Nature-based solutions using LECA LWA to increase urban sustainable development and contribute to stormwater management

In recent decades, the increase of building systems and the consequent imper-meabilization of the inner-city environment, poses several negative environ-mental risks, especially those regarding global warming and water management.Urban green infrastructure (GI) provides benefits to urban inhabitants, but theirpotential depends on their suitable implementation, under the responsibility ofdifferent stakeholders. Nature-based solutions (NbS) are an effective means torestore vegetation urban areas contributing to its sustainability and resilience.The use of NbS infrastructure helps to reduce flood incidences, furthermorecontributing to the mitigation of the urban heat island effect and air pollutionreduction. Several NbS such as green roofs and green walls, rain gardens, infil-tration trenches and permeable pavements, are being implemented worldwideas an effective strategy to improve the environmental performance of denselypopulated urban cities. Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA®) hasbeen widely incorporated in several innovative urban GI solutions due to theirkey characteristics (e.g. lightweight, porosity and good drainage), developing acrucial role in stormwater management and water runoff quality. This chapteraims to report the potential influence that several NbS have on urban stormwatermanagement, considering several case studies using Leca® LWA—demonstrat-ing their engineering benefits and innovative properties.