West Street rain gardens - retrofitting sustainability: An attractive means for more efficient use of water has been introduced to the Ashford ring road - demonstrating sustainable drainage systems can be retrofitted to urban environments

摘要

Architects and planners are catching on to the idea that urban drainage systems can be sustainable. Conventional drainage has many drawbacks. Hard paving and roofing short circuit the natural water cycle, reducing 'infiltration' into groundwater and increasing the rate of water run off. The result is increased risk of flooding and the run off water carries accumulated pollution into rivers. Finally, with hard paving there is little scope for biodiversity.