Sustainable Requalification of the Zeferino Vaz Campus Drainage System: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience

Gabriela Marques Romero; Thalita S. Dalbelo

doi:10.14710/jsp.2025.30314

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/jsp.2025.30314

Sustainable Requalification of the Zeferino Vaz Campus Drainage System: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience

*Gabriela Marques Romero - Integrated Planning Executive Board - DEPI, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil

Thalita S. Dalbelo

- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

BibTex Citation Data :

@article{JSP30314,
    author = {Gabriela Romero and Thalita Dalbelo},
    title = {Sustainable Requalification of the Zeferino Vaz Campus Drainage System: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience},
    journal = {Journal of Sustainability Perspectives},
  volume = {5},
    number = {3},
    year = {2025},
    keywords = {},
    abstract = { The increasing impermeabilization of soil and intensification of extreme weather events have heightened the risk of flooding at Unicamp's Zeferino Vaz campus. Designed in the 1960s, the current drainage infrastructure is no longer adequate to meet present and future climate challenges. This study proposes the requalification of the drainage system through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), aligning with Unicamp’s 2021-2031 Integrated Territorial Master Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). NbS promote a shift from traditional rapid runoff models to sustainable drainage strategies that enhance infiltration, evapotranspiration, and retention. The project adopts a multi-scalar methodology, integrating interventions at the lot, street, neighborhood, and watershed levels. Planning is structured into five steps: hydrological diagnosis, mapping of impermeable and flood-prone areas, typology selection, feasibility analysis, and integration into institutional planning. The project is currently in its third step, identifying suitable NbS typologies for priority zones on campus. Supported by Unicamp’s sustainability governance, the initiative is embedded in a broader data-driven and participatory approach. It also foresees the integration of educational components, monitoring systems, and partnerships with academic and municipal stakeholders. Preliminary results include a complete hydrological diagnosis, detailed geospatial mapping of impermeable and flood-prone areas, and the preliminary selection of NbS typologies tailored to priority campus zones. The expected outcomes include flood risk reduction, increased biodiversity, enhanced thermal comfort, and the creation of outdoor learning environments. By leveraging its living lab model and long-standing sustainability commitment, Unicamp aims to transform environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation and resilience, and offers a replicable model for universities and urban areas. },
   issn = {2797-7137},   pages = {539--549}  doi = {10.14710/jsp.2025.30314},
    url = {https://ejournal2.undip.ac.id/index.php/jsp/article/view/30314}
}

Citation Format:

Abstract

The increasing impermeabilization of soil and intensification of extreme weather events have heightened the risk of flooding at Unicamp's Zeferino Vaz campus. Designed in the 1960s, the current drainage infrastructure is no longer adequate to meet present and future climate challenges. This study proposes the requalification of the drainage system through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), aligning with Unicamp’s 2021-2031 Integrated Territorial Master Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). NbS promote a shift from traditional rapid runoff models to sustainable drainage strategies that enhance infiltration, evapotranspiration, and retention. The project adopts a multi-scalar methodology, integrating interventions at the lot, street, neighborhood, and watershed levels. Planning is structured into five steps: hydrological diagnosis, mapping of impermeable and flood-prone areas, typology selection, feasibility analysis, and integration into institutional planning. The project is currently in its third step, identifying suitable NbS typologies for priority zones on campus. Supported by Unicamp’s sustainability governance, the initiative is embedded in a broader data-driven and participatory approach. It also foresees the integration of educational components, monitoring systems, and partnerships with academic and municipal stakeholders. Preliminary results include a complete hydrological diagnosis, detailed geospatial mapping of impermeable and flood-prone areas, and the preliminary selection of NbS typologies tailored to priority campus zones. The expected outcomes include flood risk reduction, increased biodiversity, enhanced thermal comfort, and the creation of outdoor learning environments. By leveraging its living lab model and long-standing sustainability commitment, Unicamp aims to transform environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation and resilience, and offers a replicable model for universities and urban areas.

Fulltext

Article Metrics:

Article Info

Section: Original Articles

Language : EN

In Vol 5, No 3 (2025)

Recent articles

National Chi Nan University's Role in Dark-Sky Governance and Regional Revitalization: A Model of Local Engagement and International Vision From Vision to Metrics: Positioning Australian University-Kuwait for UI GreenMetric Excellece through Digital Transformation Strengthening the 3C Partnership for Sustainable District More recent articles

