Keywords

1 Introduction

In the climate change scenario, it is widely discussed how extreme events are increasing the demand for urban resilience. At the same time, recent studies demonstrate that the construction of a resilient condition for climate-related events in the built environment needs profound modifications in the economic as well as the social sector [1, 2]. With regard to the second sector, social aspects, the scientific community is also widely demonstrating that an effective climate resilient transition regards the construction of social conditions of understanding of the ongoing transformations, in the forms of knowledge transfer as well as capacity building for the direct contribution of the communities to the built ecosystem functioning [3].

In this paper the discussion on a sustainable and just climate-resilient transition related to water technologies is addressed focusing on the relations between [a] natural emergency and social aspects, [b] natural emergency and technological opportunities, [c] technological opportunities and social aspects.

  1. [a]

    As regarding the first relation, with regard to water, climate change and anthropic activities are negatively affecting different forms of the hydric resource, thus leading to social issues, related to: water scarcity [4], due to always longer and more severe drought periods; low-quality water services [5], as a consequence of resource insufficiency or bad quality, water excess during flooding events [6] for which, as for droughts, foresights indicate high levels of increase [7]; health issues [8], connected to water deployment and sanitation.

  2. [b]

    Also, currently, about 70% of global water is used by agriculture, 20% by industry and 10% by domestic [9]. Following a more diffuse research on energy implications on a structured transition [10], an increasing interest in innovations in water technologies [11, 12], in the Food-Energy-Water Nexus [13], and in Nature-based Solutions [14] is retrievable. Furthermore, to solve the presented social issues related to water distress, the design of the urban water management within the built environment in transition can, at the same time, highly contribute to the transformation needed.

  3. [c]

    However, some of the most recent studies on social-ecological design related to the deployment of physical and digital technologies, suggest that working on the adaptation to some conditions, by merely reducing their impacts on the built environment, is no more sufficiently effective [15]. In fact, the current scenario rather suggests the need to produce positive impacts on the three relationships taken as reference in this paper. Furthermore, despite the multiple literature available, a validated methodology for the specific potential contribution of water technologies in the process of a just climate resilient transition needs to be further investigated.

The paper presents the discussion as follows: Introduction; Literature review; Experimental context; Experimentation; Methodology; Results; Discussion; Conclusions.

In the first part of the paper, some literature will be discussed, starting from a wider point of view regarding the design approaches and then focusing on the latest contributions on water management for climate change resilient and inclusive transition. Then, three paradigms are presented: liminal scale, Urban Water Districts, and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). These paradigms are considered critical to understanding the following presentation of the methodology based on the Advanced Design with the resilient approach. Afterward, the experimentation is presented, discussing the construction of the methodology through the integration of two different approaches. Then, some research on the criticality of water management in the post-Covid19 is presented as examples for a first validation of the proposed methodology for the just, climate resilient and inclusive transition, within the digital and ecological transitions. Finally, the results are pointed out, the innovative aspects of the methodology, bottlenecks, and further research are discussed, and conclusions are presented.

2 Literature

In the latest years the scientific community has discussed in a transdisciplinary way about climate resilience in the built environment, social transitions and sustainable development. Following the aim of the presented study, the contribution to the frontier research starts by innovating some theoretical and practical paradigms for their valid application within the methodology for the integrated climate resilient and inclusive transition scenarios. The proposed innovation takes some theoretical and practical references that are considered fulfilling the need for integration of the three architectural relations (natural emergency/technological opportunities/social aspects), thus working within the frontier research. To the building of the methodology, the climate scenarios and foresights of the IPCC [7] are taken as reference for the natural/social issue. In addition, the definition of advanced design for the digital and ecological transition is assumed as proposed by Celi [16]. Especially, with reference to the Advanced Sustainable Design for resilient scenarios, Nava’s contribution is taken as reference [17]. Furthermore, the process of the socio-ecological design by Graves et al. [18] is considered for the implementation of the methodology through the latest studies on integration of social and ecological design. Finally, the study on the contribution of digital technologies for the regenerative design is considered important for the definition of environmental and social positive impacts [19].

