In recent years, the European trend of greening tram lines has become increasingly popular and has started to spread to many cities across Europe. This trend is not only a way to make cities more beautiful, but also has important benefits for the environment and people’s health.
The use of sedum in the greening of tram lines brings important benefits to the community. First, it improves air quality by capturing dust particles and airborne pollutants. Sedum also helps reduce noise levels, providing a quieter and more pleasant environment for residents.
In addition, sedum helps to improve the urban appearance by bringing an element of nature to the city. The green aspect of the tram lines creates a more pleasant and aesthetic environment for people. This has a positive impact on people’s well-being and can contribute to improving the quality of life in the city.
Did you know?
Sedum absorbs CO2 and particles, storing an average of 1.23 kg of CO2 per square meter per year.
This means that 813 m2 of railway greened with Sedum absorbs one ton of CO2/year. A ton of CO2 is equivalent to almost 10,000 km of driving a petrol car.
However, the advantages of greening tram lines with sedum do not stop there. This practice also helps reduce the risk of flooding by absorbing rainwater and draining it to the ground.
Also, the plants have a cooling effect on the environment, reducing the risk of deformation of the tram lines during periods of heatwave.
Also, the greening of tram lines can have a positive effect on the local economy. In many cities, the greening of tram lines has increased the value of real estate in the area and attracted investment from companies that want to associate with an ecological and sustainable brand. Thus, this measure can contribute to the economic development of the city and increase the quality of life for its inhabitants.
In Europe, the trend of greening tram lines with sedum is continuously developing, being adopted by more and more cities, thus proving that the use of sedum can be an effective and ecological solution for improving the urban environment and creating green spaces in congested areas.
In Romania, although there are still few such projects, the trend has started to gain ground and there are already initiatives to green some tram routes in big cities. Urban planners believe that this trend will continue to expand in the future due to significant environmental and community benefits.
Arad is the first city in the country where a significant green space has been created thanks to the greening of the tram lines, the installation being carried out in the summer and autumn of 2023. The successful project is considered a pioneer in Romania and it is expected that other cities will join the initiative in the near future.
In Romania there are about 700 kilometers of tram lines in total, distributed in different big cities, such as Bucharest, Timișoara, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Galați, Craiova, Brașov, Ploiesti, Brăila, Bacău, Târgu Mureș, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Deva, Alba Iulia, Suceava and Vaslui.
The development was carried out without irrigation systems, on Revoluției Boulevard and Calea Aurel Vlaicu, over a length of 5.5 km, achieving the greening of the area and the corridor formed by the existing tram lines, on an area of 3 ha.
The greening of the tram lines was achieved by arranging Sedum rolls between the tram tracks and outside them, along the entire length of the site.
Sedum species are very resistant and self-regenerating, they do not require an irrigation system or frequent maintenance, and their coloring offers a palette of varied colors throughout the year, at the beginning of summer white, pink, yellowish colored flowers appear, greenish leaves predominates during the summer which acquires warm reddish shades in the hot summer and autumn.
Green tram routes positively influence the visual perception of the urban landscape, the green space created by green tram lines creates a connection between the built environment, man and nature, provides a healthier environment and contributes to the well-being of society. It brings a splash of color to the monotonous
streetscape, interrupting the gray surface with a vibrant green.
Rich vegetation has an energizing effect, bringing nature into the urban environment and having positive effects on mental health. On the other hand, the green space arranged in the middle of the urban bustle, provides a home for countless small creatures, especially beneficial pollinators.
The favorable effects became measurable immediately after installation, as thermoscan measurements show a significant temperature difference between the vegetated surface and the paved areas (with differences of up to 19°C).
Therefore, the trend of greening tram lines with sedum is a smart, sustainable and aesthetic solution that can bring significant benefits to the urban environment and the local community. It is expected that this trend will develop and become more widespread throughout Europe, but also in Romania, in the coming years.
Ecostratos, started the production of sedum rolls in Romania, offering innovative and sustainable solutions for the greening of tram lines in our country. In an effort to make our cities greener and healthier, we invite all local authorities and transport companies to consider this solution.
