C0-CANAL
Irma Ramadan | Li Huang | Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle
PROBLEMATISATION Paddington Basin forms part of Grand Union Canal in the West and Regent’s Canal in the East, which flows through Regent’s Park, to Limehouse Basin and eventually to the Thames. As a focal point of Paddington Opportunity Area, the canal is a key destination for business, leisure, and tourism, and is home to many residents in the area. Despite its strategic importance as part of one of London’s key development areas, it is troubled by water pollution, with pollution coming from various sources due to the varied land use mix in the area (Ali, 2017). Water pollution can be harmful to the health of both humans and non-human organisms, particularly in the long run. It also reduces the biodiversity of the canal and makes the area less attractive. Three types of waste are most prominent in polluting the water, namely plastic waste, chemical waste, and organic waste. Our group aims to tackle the three main types of waste and channel them towards more sustainable channels that benefit the local community and the environment.
Organic waste in the canal comes from fallen branches and leaves from vegetation along the sides of the canal, human and dog faeces from narrowboats and passers-by, and littering. Additionally, restaurants located on narrowboats generate significant quantities of organic waste.
Chemical waste in Regent’s Canal comes from surface water runoff and road runoff due to the impermeable surfaces and lack of filtration. Additionally, chemical waste is generated by narrowboats through diesel engines.
Photos taken on site visits show the visible pollution in the canal. As Paddington Basin is connected to the Grand Union Canal and Regent’s Canal through Little Venice, it is not possible to tackle water pollution with just this stretch of the canal alone. Therefore, our interventions aim to initially address Paddington Basin, before scaling up to include other areas of the canal in future phases. This allows us to demonstrate the efficacy of our interventions and making changes if needed before being implemented in the wider area.
Plastic waste makes up the majority of waste found in canals, with over 14 million items of plastic ending up in canals each year in the UK. Of this, 78% consists of recyclable PET, HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE plastic.
Ali, M., 2017. Analysis of Water Quality in Regent’s Canal London. Thesis (MSc), University of Hertfordshire. Canal River Trust, 2018. Boater Report 2018. London. Hackney, 2007. Regent’s Canal Conservation Area Appraisal. [online] London. Available at: <http://docplayer.net/8924449-Regent-s-canal-conservation-area-appraisal.html> [Accessed 10 April 2020]. Hung, Y., Wang, L. and Shammas, N., 2011. Handbook of Environment and Waste Management.
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
INTERESSEMENT - Collective Co-evolution The project involves multiple human and non-human actants, which contribute to the solution in various ways. Each solution addresses one of the three distinct waste types, though they are nevertheless interconnected. Overall, the goal is to provide a cleaner and more attractive canal environment for people using the space, and for a more lively and diverse urban ecology.
Institutional actors, in particular Westminster City Council and the Canal and River Trust, play important roles in the project as current caretakers of the area. Westminster City Council oversees the development of Paddington Opportunity Area, while the Canal and River Trust maintains the canal. A cleaner canal and more attractive area would therefore be an incentive for such groups to be invested in the project.
Private businesses located in the area play a large role through sponsoring projects as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and getting their staff to work with local community groups. These businesses include Marks and Spencers and Visa Europe. Furthermore, as they are located within Paddington Basin, they benefit from the improved environment of a cleaner canal.
Narrowboat owners and users, despite being a relatively small group, are particularly important in the project as they contribute both to producing waste and removing it. Narrowboats are a key source of chemical and organic waste, and removing such waste from the source through encouraging greener waste disposal habits and engines would be beneficial in keeping the canal clean. Furthermore, as many narrowboat users live on the canal and are familiar with it, their participation and local knowledge in initiatives such as a citizen science laboratory to monitor the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress would be an asset.
Non-Governmental Organisations and volunteers are essential in helping to maintain the momentum of the project. Some key thrusts such as environmental literacy and cleaner canals are in line with the goals of volunteer groups such as The Floating Barge, making them more likely to participate.
Local tourism and leisure-related businesses will see tangible benefits by participating in certain elements of the project. For restaurants such as KuPP Restaurant, channelling food waste to the anaerobic digester would reduce waste processing costs. For tourism-related businesses such as hotels and souvenir shops, an extra source of income can be derived from selling crafts made from recycled plastic, which also add to Paddingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive local identity.
Educational institutions such as Westminster City College and Marylebone Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; School provide a source of scientific expertise to guide the project. Additionally, involving students in initiatives provides a volunteering opportunity and allows them to experience science classes in a real-life environment.
Mayor of London, 2017. Integrated Water Management Strategy. London. Mayor of London, 2018. London Environment Strategy. London. OPDC, 2019. Canal Placemaking in The Making. London.