Universidade Estadual de Campinas – Unicamp. Anuário estatístico [Internet]. Campinas: Unicamp; 2025. Available from: https://econtents.sbu.unicamp.br/boletins/index.php/aeu/article/view/9558/4999
dos Santos Dalbelo T, Galante AE, Romero GM, Dieguez AB, Torniziello TM. Panorama do planejamento territorial da Universidade Estadual de Campinas. In: Silva LCP, organizador. Campus Sustentável: um modelo de inovação em gestão energética para a América Latina e o Caribe. 1ª ed. Rio de Janeiro: Synergia; 2021. p. 3–57
dos Santos Dalbelo T, Galante AE, Romero GM, Dieguez AB, Torniziello TM. Plano Diretor Integrado da Unicamp 2021–2031: uma visão de futuro para os campis. Campinas: Portal de Livros de Acesso Aberto; 2021
UN Water. Relatório Mundial das Nações Unidas sobre Desenvolvimento dos Recursos Hídricos 2018: Soluções Baseadas na Natureza para a Gestão da Água, resumo executivo [Internet]. Paris: UNESCO; 2018. Available from: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000261594_por
Confederação Nacional de Municípios (CNM). Desastres em 47% dos MunicÍpios forçaram mais de 4,2 milhões a deixarem suas casas nos últimos 10 anos [Internet]. Planej Terrirorial e Habitação. Brasília: CNM; 2023. Available from: https://cnm.org.br/comunicacao/noticias/desastres-em-47-dos-municipios-forcaram-mais-de-4-2-milhoes-a-deixarem-suas-casas-nos-ultimos-10-anos
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Guidance for using the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions: A user-friendly framework for the verification, design and scaling up of Nature-based Solutions. First edition. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN; 2020. Available from: https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2020-021-En.pdf
Dumitru A, Wendling L, editor. Evaluating the Impact of Nature-Based Solutions: A Handbook for Practitioners [Internet]. Luxembourg: European Union; 2021. Available from: https://progireg.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Evaluating_the_impact_of_nature-based_solutions_-_Handbook_for_practitioners.pdf
UN Water. Relatório Mundial das Nações Unidas sobre Desenvolvimento dos Recursos Hídricos 2020: Água e mudança climática, fatos e dados, resumo executivo [Internet]. Paris: UNESCO; 2020. Available from: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000372882_por
Khatri A. et al. BiodiverCities by 2030: Transforming Cities’ Relationship with Nature [Internet]. In: World Economic Forum; 2022. Available from: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_BiodiverCities_by_2030_2022.pdf
Childers DL, Bois P, Hartnett HE, McPhearson T, Metson GS, Sanchez CA. Urban ecological infrastructure: an inclusive concept for the non-built urban environment. Elem Sci Anth. 2019;7:46
Machado AR, et al. Guia metodológico para implantação de infraestrutura verde. São Paulo: Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo (IPT); 2020. (Publicação IPT; 3035)
Observatório de Inovação para Cidades Sustentáveis (OICS). Catálogo Brasileiro de Soluções Baseadas na Natureza [Internet]. Brasilia, DF: Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos; 2024. Available from: https://oics.cgee.org.br/pt/-/cat%C3%A1logo-brasileiro-de-solu%C3%A7%C3%B5es-baseadas-na-natureza
Marques THN. Soluções baseadas na natureza para a resiliência urbana na América Latina. Rev LABVERDE. 2021;11(1):6–11
Caccia L, Strack C, Corrēa F, Incau B, Evers H. Estratégia municipal multiescalar para adoção de Soluções Baseadas na Natureza (SbN) para a cidade de Campinas [Internet]. Nota prática. Porto Alegre: WRI Brasil; 2023. Available from: https://www.shiftcities.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/solucoes_baseadas_na_natureza_adaptacao_climatica_campinas-2025_report.pdf
Horn L, Tornello VT, Arioli M, Corrēa F, Azeredo L. Acelerando Soluções Baseadas na Natureza em Cidades Brasileiras: Lições aprendidas na estruturação de projetos em estágio de ideação [Internet]. Nota Prática. Sao Paulo: WRI Brasil; 2024. Available from: https://www.wribrasil.org.br/sites/default/files/2024-08/WRI_Brasil-Acelerando_SBN_em_Cidades.pdf
Francisco THS, Menezes OVC, Guedes ALA, Maquera G, Neto DCV, Longo OC, et al. The Main Challenges for Improving Urban Drainage Systems from the Perspective of Brazilian Professionals. Infrastructures. 2023;8(1)
Debele SE, Leo LS, Kumar P, Sahani J, Ommer J, Bucchignani E, et al. Nature-based solutions can help reduce the impact of natural hazards: A global analysis of NBS case studies. Sci Total Environ. 2023;902
Gómez Martín E, Giordano R, Pagano A, van der Keur P, Máñez Costa M. Using a system thinking approach to assess the contribution of nature based solutions to sustainable development goals. Sci Total Environ. 2020;738:139693
Oral HV, Carvalho P, Gajewska M, Ursino N, Masi F, van Hullebusch ED, et al. A review of nature-based solutions for urban water management in European circular cities: A critical assessment based on case studies and literature. Blue-Green Syst. 2020;2(1):112–36
Gomez BM, Diaz NS, Saraceno M, Sinistro R, Graziano M. Quantifying the benefits of nature-based solutions in urban drainage on headwater stream water quality. J Environ Manage. 2025;385

Last update:

No citation recorded.

Last update:

No citation recorded.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

The Journal of Sustainability Perspectives provides immediate open acess to its published articles, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. As such, everyone is free to read, download, print, copy, search, upload to a social network or institutional repository, crawl for indexing, link to the full text, transform, pass as data into software, or redistribute articles for any lawful purpose in any medium, without requiring prior permission from either the athor(s) or the journal, provided they give appropriate attribution to the original author(s) and the Journal of Sustainability Perspectives, link to the license, indicate if changes were made, and redistribute any derivative work under the same license.

Authors, themselves, are not beholden to these requirments, as they retain the copyright of articles, without restrictions, merely granting the journal a non-exclusive lincese to publish their article and identify itself as its original publisher. However, by submitting to the Journal of Sustainability Perspectives, authors recignize and assent to the rights of readers, in accordance with the CC BY-SA lincense.

Editorial Office

Universitas Diponegoro

Jl Prof Sudharto SH, Tembalang, Semarang Indonesia 50275

Email : jsp@live.undip.ac.id

Theme Copyright by Universitas Diponegoro. Powered by Public Knowledge Project OJS and Mason Publishing OJS theme.