Municipalities can slow down the loss of nature through planning solutions and by increasing cooperation between urban planning and construction projects. One solution could be partnership planning, the potential of which is not yet sufficiently recognized, reflects Alli-Maiju Hurmola, who studied the topic in her master's thesis.
"Nature is still taken into account to a limited extent in construction and urban planning, but a change in attitude is noticeable among all actors," says the Master of Science in Engineering Alli-Maiju Hurmola summarizes the findings of his master's thesis for Aalto University.
Construction consumes significant amounts of natural resources, causes greenhouse gas emissions, pollutes nature and shrinks undeveloped natural areas. These are key drivers of nature loss, the extent of which can be influenced, especially in municipalities.
The urban planning planners and experts, as well as the planners and contractors of construction projects interviewed by Hurmola in her master's thesis, still felt that their opportunities to influence biodiversity were limited. The clients of construction projects and municipal decision-makers were seen as having more opportunities.
"Based on the responses, clients do not create sufficient opportunities for designers and contractors to promote biodiversity on a practical level in projects. Interviewees feel that they do have the necessary methods and tools at their disposal, but the lack of objective setting by clients and decision-makers and the limited resources prevent their practical use."
According to Hurmola's thesis, the key ways to improve the situation are nature-conscious design solutions and closer cooperation between urban planning and construction projects. Success would require more resources for planning and comprehensive, comprehensive methods that cover all drivers of nature loss to support decision-makers in setting goals and guiding planning.
Combating biodiversity loss requires cooperation
Director of Environmental Affairs at the Construction Industry Federation of Finland Juha Laurila reminds us that biodiversity must be taken into account throughout the entire construction value chain, from spatial planning to detailed yard design, implementation and demolition.
Stopping nature loss requires action at all levels. Municipalities should not be left alone in this matter, but Laurila encourages increased dialogue with developers. For example, when negotiating land use agreements and land transfer conditions, it would be a good idea to take into account nature-related goals.
"Partnerships can be built already in the planning phase, ensuring that the knowledge, methods, tools and innovations of different actors in the sector are used in projects. This can also ensure the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of different solutions," Laurila says.
"Partnership planning could bring together scattered know-how and enable common goal-setting between clients and developers. Municipalities have already taken nature into account in individual projects and developed guides and calculation models. However, effective and comprehensive change requires that the change be led and the expertise of experts in the field be utilized right from the planning level."
Hurmola points out that there are not yet fully established operating methods for partnership planning.
"Especially from a nature perspective, its potential is not yet sufficiently recognized. The results of my master's thesis emphasize that nature expertise is needed in construction, especially in the early stages. A partnership model could respond to this, and it would be worth researching the issue further and creating joint operating models," Hurmola says.
Alli-Maiju Hurmola's master's thesis in the field of landscape architecture, "Nature loss and construction - how and who can influence it?", concretizes the methods and tools available to construction industry operators to promote biodiversity, as well as their effectiveness. The work commissioned by the Construction Industry Council of Finland (RT) is part of RT's sustainable construction program. Within the framework of the program, RT has previously published, among other things, a biodiversity map to show the way for a nature-positive transition in construction.
More information
Juha Laurila: juha.laurila@rt.fi, tel. +358 50 412 3637
Alli-Maiju Hurmola: allimaijuhurmola@gmail.com (From 6.3. tel. +358 400 754 152)