The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.
AIPH hosts several conferences, webinars and events such as the International Grower of the Year award throughout the year. Read about these along with the latest news about the association’s activities.
AIPH’s key aim is to stimulate demand for ornamental trees, plants and flowers worldwide. We are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the interests of the industry.
From a traffic engineering point of view, pavement is not always necessary. Functional greenery can be integrated into the public space in many ways, for example along streets, roads, railways, tram tracks, pedestrian and bicycle routes, public transport stops, and quays. Functional urban greenery provides cooling, contributes to better air quality, enhances water storage, promotes biodiversity, and reduces noise pollution.
Green-blue connections encourage people to walk and cycle more. Car-free green streets are also elderly and child-friendly, and greatly enhance the liveability of cities.
There are relatively many warm and dry locations in the city that are less suitable for many native (street) trees. Alien species adapted to hot and dry conditions can be a useful complement to the the range of street trees.
An integrated approach to functions in greening infrastructure is often much more advantageous.
Mind Map
The Infrastructure and Mobility Mind Map provides a handy overview of the various green themes and added values to discuss together and include in integral designs for liveable cities.
Mind Map Explained
Benefits
In tenders, green projects are awarded more often and the planning process is approved more quickly. A green outdoor space can be used for multiple use of space. This can be an interesting solution, especially in the built environment – with limited and expensive square meters.
Real estate in a green environment is more attractive and worth more. Greenery promotes the rentability of homes. Higher rents may also be charged.
By using greenery, there is less damage to basements and foundations of buildings, because there is less flooding.
Infrastructure, water storage and greenery can go hand in hand.
Energy
Outdoor greenery (in streets) reduces heat in and around homes in the summer. This limits heat stress. Less cooling in the form of air conditioning is also required.
Trees that provide shade in parking lots reduce the evaporation of fuel from the fuel tank. Also, the air conditioners of the cars use less energy.
Solar panels provide 6% more efficiency per year in combination with greenery. They can be easily combined with green roofs and green noise barriers.
Maintenance
The Living Public Space and a low-maintenance outdoor space go well together. This starts with a well-thought-out design and a good construction, in which the green professional, (landscape) architect and client sit around the table together in a timely manner.
Ground covers such as sedum are suitable for the greening of central reservations, embankments and roundabouts and as shredded greenery. This is especially handy along busy roads, because this form of bedding requires minimal maintenance (and therefore minimal traffic nuisance and unsafe situations) and does not need to be mowed.
Sustainable Materials
There are numerous sustainable materials for public spaces that contribute to a better living environment for people, animals and plants.
Biodiversity
Create safe crossings for animals and thus connect areas with each other.
For birds, butterflies and bees, green areas along roads and railways can be an important part of their food network in the city and its surroundings as ecological corridors.
Flowers & Food
Flowery verges and ecological verge management have a positive effect on biodiversity, creating an attractive environment for humans and animals.
Soil
Harden the soil only where necessary. This is better for the water balance and for soil life. Make the growing space for a tree and the vegetation underneath as large as possible and make sure the soil is suitable for absorbing larger amounts of water. Make sure that rainwater can sink directly into the soil by not placing any obstacles (such as raised edges).
Water
Perennials such as undergrowth or a layer of litter protect the soil and improve the infiltration of precipitation, resulting in less and delayed runoff. The root growth of trees also increases the infiltration capacity.
Shading by tree crowns limits the warming of watercourses in urban areas. That helps to increase the amount of oxygen in the water and reduce unwanted algae growth. Shading by tree crowns also limits the heat emission through the water in the evening and at night. As a result, there is less heat stress.
Greenery can be used – for example as a helophyte filter – for the biological purification of released wastewater, thereby contributing to water quality. This function can be combined with the absorption of peak showers.
Temperature
Research shows that the amount of greenery in a street has a clear effect on the heat perception of pedestrians. The measured radiation temperature in streets with greenery was up to 4.8 degrees Celsius lower than in streets without greenery. Streets with greenery are actually experienced by people as more pleasant (thermally more comfortable).
Large trees with a wide and dense crown produce a lot of shade and therefore contribute the most to thermal comfort at pedestrian level.
Air Quality
All forms of greenery protect us from pollution from traffic and industry. For the exchange of air with the surrounding area, aim for open corridors that reach from the outskirts into the heart of the city.
Along busy traffic roads with closed buildings (street canyons), hedges of at least 1 metre in height can (partially) shield the pedestrian and bicycle paths from air pollution from traffic.
A city tree captures 100 grams of particulate matter every year. This corresponds to the particulate matter production of 5,500 car kilometres.
The filtering capacity of greenery is best used if it is close to the source (where the concentrations of air pollution are highest) and if the air can flow well through the greenery, i.e. is sufficiently permeable to wind (optical porosity of at least 30%).
Appearance
A view of greenery contributes to reducing and recovering faster from stress. Even a brief view of greenery has an effect.
To keep green areas as attractive as possible all year round and in different weather conditions, it is good to ensure variation in the vegetation.
Noise
Greenery can help to make the noise nuisance of existing traffic or industry less annoying.
Green noise barriers can be an alternative to concrete barriers. In addition to acting as a guardrail, they also offer the possibility of for fauna solutions, energy production and particulate matter capture.
In densely built-up cities, narrow low green noise barriers can protect pedestrians, cyclists and residents close to the source from nuisance from moving trams and road traffic.
Relaxation
A green environment is calming and people recover faster from stress.
Productivity
Greenery in the vicinity contributes to less stress, better concentration, more creativity and higher work productivity.
Socialisation
Greenery in the outdoor space leads to a better social climate. Local residents feel more connected to each other and feel less lonely.
Movement & Play
In a green environment, people are more outdoors (in daylight) and more active during the day. Attractive green-blue walking and cycling routes encourage the use of slow traffic.
Safety
A tree in the city can help make risky traffic situations more obvious.
More and more roundabouts are being used instead of intersections in connection with traffic flow and road safety. The use of coloured plants can act as additional signalling.
Greenery leads to less crime and vandalism. Neighbourhoods with green spaces have an average of 42% less crime than neighbourhoods without green spaces.
Examples
View the below Case Studies to discover how green infrastructure and mobility practices have been put into practice around the globe.
Benefits
Energy
Maintenance
Sustainable Materials
Biodiversity
Flowers & Food
Soil
Water
Temperature
Air Quality
Appearance
Noise
Relaxation
Productivity
Socialisation
Movement & Play
Safety
