Rotterdam is working on several ways to manage the impact of climate change on the city. A higher risk of flooding due to rising sea levels and heavier rainfall means innovative projects, such as underground storage facilities, are being developed.
This multi-storey car park being built near the city�s academic hospital will cater for 1,200 cars and 10,000 cubic metres of water which will be stored in a reservoir at the base of the structure.
City authorities are subsidising the development of green roofs, which are already in place on buildings like the municipal library, above.
"In town-planning, water is very important to make attractive neighbourhoods, so if you can connect that with water management, you are a double winner," says Rotterdam�s Vice-Mayor Lucas Bolsius.
Another idea being developed is that of a "water plaza", which can be used as a playground during normal weather conditions...
... while in times of heavy rainfall the sunken square can be filled with water to take the pressure off the sewerage system.
The Research, Design and Manufacturing centre, based in what was once a shipping wharf, provides an area for universities, hi-tech firms, scientists and engineers to work together on climate-friendly projects.
With ambitious plans for a community of floating homes in its old docks, Rotterdam is building a floating pavilion to showcase its advances in water management and sustainable living.
The pavilion is due to be completed by July 2010, when the Tour de France will set off from Rotterdam.
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