Climate-resilient living

The climate is changing. Heat, drought, and extreme rainfall are occurring more frequently. You can adapt your home and garden to these changes by making your garden greener (fewer paving tiles), installing a green roof, or collecting rainwater.

The benefits of more greenery (plants):

greenery absorbs rainwater;
greenery provides shade and cooling during increasingly warm summers;
greenery is beneficial for insects, birds, and other animals;
greenery ensures cleaner air and dampens ambient noise;
greenery reduces stress and is good for Health.

A wealth of knowledge is available to help you make your garden greener and easier to maintain. You certainly do not need to have a green thumb or spend a lot of time or money on gardening.

Green roof

A green roof keeps your home cool in the summer and absorbs rainwater. If you plan to install a roof garden, have a structural assessment conducted to ensure your roof can support the weight. A roof with low-growing plants (a sedum roof) weighs less and requires little maintenance. You can find more information, advice, and practical tips on the Milieucentraal website.

Green garden, patio, or balcony

What is the condition of your garden, patio, or balcony? Does water pool after heavy rainfall? Is it excessively hot on a summer day because the sun shines on your garden all day long? By replacing some paving tiles with greenery, you give water the space to drain away after a heavy downpour. You can also collect rainwater in a rain barrel or underground. For more tips, visit the websites of Milieucentraal and Steenbreek.

Greenery in your neighborhood

Could the green spaces in your neighbourhood use a little color? Then adopt a section of public green space. You can also plant and maintain the ground around the tree on your street by adopting a tree pit. It’s a fun activity to do with a group of neighbours. You can also create a facade garden. You may remove one and a half tiles along the facade and plant vegetation in that space.