La Ville en vert
A project to reduce urban heat islands
for a greener, cooler way to live together !
Ville en vert is a three-year project coordinated by the Montréal Urban Ecology Centre (MUEC) in collaboration with the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM). The project aims to create cool islands of vegetation and improve the environment of low-income housing complexes in Montréal with the participation of renters and professionals.
Ville en vert is involved in 10 participatory projects and some 30 technical interventions, such as the installation of white roofs and the planting of trees, shrubs, and climbing plants, all within the context of the OMHM’s major, scheduled construction projects. Over the next two years (2010-2012), these activities will include training, participatory design, and awareness activities related to best practices for sustainable urban planning. The project also includes building an educational terrace on the MUEC’s roof and the publication of a technical guide on climbing plants.
The project is an opportunity for a major shift in the design practices and renovation of low-income housing complexes in Quebec not only by systematically integrating ways to reduce urban heat islands but also by including renters in the planning, designing, and renovating of their environment.
Contact
Saleema Hutchinson, project manager, education and citizenship
Tel. 514-282-8378 poste 222
saleema [at] ecologieurbaine [dot] net
Patrice Godin, project manager, urban heat island reduction
Tel. 514-282-8378 poste 225
saleema [at] ecologieurbaine [dot] net
In the media
Émission Silence, ça pousse
(minute 13:30'), France 5, December 22, 2010
Achievements :
June 2011 : launching of the publication Climbing plants: a refreshing solution >>
Sowing citizen participation at the Habitations Émile-Nelligan II >>
Projects for 2011:
Habitations Îlots Saint-Martin
Habitations Sainte-Marie
Habitations Jarry
Each project follows a five-step process:
Understand
Understanding urban heat islands and their impacts on the local population.
Explore
Exploring different planning and design solutions.
Decide
Deciding which changes to undertake together with residents.
Act
Implementing sustainable urban infrastructure and landscaping.
Evaluate
Evaluating the impact the project had on cooling the environment and on the residents’ quality of life.
The Ville en vert project will:
• Increase the surface and accessibility of near-by green spaces, improve their distribution in the target neighbourhoods, and contribute to increasing the city’s biodiversity.
• Introduce renters to alternative methods of greening and urban agriculture and reduce the negative health impacts of urban heat islands.
• Create new amenities that fulfill renters’ needs while prioritizing social interaction between neighbours and the creation of networks of solidarity.
Ville en vert is funded by the Quebec government’s Fond vert (Green Fund) of Action 21 du Plan d’action 2006-2012 sur les changements climatiques (Action 21 of the 2006–2012 Climate Change Action Plan).