As regarding climate change-related water issues, to which contemporary cities have to respond to address digital and ecological transitions, most recent models and simulations show an increasing scarcity of water around the Mediterranean, parts of Europe, Central and South America, and Southern Africa, but also an increase in the intensity of extreme precipitation events [21, 22]. In 2020, the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), published a report on water issues related to climate change, explaining how, since “access to a reliable water supply is critical to nearly all sectors working to combat climate change, water is a fundamental, cross-sectoral component of all national climate planning and implementation” [22]. Furthermore, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranking of the top global risks, infectious diseases, climate action failure, and biodiversity loss are within the top 4 global risks in terms of impacts in 2021, and they all derive from climate change effects of availability and bad water quality [23].

In the next paragraphs, the literature aims to organize the latest innovations in the contribution of water management and related methodologies for a climate resilient (Sect. 2.1) and inclusive (Sect. 2.2) transitions within the digital and ecological transition.

2.1 Latest Contributions on Water Management for Climate Change Resilient Scenarios

The study intends to find the contribution of water management in the resilience of an urban district in case of floodings and droughts, as climate change-related events. In this context, the contemporary scientific community is widely discussing the need for a paradigm shift, being reinforced by the necessity of a digital and ecological transition [24]. Some authors suggest a paradigm of sustainability and integrated water resources management (SWRM and IWRM) [25], towards an innovation-driven transition. To date, IWRM and the nexus are the most investigated approaches to manage water resources in built environments [27, 28].

However, recent research is establishing the basis for a regenerative just and sustainable ecological and digital transition, through the development of some experimental technologies that apply innovative stormwater management on a neighborhood level and combine NBSs with social benefits. Moradikian, S., Emami-Skardi, M. J., and Kerachian, R., for example, suggest a multi-agent model for water and reclaimed wastewater allocation in urban areas through the application of a modified ADOPT algorithm [28]. In some cases, innovative LID on SWMM model is proposed [29].

Also, since water is globally recognized as a resource at risk of scarcity, different water-related environmental footprint assessments have already been generated, with multiple appliance sectors. Specifically, are considered for reference the ISO 14046, according to which “the water footprint assessment refers to the total freshwater volume consumed and polluted directly or indirectly across a product’s end-to-end supply chain […]” [30] and the Water Footprint Assessment Manual on the scientific definition of water footprint and evaluation of consequences of existing production models, connecting, once again, water technological innovations to resilience and sustainability [31]. These findings may be helpful in the definition of a methodology that aims at including communities in the understanding of water urban metabolism.

2.2 Latest Contributions on Water Management for a Just Transition

As for a just and inclusive transition, beyond the undisputed importance of a resource such as water in the contexts of human and non-human living, several authors have recently emphasized the key character of water in the governance of urban issues related to social, environmental, and health crises, including the livability of spaces [32], adaptation and mitigation of effects of climate change [33] and pandemics [34].

Furthermore, considering climate change effects in terms of excess water during a cloudburst, a push of design effort for architectural technology, beyond the concept of the sponge city is needed. In fact, while the research and applications on the practices of the sponge city are widely investigated in the literature of the sector and contemporary design cases [35], the contribution of these technological design systems to the inclusivity of the transition and to a just transition are still not clear.

Finally, although the emerging urban issues mark a more abrupt and uncertain pace of change, requiring both social and technological transformations [36], to date, the scientific literature still refers to the “urban districts” mainly regarding energy transitions (Net-Zero Energy Districts - NZED, nearly Zero Energy Districts - nZED, Positive Energy Districts - PED, Low Energy Districts - LED, etc.) [37]. On the other hand, Vail Castro [38] has proposed an optimization of nature-based solutions by combining social equity, hydro-environmental performance, and economic costs through a novel gini coefficient. These last advances, specifically, contribute to the investigation of methods for the calculation of qualitative water management systems contribution to the social aspects. Another contribution valid to the building of a methodology is the IUCN self-assessment tool, still in construction and verification, which includes the social benefits in nature-based solutions [39].

Two Case Studies.

The two cases that are proposed below are related to water technologies for water purification from Covid19 concentration for sustainable, resilient and just transitions.

Hart and Halden Study.

In 2020, Hart and Halden [40], employed computational analysis and modeling “to examine the feasibility, economy, opportunities, and challenges of some active coronavirus infections locally and globally using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE)”, as it was done for polio and hepatitis. According to the authors, temperature effects to obtain robustly, informative data are critical for effective use of WBE; while, regarding the process, the system can alert emergency response teams to the presence of infected individuals in towns, cities, and specific drainage areas, assessing the importance of advanced resilient urban solutions that enable agile water management for epidemic risks due to climate change.

Bogler et al. Study.

