CLEANER GREENER CITIES BY DESIGN: NATURE-BASED SYSTEMS FOR URBAN POLLUTION MITIGATION

Abstract

This thesis investigates retrofitting a post-industrial neighborhood in Baltimore with nature-based solutions that address noise, air, and water pollution. Dense urban neighborhoods often experience elevated environmental burdens due to limited space, increased traffic, and high impervious surfaces. This project explores how nature-based design strategies can mitigate these pollutants within constrained urban rights-of-way. The design evaluates existing environmental conditions and integrates pollutant-targeting vegetation and green infrastructure to capture airborne particulates, improve stormwater quality, and buffer urban noise. Research on pollutant types, transport pathways, and impacts on human and environmental health informed these interventions. Findings suggest that nature-based solutions are most effective for reducing water pollution through filtration and infiltration. Air pollution mitigation depends on plant species selection and spatial configuration, while nature-based noise reduction strategies remain limited. The project identifies opportunities to further evaluate urban-friendly plant pollution reduction performance and apply modeling tools to improve pollution-reduction design strategies.