Freiburg: Green Infrastructure, Collaboration, and Policy
When I first arrived in Freiburg, I immediately noticed the architecture of beige, colorful, and narrow buildings that reminded me of my time in Lisbon, Portugal in 2018. What made Freiburg, particularly Vauban, stand on its own was the thorough integration of solar panels and green space that was often established out of a collaborative effort between community members and architects. This fusion of the environment was not limited to residential areas but was also present in industrial areas. While we observed the unification of nature and the urban landscape within Freiburg, we also had the opportunity to experience the serenity of walking through the Black Forest.
When touring the Green Industry Park it was incredible to witness the diverse set of green infrastructure that was intentionally established for the well-being of plants, animals, insects, and humans. For instance, an ornamental bed of plants was reconstructed into a biodiversity-promoting green wall with native plants that attracted bees and birds. More than 2,000 plants made up the green wall with an internal watering system. Another example of the observed green infrastructure includes vines growing on the side of a parking garage that would serve as a location for bird nesting in a few years. One of the most strikingly sustainable buildings I have seen in Germany (and anywhere really) was the City Hall solar building in Freiburg which was born out of a 2013 architectural competition. The custom-built solar panels that construct much of the building result in its status as a net positive building as it generates more solar energy than it consumes in a year. Notably, the City Hall building is circular with a hollowed-out center with a green roof. The purpose of the building’s shape is to allow airflow that functions as a natural cooling system so that the building does not overheat.
Vauban, a southern city district of Freiburg, has been noted as the most sustainable town in Europe with unique elements such as passive houses. The passive houses were built from 1990 to 2006 with solar panels on the roof that produce fives times more energy than what is used in the building. Our tour guide, Hans, explained the history of Vauban where the destruction from the bombings of WWII prompted many buildings to be analyzed for good static for the potential to be built on top of rather than torn down. This along with the decrease in demand for office space resulted in multi-functional buildings that included community meeting space. The abundance of greenery within residential areas was born out of collaborative meetings of 10–20 people and an architect that would plan their own neighborhood. Parks are also managed by people in the surrounding neighborhoods. Visiting Vauban has been a personal favorite on this trip. To witness such a coexistence of green space in an urban area felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
One of our final activities in Freiburg was a lecture with guest speaker Sara McLennan. We reviewed a number of environmental policies as well as case studies in Europe and Germany. For instance, alternative transport subsidies in Germany have enabled 65% of Freiburg residents to have a tram stop within 300 meters of their homes. As a result, Freiburg has the lowest car density of any city in Germany. Another concept I found particularly interesting is the collection of tax revenue from firms negatively impacting people and the environment that go into a community fund to fund projects that would benefit the residents and environment in the impacted area. This tax scheme can be seen in the case of the Landfill Communities Fund in England and Northern Ireland for those that live within the vicinity of a landfill site. While compensating residents can be beneficial, I wonder how sustainable this approach is given that the landfills are still operating and creating negative externalities.