In the same year, Bogler et al. [34] published a study that gave information on the survival and dissemination of enveloped viruses in general, in particular during wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse, thus contributing to the construction design criteria of the methodology for Advanced Resilient Design through water management. The study reports that the size of the population connected to the sewer system has a direct impact on the concentration of SARS-CoVs in wastewater and thus the potential for dissemination. This aspect suggests the importance of the development of urban districts, with reduced dimensions for easy monitoring. Furthermore, and more importantly, they found that “survival time of SARS-CoVs in wastewater is sufficiently long for infective viruses to reach WWTPs and […] natural water bodies used for recreation such as ponds, rivers, and lakes via leakage or combined sewer overflows during storm events” and that “SARS-CoVs may be disseminated to aquatic ecosystems during an outbreak due to leaking sewers or insufficient removal following wastewater treatment”.

Preliminary Findings.

The proposed technological case studies widely contribute to the technological field, while lacking climate scenarios, adaptive co-management, capacity building, knowledge transfer and embedded knowledge. However, their contribution on social aspects through water management can be related to the definition of long term just transition, through the monitoring of water-related health issues.

2.3 Lacks and Gaps

The reviewed literature presents some lacks in different terms, that can be summerized as follows:

  • the contribution of the discussed technological design systems to the inclusivity of the transition and to a just transition are still not clear.

  • to date, the scientific literature still refers to the “urban districts” mainly regarding energy transitions. As a consequence, a better focus on the water resource or the Food-Water-Energy Nexus, may be useful to investigate the transition possibilities more systemically.

  • The only assessment methods available are still in construction and verification, like the IUCN for social benefits associated to the nature-based solutions. The construction of a specific methodology that integrates different approach may be useful to assess the constructed transition scenarios.

However, all the contributions are still strictly related to the technologies and not on social involvement or just transition and the literature lacks methodologies for the involvement of communities in process of ecological and digital transition strictly related to the water management, as tools of knowledge transfer and capacity building. As a consequence, the experimental application of a valid methodology finalized to the just, ecological and digital transition through resilience and sustainability is still required.

3 Experimental Context

The experimental context is related to the use of innovative water management in the frontier research to address a climate resilient and inclusive sustainability. To this purpose, a methodology is constructed, based on the Advanced Resilient Design approach. The three principal paradigms related to the Advanced Resilient Design Process are identified as: Liminal scale (1), Urban Water districts (2), and Nature-Based Solutions (3).

  1. (1)

    The liminal scale contributes to a change of perspectives in the design concepts. It is not considered as the juxtaposition of two different scales (e.g., neighbourhood and building), but rather it implies consideration of the contribution of one urban “organism” (e.g., the building) to the proper functioning of the metabolism of another “organism” (e.g., the square in proximity, the neighbourhood). Through the application of “Enabling Technologies” of the type of water technologies, this way of designing contributes to the implementation of the impacts needed, by building technological and human capacities for social and digital innovations and resilient transitions, with direct impacts on cultural and environmental components.

  2. (2)

    As already discussed, districts in transition are widely studied. However, to date, energy districts are much more investigated than water districts. In the resilient and agile sense, integrating water districts would mean triggering a ‘transition’ from unfavourable conditions, resulting from the effects of global warming on atmospheric factors and resource scarcity to a new metabolic balance of resources and quality of life. The principle can be traced to the integration of climate change resilience issues with questions related to the sustainability of urban living patterns. This principle describes urban districts in resilient transition with a circular character and responds to the need to drastically reduce reliance on primary sources, through self-production of the resources needed to ensure the dynamic balance of their urban metabolic flows, in the event of extreme events. As a consequence, it appears reasonable to talk about “Positive Water Districts” (i.e., all the districts involving a completely circular use of the hydric resource) (Fig. 1).

CASE 1_Terneuzen District

Place: Terneuzen

Environmental performance: wastewater stock for filtration and industrial reuse

Issue: Eccessive amount of industrial water use

Other specificity: Treated wastewater reused in DOW industrial production

Area of application: urban district, industry

Fig. 1.
figure 1

Source: rietland.com

a. A picture of Terneuzen houses and in the background the industrial area. b. The water purification system.

