desalination treatment process.