Nature Driven Design

Advies- en ingenieursbureau

Nature Driven Design Low operation and maintenance | Use natural processes rather than machines Enhance ecological values | Sustain cultural and historical values | Take no regret measures

Nature Driven Design Our nature of doing things

DHV is a leading international consultancy and engineering firm, providing services and innovative solutions in Transportation, Water, Building & Industry, Urban and Regional Development, and Environment & Sustainability. Our range of services covers the entire project cycle, including management consultancy, advice, design and engineering, project management, contract management and asset management.

DHV, headquartered in the Netherlands, is part of the DHV Group which maintains a network of 70 offices worldwide. Our projects are able to call upon the extensive expertise network of the entire DHV Group, benefiting from an integrated approach and a shared commitment to the sustainable development of our living environment. The DHV Group has a staff of about 5,500 and its turnover in 2008 was â‚Ź 468 million. For further information please visit www.dhv.com

DHV’s vision on the power of using natural forces to create sustainable water solutions DHV B.V. | Laan 1914 no 35 | 3818 EX Amersfoort | P.O. Box 1132 | 3800 BC Amersfoort | The Netherlands T +31 33 468 23 90 | F +31 33 468 28 01 | info-water@dhv.com | www.dhv.com/water

Gateway to solutions

Sand Engine

Artificial recharge

The Sand Engine is an innovative way of large-scale beach nourishment.

It is a large amount of sand, deposited in front of the Delfland coast.

Nature’s tools, wind, waves and sea current, create new land by spreading the sand. This contributes to coastal safety in the long term and also creates more space for nature and recreation. The Sand Engine was an initiative of the Province of South Holland, in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, and DHV.

This is a safe and solid method for extracting fresh water from sandy coastal areas. Surface water is recharged into the ground. The sand’s natural cleaning abilities filter the water. Artificial recharge schemes are implemented in many areas along the Dutch coastal dunes; for the natural filtering of water as a step in the production of drinking water.

Marshland creation

Floating houses

After hurricane Katrina, a consortium led by DHV conducted a research project in New Orleans to improve flood protection and landscape stabilization. DHV advised to recreate salt marshes as a natural barrier against flooding and hurricanes. Salt marshes increase the distance between the city and the open water and weaken the effects of a hurricane. The vegetation forms a natural barrier.

One of the key challenges of river engineering today is ensuring safe and flood protected residential areas within river deltas. DHV has a clear vision on incorporating water in city development. We created the floating houses concept, which enables rivers to flow freely without flooding risks.

The Blue City is another example of living in a river environment. It is a unique residential and recreational area, with ecology and water as key features.

Room for the River

Wadden Works

A large part of The Netherlands lies in the delta of the Rhine, Europe’s 3rd largest river. It is expected that due to climate changes, extreme flows in the Rhine will increase, and that the existing flood protection will be insufficient. ‘Room for the River’ is a national program to deal with this problem. DHV is one of the key-players. In two major projects within this program, IJsseldelta and IJsselsprong, DHV combines various developments, such as flood protection, urban growth, nature restoration and infrastructure, into one single integrated spatial development plan.

DHV is a key player in the ‘Wadden Works’, a prestigious project to strengthen the famous Dutch Afsluitdijk. Together with Wageningen IMARES and Alle HOSPER, DHV recommended to not raise the existing dike, but rather to expand it laterally by means of mud flats. Nature then creates a robust, low-maintenance sea barrier which grows along with the sea as the water level rises. The concept combines the cultural historical values of the dike with its ecological value.

Eco cities

Renewable energy

DHV updated the master plan for two mega projects in China, concerning the coastal eco cities Tianjin and Caofeidian. These projects involve the creation of a high quality seaside area, as a mixed urban, maritime, green and ecological wetland area. The islands on which the cities are built, will be raised a number of meters above sea level. This design restores part of the original tidal mud-flat coast, while saving similar existing areas.

Hydropower is an excellent example of Nature Driven Design. The forces of water are used to generate renewable energy. At the same time these forces provide flood protection. DHV has developed an innovative perspective on maintaining natural processes within hydropower projects. One of our projects involved an advanced reservoir water quality management system and a pump-storage function to store wind energy.

DHV contributes to safe and sustainable development of deltas and river basins worldwide

We continuously look for alternative, nature friendly solutions