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  1. (3)

    Nature-Based Solutions are design interventions in the adoption of a nature-based approach and the actualisation of resilience through sustainability. The nature-based approach reduces the use of grey solutions while exploiting or mimicking nature workings and capacities (infiltration, evapotranspiration, CO2 stocking, cooling, etc.). These properties become criteria for the resilient and sustainable transition urban projects for both environmental aspects (de-impermeabilization, more water in the aquifer, better quality of surface water, regulated urban metabolism) and social aspects (more natural spaces, better quality of living, better quality of services, more inclusive resource management). Furthermore, adopting Nature-Based Solutions, thus reactivating natural functioning, water enabling technologies can contribute to the implementation of quality of life, guaranteeing cultural and social transition through the innovation of systems. For example, by integrating technologies for purification and digital monitoring it is possible to reach better quality of water in the aquifer, to reduce the risk of infectious diseases due to water quality and exposure to sewer water, and to better monitor health conditions through sewer digital analysis (Fig. 2a/b).

CASE 2_Linear Grand Canal Park, Mexico

Place: Mexico City

Dimension: 70,000 mq

\(\begin{aligned} {\mathbf{Environmental}}\;{\mathbf{performance}}{:} & + {16}\% \;{\text{in}}\;{\text{relative}}\;{\text{humidity}}; - {5}\% \;{\text{in}}\;{\text{temperature}} \\ & + {1}00\% \;{\text{permeability}}\;{\text{recovered}} \\ \end{aligned}\)

Issue: Heat Islands effect

Other specificity: recovery of capital’s historic Grand Canal Structure

Area of application: Urban, highly dense, old canal structures.

Fig. 2.
figure 2

a/b. Linear Grand Canal Park, in Mexico, as an example of application of Nature Based Solutions. Source: archdaily.com

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4 Methodology

The subject of the experimental study concerns the elaboration and validation of a methodology useful to address the digital and ecological transition in the built environment, relating on climate resilience and inclusivity. To this aim, the proposed methodology integrates the resilient approach of the Advanced Sustainable Design and the social-ecological design process as defined by Graves et al. [18].

Advanced Sustainable Design mainly contributes to the construction of sustainable ecological and digital transition scenarios. In fact, sustainable design is defined as advanced because it uses data, design and digital devices. Data are used in the construction of transition scenarios, sustainable technology design serves the technical definition of spaces and architecture for ecological transition, mainly the resource management, and digital devices are used in the processing of data and information for a just digital transition. Specifically, the resilient approach provides the principles for the construction of ecological and digital transition for resilient scenarios [17]. Furthermore, Advanced Design already indirectly works on the social aspects of the transition with regard to the use of digital devices and work application in knowledge transfer and capacity building [41].

However, a specific contribution is still needed to ensure the construction of just and inclusive transition scenarios.

4.1 Construction of the Integrated Methodology

In order to effectively construct the methodology for the application to transition of reference, it is possible to generate a matrix in which the Advanced Resilient Design (ARD) components (Data, Design and Devices) are explicated with regards to the Regenerative Design (RD) approach and the contribution of each component to the just, ecological and digital transition through sustainability and resilience.

Table 1 shows the matrix that, for water related climate-resilient transitions uses “Data” retrievable in the latest scientific documents regarding climate change, including data, 2050–2085 climate scenarios, reports and specific platforms of climate services (i.e., IPCC scenarios, CMCC data, WEF reports and Copernicus platform). As for the “Design” component, following the regenerative Design approach (i.e., moving from the degenerative approach for negative impacts reduction to the regenerative one for positive impacts), the matrix includes Nature based Solutions (NBSs), Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), Stormwater Management Models (SWMM) and the assessment tools available from RES and IUCN. Finally, the “Devices” component implies parametric environmental analysis, water quality sensors, other monitoring devices and open platforms. The latter are considered especially useful for the dissemination of pieces of information and the construction of an open knowledge for the community.

Respectively, the contribution of the three components on the transition of reference are: Climate-resilient and just transition for the “Data” component; climate-resilient and just transition for the “Design” component; just and digital transition for the “Devices” component.

