Research

The consumption of fruit and vegetables causes environmental impacts that vary depending on which crops are consumed in which season. In order to reduce the environmental impact and in particular greenhouse gas emissions caused by consumption, it is essential to understand the cultivation methods and value chains. The life cycle assessment (LCA) method, standardized according to ISO 14040/44, and the product environmental footprint (PEF) are suitable methods for this. There are currently hardly any LCAs for the production of fruit and vegetables in Austria. This project aims to fill this gap. Based on primary data from Austrian farms, detailed LCAs will be prepared for at least 5 fruit and vegetable crops. The aim of this work is to find out what influence the origin of selected fruit and vegetables has on the environmental impact associated with the product. In detail, the carbon and water footprint will be considered. The following research questions are to be answered as part of the project: - What is the environmental impact of selected fruit and vegetable crops - Are there differences due to different transportation routes and types of cultivation - What savings could result from a change in consumer behavior from foreign to domestic products

The consequences of the human made climate change are omnipresent – the recent years were marked by droughts, extreme and deadly precipitation events, extreme hot temperature records, wildfires and overall warmer than average temperatures. Especially the warmer summer temperatures are further increased within (densely) built areas due to the different characteristics of sealed versus unsealed areas. The awareness of this so-called urban heat island (UHI) effect has increased over the past as has the understanding of the negative impacts due to soil sealing. Nevertheless, the trend of urban sprawling is undamped that is also seen by the city of Graz and which relates to sealing green areas for infrastructure (roads, rail network) and so far, mostly single-family homes. Yet, this process has an impact on the local (micro-) climate, as well as on the climate of the surrounding areas or adjacent cities, which has not been investigated in detail so far. Thus, the key focus of INTERFERE is not the urban area as usual, but the developments in the surroundings of the city, the suburbs and the urban sprawl. The densification and sealing in this area will highly impacts the local micro-climate but might additionally influence the whole urban area including the city centre. Therefore, the following aspects are analysed: • interactions and impact of the growing and densification of the suburbs (residential areas, shopping areas, roads) surrounding Graz on the suburbs’ local micro-climate conditions and on the city’s climate under different climate conditions (current, future scenarios) • the ability of different models (regional climate model (RCM), RCM with specific urban model coupled, urban climate model, microclimate model) to simulate the interactions mentioned above at the different spatial scales (several meters to some kilometers) • Quantitative information on the adaptive potential of green and blue infrastructure measures at different scales. • Assessing the potential of strategic spatial planning to reduce soil sealing and to strengthen, secure und enhance ecosystem services relevant for the local climate and people. The quantitative analysis of the impact of urban sprawling and the potential of strategic spatial planning is analysed by defining future spatial development concepts based on local and regional expertise with respect to spatial planning concepts, including mobility and zoning plans as well as an active discussion with local and regional stakeholders. These development plans are then translated into the chosen models to quantify the impact of planning concepts on the local (micro-) climate within the suburbs / surroundings of Graz as well as on the (micro-)climate of Graz during a heatwave. The conclusions drawn within INTERFERE are communicated to the relevant stakeholders to ensure a sustainable impact.

The main objectives of the project are: + to further develop and demonstrate the principle of retentive construction methods as elements of climate change adaptation in settlement areas, transport routes and for the prevention of pluvial floods (passive flood protection) + to gain insights for numerical simulations and to utilise these for the planning and operation of passive flood protection systems + optimising the use of synergies with carbon storage and biodiversity The central research topics are: + thesis: with the exception of high-ranking transport routes, retentive construction methods can be used everywhere where there is a need to adapt the components of the water balance (infiltration, evaporation and runoff) to local requirements (incl. groundwater management) + How can synergies in climate change adaptation of the water balance, carbon storage (in the soil) and conservation or reactivation of biodiversity be optimised with the use of nature-based methods (blue-green-brown infrastructure)? Description and evaluation of ecosystem services + nature-based retentive measures are to be developed, tested and modelled for the areas of windbreaks, viticulture, peri-urban settlements, housing estates, traffic route drainage and car parks + What influence do soil additives and/or soil organisms have on improving the properties of retentive construction methods, e.g. in terms of cleaning performance or plant vitality? The various elements of the technical substrates need to be analysed with regard to their effect on geotechnics, hydrology/hydraulics or filters and cleaning performance, especially by means of soil life and plants. + Scaling, dimensioning and test methods It is therefore necessary to develop dimensioning procedures, test parameters and test procedures for different construction methods to ensure their functions. These test procedures and parameters serve to ensure that they can be used in hydraulic construction methods in hydrological-hydraulic calculation and simulation procedures. Representative demonstration objects are used for the reliable validation of the water flows, which are to serve as the basis for simulation programmes in small and large areas. The data should be usable for open source or licensed modelling programs. + Integral modelling and monitoring