Industrial and business parks (IBPs) in northwestern Europe cover a decisive part of settlement areas. They are highly sealed, particularly vulnerable to overheating, and play a crucial role in the increase of urban heat islands.

Therefore, 11 project partners from Northwest Europe are developing and implementing strategies and climate adaptation measures for dealing with climate change in industrial and business parks in the INTERREG VI B project “IB-Green” until 2026. The aim is to reduce heat stress through green-blue infrastructures, contributing to healthier working and living conditions and reduced climate and economic risks for enterprises and local authorities. Up to now, green-blue infrastructures have been implemented primarily in residential and mixed-use areas, while potentials in industrial and commercial areas have mostly remained unconsidered. Here, the need for change is high but complex.

The project partners representing local authorities, business parks operators and managers, networks, sector organisations and science institutions in the field of climate adaptation are joining forces to work on this challenge: Experiences and ideas are pooled to jointly develop a transnational strategy and action plans to embed green-blue infrastructure in existing industrial and commercial area and implement adaptation measures.

At the first transnational working group meeting in September in Wiesbaden, the conditions for a practicable development of green-blue infrastructures in industrial and commercial areas in the different regions will be discussed and jointly further developed.

INFRASTRUKTUR & UMWELT (IU) supports the project with the content-wise coordination of the project’s tasks as well as an overall finance and project management. IU collaborates closely with the project partners to implement the ongoing partnership activities and to support and coordinate the transnational meetings.