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
ENROLMENT - Chemical Waste Interventions affecting chemical waste are seen on the map. Notably, rain gardens will be installed along several sites, including along Paddington Basin and the existing Westbourne Green Space near Little Venice, as they are able to reduce chemical pollution from road runoff. Pavillions for environmental literacy will also be implemented to educate visitors and locals on the importance of reducing waste and their roles. Additionally, electric charging for boats will be introduced at two points in Paddington Basin to facilitate the introduction of the eco-mooring zone.
Hospital rainwater harvesting
These interventions, should they be successful, will be expanded in Phase 3. More rain gardens will be installed alongside Regentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canal, and selected aquatic plants will be planted in the water to facilitate phytoremediation and phytodepuration.
About 800,000L of water is the pipe projected to be collected 2. Suction Tank each year.
4. Water Storage Tank
Rainwater will be harvested for St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospital, with catchment tanks installed on the rooftops. This fits in with hospital regulations to maintain a steady supply of emergency water supplies in case of 1. Rainwater Inlet The rainwater will be supply disruption. collected from the roof and makes its way down
4 1
The water is then supplied to the hospital as emergency water supply
3. Collection Tank Contains a sensor which sends water to the tank on the roof when the storage tank is short in water
3
2
A filter placed in the tank clears the water containing impurities
Phytodepuration Phytodepuration uses macrophytes, certain types of aquatic plants, to purify the water.
LEACHING WITH FLOATING MACROPHYTES
These will be introduced at the Floating Pocket Park and along the canal at various points in the first phase. Previous researches have shown that these plants are effective in removing nitrogen, phosphorous, ammonia, and other suspended solids.
SUPERFICIAL STREAM WITH EMERGING MACROPHYTES
FLOATING MACROPHYTES
Plants for phytodepuration
Cyperus alternifolius
Thalia dealbata
Acorus calamus
Juncaceae
Nelumbo nucifera
Lemna minor L.
Mentha aquatica
Cabomba
Juncellus serotinus
Floating Park
Plan for Paddington Basin
The current floating park will be renovated and the current decorations on the floating park will be replaced by plants for phytodepuration. The new floating park will still act as a space for social interaction. The existing bubble barrier in Merchants Square, near the floating park, can act as environmental literacy for the visitors. Moreover, biodiversity around the floating park may improve since more plants will be added to the area, and that the water quality will also be improved.
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
ENROLMENT - Chemical Waste Plan for Westbourne Area
Plan for Little Venice
Section for Phytoremediation
Blomfield Permeable Rain Road pavement garden
Phytoremediation
Eco-mooring Zone
Phytoremediation is a process by which various types of plants are used to remove contaminants in the soil. Rain gardens will be implemented alongside the canal to catch road runoff and stormwater, which will then be naturally filtered before entering the water system. In addition, this reduces the rates of runoff to the canal, having the added effect of reducing flood risk.
An Eco-mooring zone will be gradually implemented in the canal, as diesel-powered narrowboats are a key source of chemical pollution. This is similar to Islington City Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eco-mooring Zone initiative that is currently being rolled out. Starting with Paddington Basin and with a two-month adjustment period, the geographical scope will gradually be increased to encapsulate the entire target area.
A key area for rain gardens is the conversion of parts of Westbourne Green, as depicted below. When not raining, the area can be used as a public space, and the environmental literacy pavillion nearby will educate users on the rain garden.
Policies that will be implemented include: - Higher charges will be applied on diesel-powered narrowboats - Provision of charging ports along the canal to encourage the use of electric-powered narrowboats - Regulations of limiting diesel-powered narrowboats entering the area
Dietz, M. and Clausen, J., 2005. A Field Evaluation of Rain Garden Flow and Pollutant Treatment. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 167(1-4), pp.123-138.
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
ENROLMENT - Plastic Waste The majority of solid waste in the canal today is plastic waste, most of which is recyclable. We therefore aim to collect plastic waste found in the canal and repurpose it within the local community. Volunteers play a huge role in this segment in collecting and sorting the plastic before it is used for workshops and sold to local companies to be repurposed. We will leverage off existing initiatives such as Active360â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pick and Paddle, which lets participants try out paddleboarding on Paddington Basin if they pick up waste as they go along.
Collaborating with local companies
Plastic Waste Recycling Excess plastic will be sold to companies that are able to repurpose it, particularly those located close to the canal. For example, Lyme Terrace is a menswear company in Camden along the canal that uses upcycled polyester blended with cotton to make clothes, while EnviroBuild utilises compressed plastic waste to make garden furniture. This therefore closes the cycle of plastic waste found in the canal and utilises them locally in creative ways.
