Public perceptions of nature-based climate adaptations for historic buildings; A Case study of Haarlem

Many cities are attempting to adapt towards increasing climate resilience to mitigate the negative effects brought on by dense urban environments. City centres are amidst this change in seeking the tools to mitigate negative climate effects for residents and visitors. These same districts often hold the highest historic and cultural significance. Cities that are rich in history could benefit from implementing the right climate adaptations for mitigation within these areas. Due to spatial limitations, building based adaptation measures, and particularly nature-based adaptations form effective mitigation measures that can be implemented within these districts. This thesis will reflect on the public perceptions upon the dichotomy between the perceived significance of historical buildings within Haarlem, and the perceived need for adaptation through the lens of minimalistic nature-based building adaptations. With the help of qualitative interviews paired with an image-based choice...Show moreMany cities are attempting to adapt towards increasing climate resilience to mitigate the negative effects brought on by dense urban environments. City centres are amidst this change in seeking the tools to mitigate negative climate effects for residents and visitors. These same districts often hold the highest historic and cultural significance. Cities that are rich in history could benefit from implementing the right climate adaptations for mitigation within these areas. Due to spatial limitations, building based adaptation measures, and particularly nature-based adaptations form effective mitigation measures that can be implemented within these districts. This thesis will reflect on the public perceptions upon the dichotomy between the perceived significance of historical buildings within Haarlem, and the perceived need for adaptation through the lens of minimalistic nature-based building adaptations. With the help of qualitative interviews paired with an image-based choice experiment, participants were interviewed on the building sites in order to establish their preferences between five original historic buildings or ones adapted with a green roof or wall. The stated preferences of participants leaned greatly towards adapting the five buildings, with green roofs as the most preferred adaptation. These findings suggest the current historical conservation guidelines may no longer align with the preferences of the public, but require further research to support a conclusive answer.Show less

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Public perceptions of nature-based climate adaptations for historic buildings; A Case study of Haarlem