Nature-based solutions as a path towards sustainable management in water and energy: vegetated swales and ground source heat pump

Abstract

Energy demand in cities is growing significantly, mainly due to the increasing population in urban environments. This is also causing the waterproofing of large areas, as well as the shortage of available space. This research tries to respond to these challenges, combining Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) with Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP). For this, the lines of research started in the combination of permeable pavements and green swales with GSHP will continue. The first step of the investigation is the field monitoring of a green swale. The data collected allow the evaluation of the thermal behavior of the green swale under real operating conditions and will be used to carry out new tests and simulations to determine the optimal parameters for the design and operation of these combined systems.