Climate Adaptation & LAR
Local use of rainwater
Although on average it does not rain more than before, rainfall is heavier and more concentrated. Rain falls less frequently, but falls in highly concentrated amounts instead. Traditionally, Danish drainage systems are far from being geared to handling such massive water volumes. New solutions are therefore needed to protect people, buildings and nature from the damaging effects of torrential rain.
LAR’ originally stood for ‘local discharge of rainwater’ in Danish, where the intention is to pipe water away from the sewage system. But for us, the letter ‘A’ in the acronym stands just as much for ‘use’. Although rainwater does not have the quality of drinking water, it can easily be used for purposes that are a drain on water resources. We often help to supply toilets and shared laundry facilities with rainwater.
Rainwater can also be used to cultivate an aesthetic expression in which nature is drawn into the urban environment. Under controlled conditions, it’s also possible to ‘play’ with rainwater.
Simulation of floods and working with architects
We use MIKE URBAN to analyse the functionality of existing drainage systems. That means we can identify problem areas and test the effect of solutions to optimise the system and predict climate scenarios.
We usually combine a terrain model in MIKE FLOOD, which can assess the extent and nature of flooding in case of overload in the drainage system. We are also skilled users of Civil 3D, which can be used to model the actual terrain in question.
We often produce solutions in collaboration with architects and landscape architects.
Customers
Our customers include private and government agencies.
Our consultancy includes:
- Screening the plot
- Identifying risks, e.g. cloudbursts
- Compiling aid and emergency plans in case of damage
- MIKE FLOOD calculations
- Infiltration test
- Water table soundings
- Applications to the authorities and management of the same
- Recreational use of rainwater
- Local use of rainwater
- Secondary water
- Gabions
Multifunctional playing fields
Frederiksberg is one of Northern Europe’s most densely built municipalities, and multifunctional solutions are therefore highly appreciated. At Frederiksberg we helped the municipality to combine playing fields with climat change adaptation.
Six natural grass fields has been replaced by six artificial grass fields, which also functions as delay basins. This solution makes it possible to retain up to 24,000 m3 of rainwater, which is stored above and below the fields before being routed to the sewage system.