Table 1. The linkages between Advanced Resilient Design, the Regenerative Design and the just, ecological and digital transition for water-related resilient and sustainable scenarios. The image shows as ARD water-related components of the RD type can contribute to the transition of reference. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022.
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Furthermore, Fig. 3 shows the social-ecological design process, as described by Graves et al., which is taken into account. A predesign process of needs and goals assessment is established, then a phase of implementation through capacity building and monitoring, a phase of context identification and local engagement and a new phase of evaluation of needs and goals follow. Finally, the design phase integrates system design with capacity analysis within the timeline, before verifying the whole process. As part of the Advanced Resilient Design Process, there is a predesign phase of circular reasoning, which places future design actions within the framework of hyper-sustainable regenerative design. The process is also based on the idea that Regenerative Design provides the operational methodology to reason on performative-analytical and proof-of-concept criteria. That is, the analysis capabilities of the project, refer to the character of design, which is technical, but also capable of analyzing social and ecological systems. Similarly, process proofing relates to ecological transition and effective governance of resources.

Fig. 3.
figure 3

The social-ecological design process, as described by Graves et al. [18], is taken into account for the application of the advanced resilient design approach, as advanced regenerative design.

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As a consequence, based on what has been discussed, it is possible to state that the social-ecological design provides an operational process useful for the construction of the required methodology, through the implementation of Advanced Resilient Design approach. By integrating the Advanced Resilient Design approach with the social-ecological process it is possible to build the following methodology flow (Fig. 4):

Fig. 4.
figure 4

Schematic flow of the proposed methodology based on ARD approach and SE process. All the phases of the methodology are chronologically retrievable from the upper left part to the bottom right part of the flow. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022.

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4.2 Surrogate Strategies of Methodology Applications for Transition Scenarios

In the application of the proposed methodology, Advanced Resilient Design approach components (data, design, devices) can be distributed in different orders in the methodological flow. These different configurations represent, in fact, surrogate strategies which enable the methodology to be valid for different transition scenarios. This paper indicates three different scenarios of application of the methodology:

  1. 1.

    Database (principal issue individuated) → Data findings → Resource management → Digital intervention

  2. 2.

    Database (principal issue individuated) → Data findings → Digital intervention (analysis for local data implementation, in case of local data lacks)  → resource management → data + digital intervention (knowledge transfer and capacity building to the community)

  3. 3.

    Database (principal issue individuated) → Resource management → Data findings.

In the next section, in order to validate the proposed methodology, the experimentation will apply the methodology to all the surrogate strategies, for 3 different scenarios.

5 Experimentation: Application and Validation of the Proposed Methodology

In this section, the proposed methodology is applied to n.3 case studies in order to prove its validity for different transition scenario, with specific reference to climate change-related water management.

The validation of the methodology is organised on the application to:

  • n.1 innovative water management system (Michigan, USA)

  • n.1 research project (Southern periphery of Reggio Calabria, ITA)

  • n.1 urban district (Terneuzen, NL).

5.1 Application on Biochar-Based Water Filtration System on Mobility Infrastructure [Virus Reduction]

Place: Coon Rapids, Michigan, USA

Year: 2021–2023

Issue: Grey wastewater filtration (BIESF Biochar- and Ironed-Enhanced Sand Filters)

Application framework: Infrastructure, urban, open spaces available

Experimental context: research project

Other specificity: Innovative water filtration system applied (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5.
figure 5

Surrogate strategy n.1. Scenario: Ecological and Digital transition for mobility infrastructures scenario with the scope of reducing virus concentration from wastewater before its reuse in recreational ponds. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022

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The first study case is provided by Matthiesen E., and Megow, E. [42]. They studied how biochar can be useful to reduce virus concentration [E. Coli, Total Phosphorus, Ortho Phosphorus, TSS] on grey wastewater coming from a car road. The principal issue was the confluence of wastewater directly inside a pleasure pond (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6.
figure 6

In the first picture, the Woodcreek drive NW running between the woodcreek and the pleasure creek. In the second picture, a focus on the Woodcreek drainage area used is offered. The third picture shows exactly how the double filter (IESF and BIESF) are applied to the pleasure creek drainage area. The last picture is retrieved from Matthiesen E., and Megow presentation at SER webinar, 22.06.2022.

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Preliminary Findings.

The preliminary results from 2021 of the two applications show that BIESF systems are more efficient than IESF systems, above all regarding E. Coli, from 69% to 72%. TP is consistently removed by both filters. OP is still insignificantly present.

