On the opening day of the international Země živitelka agricultural fair, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague is presenting a topic that has long been central to its work. At its stand in Pavilion T, visitors can discover the latest version of the “Smart Landscape” concept, this time tailored to regions affected by mining in the Karlovy Vary and Sokolov areas. They can also learn how urban buildings and their roofs can be adapted to climate change at a time when cities can resemble blazing furnaces on hot summer days.
Karlovy Vary Region as a Living Laboratory: Smart Landscape 2030+
The Faculty of Environmental Sciences´ project is transforming the Karlovy Vary Region into a model area for a sustainable, climate-resilient and data-driven landscape. Researchers are developing calibrated models for the entire area, combining climate scenarios, hydrological simulations and satellite data specifically for post-mining spoil heaps. Students regularly conduct fieldwork to map the area´s specific characteristics. For example, they study the reclaimed Lake Medard and the Jiří open pit mine in cooperation with municipalities and the Regional Innovation Centre.
“The aim is to design approaches that will help restore the functionality of the post-mining landscape, support its use for agriculture, forestry, recreation and biodiversity, while at the same time increasing its capacity to adapt to ongoing climate change,” says Petr Sklenička, principal investigator of the project, CZU Rector Emeritus and a member of the Department of Spatial Planning at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences.
Scientists test the project’s outputs in real-world locations ranging from post-mining spoil heaps to town centres. Smart Landscape integrates climate, water, landscape and urban modelling into a single system, creating a digital twin of the entire region. It will be connected to real-world sensors, a hydrological model and climate simulations. At the same time, the project brings together researchers, municipalities, schools, companies, landscape planners and water-management experts.
In Chodov in the Karlovy Vary Region, the Envirocentre for education on landscape, climate change and adaptation will soon begin operating. “The aim is to help transfer scientific knowledge into practice and demonstrate how smart and nature-based measures can increase the resilience of an area to drought, torrential rainfall and temperature extremes,” explains researcher Tereza Hnátková.
Model Examples of Blue-Green Infrastructure
Experts from the Faculty of Environmental Sciences have also long focused on rainwater management and urban adaptation to climate change. At the CZU stand, they will therefore demonstrate in practical terms how a green roof can cool a building and its surroundings.
Visitors will be able to see for themselves the temperature difference between a black and a green roof, as well as how rainwater can be managed on different roof types. They will see thermal-camera temperature measurements, comparisons of various roofing systems, examples of blue-green infrastructure, and entertaining experiments for both children and adults.
For more information, read the article on the ŽIVÁ UNIVERZITA.