Treetanks for greener cities
Green Cities – Wavin supplies plastic tree tanks in Hasselt for trees to grow and flourish
More than half the world’s population are living in cities. As such, city dwellers are being exposed to a number of environmental issues due to climate change, such as heat stress and air purification. Trees are essential for mitigating many of these problems. They produce oxygen, improve air quality, provide shade, and reduce the effects of global warming. And they contribute to the health and well-being of the people who live and work in these cities.
In the Belgian city of Hasselt, a new neighborhood is under construction: Quartier Bleu. And they wanted to invest in sustainability of their tree canopy. Wavin provided a unique and versatile solution.
The Challenge: Cost-effective and sustainable tree growth
Just like many other cities, the city of Hasselt wants to add more greenery to the streets. However, while there are so many sustainable benefits to planting trees in cities, trees are vulnerable and they are also a big investment – expensive to maintain, to grow and stay healthy. But planting trees in the traditional way – immediately adjacent to roads, pavements and engineered structures – causes trees to struggle to grow, to die, or to have their roots push through the pavement and ruin sidewalks and roads.
The Solution: The Wavin Q-Bic Plus alternative solution for tree root protection
Namely, the Wavin Tree Tank. Together with the Hasselt’s contractor Willemen, Wavin worked on a plastic solution to provide Q-Bic Plus infiltration units to protect the tree roots and allow large trees to grow – creating a green city.
"We are responsible for the exterior construction of this project: from drains and pavements to plants and street furniture. Since we had been working with Wavin for some time, it made sense for us to look together for a solution for larger green areas in the urban area. That became the Q-Bic Plus Tree Tank." Rob Eyckens, Willemen
How does the Q-Bic Plus Tree Tank work?
The blue crates of the tree tank have strong side walls and lids. These ensure that the soil around the system can be compacted in accordance with the applicable standards. In this way, it is not only an ideal environment for the tree to grow, but also the pavement around the tree remains in good condition and there is no root imprint.
With the installation plan, the Q-Bic Plus Tree Tank can be quickly mounted, placed and disassembled. It is a flexible system. So, when cables and pipes have to be laid in the ground at a later stage, the tree tank can be easily excavated and opened up. Additionally, the stability calculation provides certainty about the long-term sustainability of the system.