5.2 Application on Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Periphery

Location: Southern Periphery of Reggio Calabria

Year: 2020

Issue: Floodings after brief cloudbursts and UHI (high soil covering rate)

Application framework: Urban areas, high density

Experimental context: research project (Fig. 7)

Fig. 7.
figure 7

Surrogate strategy n.2. Scenario: Ecological and Digital transition in urban periphery Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022

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The presented case study is retrieved within the works elaborated during the Sustainable Advanced Design II (SAD II) workshop as part of the activities within the Sustainable Innovation Design course, coordinated by Prof. C. Nava. The second edition of the workshop contributes to the activities of the KnowledgevsClimateChange project [3]. The aim of the workshop was the transfer of knowledge on the topics of climate change, transition and urban sustainability, with reference to the Southern Periphery of Reggio Calabria. In fact, the periphery suffers of floodings during brief cloudburst due to high impermeabilization and Urban Heat Island effects due to diffuse materials with very low levels of albedo.

For the methodology application: parametric analyses have been applied for the calculation of solar radiation, sunlight hours and waterflow to the ground (Fig. 8). Then, Nature Based Solutions have been applied, in some specific areas with implementation of areas of previous research (Fig. 9a/b). Finally, the IUCN assessment tools has been used to evaluate the level of correspondence of the project environmental and social performances to the NBS criteria for IUCN (Fig. 10).

Fig. 8.
figure 8

Source: A. Leuzzo, 2022.

Waterflow workflow on grasshopper. The analysis has been carried out using Butterfly tool, among the Ladybug tools for Grasshopper.

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Fig. 9.
figure 9

a. Nature based Solution for the area of the railway district in the southern suburbs of Reggio Calabria (students: M. Colosimo and V. Forestieri). b. Pictures from the project for the recovery of the Annunziata torrent area and the industrial area in the southern suburbs (students: G. Matranga and S. Vitale).

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Fig. 10.
figure 10

The IUCN assessment tool applied to the case study to assess the quality of the Nature-based Solutions adopted. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022.

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Preliminary Findings. +9,5 sustainable mobility, +80% soil permeability; +10 recycle and reuse of waste; +75% greening. Furthermore, the IUCN assessment tool indicates that high levels of “sustainability and mainstreaming”, of “design at scale”, “adaptive management” and “balance trade-offs” are satisfied. The assessment tool based on the NBSs criteria considers “high level” the value between 80 and 100% of criteria satisfaction (Fig. 10).

5.3 Application on Urban Water District for Industrial Water Recycle

Location: Dow Industrial Area – Terneuzen (NL)

Year: 2014–2021

Issue: Floodings after brief cloudbursts and UHI (high soil covering rate)

Application framework: Industrial plants, urban water districts, stormwater recovery

Experimental context: research project/industrial area and urban water districts

Fig. 11.
figure 11

Surrogate strategy n.3. Scenario: Ecological and Digital transition in urban water districts and industrial areas. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022

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Fig. 12.
figure 12

The Dow Industrial are and the Municipality of Terneuzen. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, from bing.maps.com, 2022.

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The Dow Industries, thanks to the co-operation of the Waterschap Scheldestromen (Scheldt Water Office) located in Terneuzen, can use the wastewater of the Terneuzen community (2.5 million m3 per year) purified by the treatment plant. Before this wastewater can be used for Dow's cooling towers, however, it has to be desalinated, via membrane filtration, at Evides; however, as the treated wastewater is not clean enough at this stage, frequent rinsing of the membranes is required for high-energy, water-embedded treatment; hence, the use of experimentation for natural pre-treatment. In short, green technologies serve to reduce and facilitate the use of grey technologies, because through biodegradation and absorption by plants in the marsh, components of the cooling water, which would otherwise disrupt the functioning of desalination membranes used later, are eliminated (Figs. 11, 12 and 13).

For example, between September and November 2020, four samples of the ‘Phytoair' filters were examined for the Brabantse Delta Water Board, two in Rucphen and two in Zundert, noting that the system used, the same as that developed for Water Nexus, produces an effluent of much higher quality than the influent; the results report the complete removal of suspended dust and organic materials, a nitrogen removal rate of between 75% and 89%, and a phosphorous reduction rate of between 83% and 90%.

Fig. 13.
figure 13

The process of wastewater filtering from the Terneuzen houses. Rainwater collection and Dow Terneuzen Wastewater to the artificial wetland for the primary filtration and then to the standard filtration to industrial water reuse. Graphic re-elaboration: A. Leuzzo from Rietland.com

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Preliminary Findings.

From the illustrated experimentation it is possible to retrieve some preliminar findings on pollutants reduction: suspended solids - 92/94%; BOD - 100%, COD - 97/98%; Nkj - 99%; TN - 82/89%; NH4+ - 100%.

