The Climate Tile, developed by the Danish architectural firm Tredje Natur, has been used in its pilot project, preventing floods at Heimdalsgade in Copenhagen.

With the rapid urbanisation, rainwater has little place to go in cities, and thanks to global warming, some places have too much of it at the time, resulting into rivers where streets once were.

The sidewalks in Copenhagen total more than 700 kilometres, offering the potential to create rainwater management while bringing more value to the city.

The Climate Tiles, which have been in development since 2014, are dotted with holes. These allow the water to be funneled into planted spaces alongside the pavement. The plants consume a substantial portion of the water, while the rest sinks into the soil. The rest of the water from the sidewalks is led through holes in the tiles to a storage unit by integrated pipes. The unit can manage the water in connection to storage, delay, diversion and percolation. This way, the flow of water to sewers is reduced dramatically, preventing floods.

“We wish to show the world that climate adaption is not just about hidden technology, but also a chance for everybody to participate in the improvement of our everyday spaces, where we learn to understand the city’s hidden infrastructure at the same time as it offer greater life quality,” Tredje Natur says.

The tiles are outfitted with vertical and horizontal pipes that allow the tile to be used for various functions. This way, it is possible to adjust the tile to any given situation or activity on the sidewalk.

On 27 September, the company inaugurated the tile’s 50 metre long pilot pavement at Heimdalsgade in Copenhagen. The aim of the project is to see the tiles in action throughout the seasons and collect data on how they manage different weather types, weight loads, salting, et cetera.

For a similar project in the Netherlands, click here.

Photos: Tredje Natur