The Climate Tile is a scalable climate solution for future cities’ sidewalks and urban spaces by THIRD NATURE. The tiles offer a sustainable water management system that absorbs rainfall and can help adapt dense cities to the impacts of climate change.
Teaching the world how to walk on water
The Climate Tile is a sustainable and scalable water management system for sidewalks that do not interfere with pedestrians or the urban landscape. The pilot project in Copenhagen includes a 50-metre-long pavement that mitigates the effects of increasing precipitation by absorbing up to 30% of the annual rainfall and thereby taking the load off the sewer system. The individual tiles have a system of holes, tunnels, and ridges that collects and manages rainwater, funnelling it away from pavements – where it can cause damage – to a preferred use such as irrigating nearby plantings.
The Climate Tile makes the pavement an important contributing element in climate solutions by collecting and managing stormwater runoff from roofs and paved areas. The tiles have been tested and monitored over four seasons and have shown good results. People in the local area value the tiles and the urban green spaces that are part of the project.
In addition to collecting rainwater 1% of the year – for example during extreme rainfall events – the remaining 99% of the time, the tiles contribute to a better quality of life in the city. After completion of the new pavement, the local coffee shop has seen a 40% increase in turnover.
About the Climate Tile
The Climate Tile project is designed and owned by THIRD NATURE and developed in collaboration with IBF, ACO Nordic, Technological Institute, Kollision, Orbicon and the City of Copenhagen. The contractor for the pilot project was Malmos. Realdania and the Market Development Fund have supported the Climate Tile’s development process financially.