Bubble Curtain First pioneered in Amsterdam and now in use in canals around the world, the bubble curtain utilises a curtain of small air bubbles to catch solid waste and redirect it to collection bins along the edges of the canal. It creates upwards thrust and uses natural currents to guide the waste, and can collect up to 86% of waste in the water. Because it is not a solid barrier, it does not obstruct wildlife or boats on the canal, making it a relatively low-disruption method of collecting waste. Bubble curtains will be installed at three strategic locations in Little Venice for the maximum amount of waste collected.
Anwar, S., 2020. Plastic Waste- Types And Impact. [online] Available at: <https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/plastic-waste-types-and-impact-1556527012-1> [Accessed 10 April 2020].
The plastic will be recycled into filaments for 3D printers, using the ProtoCycler, a gadget that can crush a wide range of waste plastic (PET) into spools of plastic fibre. In collaboration with Bottletop (a company that uses such filament to produce sustainable luxury bags in Regentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Street) and The Floating Classroom (a local NGO that hosts science workshops for students on a barge in Paddington Basin, workshops will be conducted to convert plastic filament into crafts and bags. Such workshops will be open to local residents, students, as well as visitors. Local shops will then sell craft products as unique local souvenirs. A portion of the proceeds will be channelled back into the funding and maintenance of the programme.
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
ENROLMENT - Organic Waste
ENROLMENT - Environmental Literacy
Citizen Science Lab Local schools, such as the Westminster City College, will be involved in citizen science initiatives to test the quality of the canal water periodically. Water samples will be analysed, and the results can be accessed publicly. Exhibitions will be organised to demonstrate water purification systems and increase environmental awareness.
Exhibitions Anaerobic Digester A micro-anaerobic digester will be installed to facilitate the processing of organic waste. Anaerobic digesters are relatively compact and can quickly process organic waste to produce biogas, which can be used to generate electricity, and a liquid digestate, which can be used as fertiliser. Additionally, as anaerobic digestion occurs within a sealed environment, there are no issues with odours or possible pests. In addition to organic waste collected from the canal, local restaurants will be encouraged to bring their food waste to the digester for processing, particularly those located on boats in the canal. This has the benefit of cost-saving, as they would not have to pay for food waste disposal. Biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion process will be channeled to powering the charging stations for electric narrowboats. Liquid digestate will be used as fertiliser for the community allotment. The digester will be maintained by Square Mile Farms, a company which runs a vertical farm in Paddington Central, who will also provide the expertise for establishing the community garden.
As part of the environmental literacy, art installations will be exhibited in the pavilion. Using works of art for the purpose of sustainability education is more experiential, participatory, and capable of reaching a larger audience, compared to formal environmental literacy. Research shows that this method offers multiple benefits such as the development of critical thinking, aesthetic perception, imagination and message interpretation (Fragkoulis and Koutsoukos, 2018). The objective is to increase public engagement and sustainability awareness from the local community. Therefore, they will have the interest to maintain the sustainability enrolment and will be more sustainable as a person and community.
Fragkoulis, I. and Koutsoukos, M., 2018. Environmental Education through Art: A Creative Teaching Approach. Education Quarterly Reviews, 1(1). Parry, A., Harris, B., Fisher, K. and Forbes, H., 2020. UK Progress Against Courtauld 2025 Targets And UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. [online] Available at: <https://wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Progress_against_Courtauld_2025_targets_and_UN_SDG_123.pdf> [Accessed 10 April 2020].
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
MOBILISATION - Phasing
· Improvement of water quality · Inspire involvement of local community
Phase One: Paddington Basin
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· More buy-in for expanding existing initiatives. · Phase 2 will allow more people to be involved
Paddington Basin is the centre of Paddington Opportunity Area, one of London’s key development areas. The high traffic around the area has led to high levels of water pollution in the canal. Improving the water quality in the canal would not only prevent pollution from spreading to the nearby Regent’s Canal and improve the urban experience for visitors and residents in the area, but also open up a wide space with opportunities to improve environmental and social sustainability in the greater area. We hope that this first phase will act as a pilot area to illustrate the possibilities of cleaner water in central London’s canals. Phase one has two key goals. First, to improve the water quality in Paddington Basin by reducing water pollution. Secondly, to make interventions visible as a form of awareness raising. Phase 1 will be initiated by institutional actors and NGOs, as they are most likely to be interested. The Canal and River Trust, as they are already managing the canals, will be heavily involved. Funding will be provided by the Paddington Development Trust and Westminster City Council. The later portions of Phase 1 will see more actants being involved in the project, such as local restaurants and volunteers.
City of Westminster, 2007. Biodiversity Action Plan. London. City of Westminster, 2014. Paddington Opportunity Area Fact Sheet. London.
