Effective integration of built environment with urban Ramsar wetlands: an environmentally sustainable design framework

Abstract

Considering the increasing number of Urban Wetland Integrated Building Invasions that occur continuously in Sri Lanka, there is little scientific understanding of the optimal design strategies and their relative advantages for ecosystems and humans. The preservation of ecology while adding architectural interventions into sensitive places is a complex procedure, especially when dealing with highly sensitive eco-systems. To wisely integrate buildings with the natural environment of the wetlands, research on the design and application of integrating ESD standards is essential. The primary concept that applies the most to ESD recommendations for wetlands is the "environmental briefing system" (ESD), which is regarded as the most comprehensive and clearly expressed principles and strategies on ESD features. Furthermore, this research extends the framework to include strategies specific to RAMSAR wetlands, comprising 33 distinct methods organized within five primary rationales. This results in a comprehensive framework comprising 63 optional design measures tailored to conserve and protect urban RAMSAR wetlands effectively. In advance, the suggested framework could be used as a benchmark, an evaluation index, or an environmental assessment tool for projects that have already been completed. Additionally, it could be used as a fix-up tool, a checklist for design teams, or a benchmark for projects that are still in the pre-design stages.