6 Results

The obtained results show that:

  • BIESF systems are more efficient than IESF systems, above all regarding E. Coli virus. The methodology as constructed is well functioning with the first case study. Although, due to the highly technological character of the first experimentation, was not possible to completely specify the information regarding the social-ecological phases of the implementation and the placement. The Advanced Resilient Design approach through the use of digital devices contributes on the just transition from a health point of view.

  • Through the application of the methodology to the second experimentation impacts on the construction of climate-resilient spaces and on knowledge transfer have been registered. Also, the IUCN assessment method is confirmed as valid assessment method inside the proposed methodology, because of its comprehension of technological, social and economic aspects. Il also helps the direct understanding of possible improvements to the project.

  • From the illustrated experimentation it is possible to retrieve some preliminar findings on pollutants reduction: suspended solids – 92/94%; BOD – 100%, COD - 97/98%; Nkj 99%; TN 82/89%; NH4+ 100%.

Furthermore, in Table 2, reporting the linkages between the Advanced Resilient Design and the Regenerative Design with positive social and environmental impacts, it is possible to understand how an integration of the above analysed experimentations with the complete components of the ARD (Data + Design + Devices), the just ecological and digital transition through sustainability and resilience is satisfied.

Namely, the Advanced Resilient Design uses data to work on the technological and social-ecological design, in order to produce positive environmental impacts and social impacts; some of the contemplated technological solutions are innovative techniques for water filtering to enable water recovery and enhance stormwater stock and natural-decentralised treatments. From this point of view, methodology contributes to the development of the sustainable and resilient aspects of the transition of reference. Also, following the ARD organisation, digital devices are used to elaborate new data to be elaborated in pieces of information that can be accessible to all via open platforms. Consequently, the application of the devices ARD component focuses on the construction of the factors needed for a digital transition that can be considered just and inclusive, since the retrieved pieces of information can produce positive social and environmental impacts.

Table 2. The Advanced Resilient Design (ARD) components (Data, Design and Devices) with regards to the Regenerative Design (RD) approach and the contribution of each component to the just, ecological and digital transition through sustainability and resilience. Elaboration: A. Leuzzo, 2022
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7 Discussion

Basing on the methodology proposed, on the application presented, and on the results obtained, it is possible to discuss that:

  • The integration of the Advanced Resilient Approach and the social-ecologial design process enables the construction of the methodology, guaranteeing wide range impacts as required in order to realize the just, digital and ecological transition for resilient and sustainable scenarios.

  • Despite the good results obtained from the application of IUCN assessment tool on the second experimentation, and because of the complexity and transdisciplinarity of the impacts that the methodology tends to involve, a specific assessment method would probably entail indicators for the measurement of quality of life and social and cultural innovation, such as SDGs indicators, CAM parameters, beyond the IUCN Global Standards for Nature-based solutions.

  • As regarding innovative aspects, the combination of green and digital innovations with social and cultural aspects for a resilient and sustainable transition is considered the innovative aspect of the Advanced Resilient Design for the Innovations in water management. In fact, integrating the new paradigms for the proposed methodology with the examples for a first validation, it is possible to affirm that green (NBS) and digital innovations (SWRM, IWRM, WBE) for the Advanced Resilient Design in water management contribute to social and cultural innovation, in terms of implementation of quality of life and empowerment of local knowledge, that are critical for a just and equal transition. In fact, this condition relates to the concept of “citizens in transition” [50], by activating “prosumer strategies”, based on the capacity of the community to produce besides consuming a certain resource, thus contributing to local resilience and sustainability. As a consequence, the development of a “prosumer strategy” could replicate inclusiveness and equity in the autonomous production within sharing economy, leading to potential forms of local competitive sustainability and agile water resource management [51] to accelerate the digital and ecological transition for resilient and sustainable scenarios.

8 Conclusions

The proposed methodology generates from recent but solid research on resilient design, in the application of sustainable circular models, that require the managing of resources and information, through green and digital innovations. The regenerative design positively responds to the insufficiency of degenerating impacts designs, while proposing social, economic, and environmental positive impacts. Furthermore, the Advanced Resilient Design methodology first validation still needs more integrative validations, but the adherence of paradigms and technological considerations with the most recent and advanced research on water and wastewater management proves that the theoretical apparatus is coherent with the contemporary scenario and suggest that promising results can be reached in further applications of the methodology towards resilient scenarios in response to climate change.