Phase Two: Little Venice
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· Stronger community engagement · Stable collaboration with organisations
Paddington Basin connects to Regent’s Canal through Little Venice, making it the natural location for the next set of interventions. The chosen area is approximately twice the size of the area in Phase 1, allowing us to test the scalability of interventions before rolling it out to a longer stretch of Regent’s Canal. While Phase 1 focused on visible and largely top-down interventions, Phase 2 focuses on community engagement and achieving greater buyin to our project. Therefore, environmental literacy is a key thrust of Phase 2, and community groups will be involved to a greater extent. Actants introduced in this phase are the local community, as well as schools and volunteer groups. There will be many opportunities for locals and visitors to get involved in this phase.
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Connect larger green spaces to solve canal water quality as a whole
Phase Three: Kensal Green to Regent’s Park Phase 3 further expands the geographical scope of the project, in order to connect two large green spaces in the wider area utilising the canal as a green corridor. This phase aims to improve biodiversity throughout the canal and provide ecosystem services to the entire area. Phase 2 would have led to strong community engagement within the area so far, in addition to cleaner canal waters. Therefore, actants in the extended Phase 3 area would see the benefits of the project and be incentivised to take it on. A greater range of community actants will be involved in the project to extend it to the wider area. More companies will become involved in funding and maintaining the project. A greater focus will be placed on sustainability and improving biodiversity along the canal.
Phasing Timeline
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez
STABILISATION - Quantification, Funding, Long-term Objectives Quantification Rain harvesting
Phytoremediation
Bubble Curtain
Numbers indicate the maximum potential volume of water that can be filtered
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phytodepuration Numbers indicate the maximum potential volume of water that can be filtered
Anaerobic Digester
Organic waste Liquid fertiliser anaerobically digested produced per month per month
Long-term project objectives
Funding
One-time funding for the installation of large interventions, including the anaerobic digester and rain gardens, will be obtained from various trusts and funds. Some examples are the Paddington Development Trust, which offers a community grant of up to £20,000; Veolia Environmental Trust, which offers funds of up to £75,000, and the Mayor of London’s Greener City Fund.
Healthier environment for people in the area, leading to better health outcomes
Greater environmental awareness among locals and visitors
Large companies headquartered in the area, such Funding can be obtained from institutional partners already as Visa Europe and Marks and Spencer, can also involved in the area. Part of the existing waste management provide funding through their corporate social budget can go to the maintenance of interventions. responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This can be in the form of one-off funding for large projects, or smaller regular contributions.
Significantly reduced waste and strong recycling programme
Biogas produced per month
More biodiversity as canal becomes cleaner
As the master developer of a large area in Paddington Opportunity Area, European Land has a strong interest in making the area more attractive. Part of the funding for urban design interventions such as rain gardens can come from them.
Canal River Trust, 2020. 10 Ways To Reduce Plastic Pollution In Our Canals | Canal & River Trust. [online] Available at: <https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/features/plastic-and-litter-in-our-canals/ 10-ways-to-reduce-plastic-pollution-in-our-canals> [Accessed 10 April 2020]. Canal River Trust, 2020. Plastic And Litter In Our Canals. [online] Available at: <https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/features/plastic-and-litter-in-our-canals> [Accessed 10 April 2020]. CostHelper, 2020. Rain Garden Cost. [online] Available at: <https://home.costhelper.com/rain-garden.html> [Accessed 15 March 2020]. Fragkoulis, I. and Koutsoukos, M., 2018. Environmental Education through Art: A Creative Teaching Approach. Education Quarterly Reviews, 1(1). Siwiec, E., Erlandsen, A. and Vennemo, H., 2018. City Greening by Rain Gardens - Costs and Benefits. Ochrona Srodowiska i Zasobów Naturalnych, 29(1), pp.1-5. Tampio, E., Marttinen, S. and Rintala, J., 2016. Liquid fertilizer products from anaerobic digestion of food waste: mass, nutrient and energy balance of four digestate liquid treatment systems. Journal of Cleaner Production, 125, pp.22-32. United Nations Environment Programme, 1998. Sourcebook of Alternative Technologies for Freshwater Augmentation in some Countries in Asia. Technical Report. Wan, X., Lei, M. and Chen, T., 2016. Cost–benefit calculation of phytoremediation technology for heavy-metal-contaminated soil. Science of The Total Environment, 563-564, pp.796-802.
BPLN0051 Sustainable Urban Design C0-Canal Irma Ramadan | Li Huang Victoria Ching Shiu | Zhu Yating Michelle Dr. Tse-Hui Teh | Fernando Gutierrez Hernandez