One of the key aspects influencing the usability and relevance of this Nature Smart Cities Business Model is the collaborative and interdisciplinary way in which it came about. The development of the model was a collaborative process bridging the gap between scientific research and practical use. The schematic diagram below shows the steps involved in developing the Business Model:
The city partners were involved at all stages of development – conceptual design, testing and validation – to ensure the model is fit for purpose. The model has been subjected to rigorous testing, which included 7 green infrastructure pilots delivered under the project, demonstrator testing with 8 local authorities’ own projects, and the application of the business model during a project-wide capacity building programme which reached a further 133 municipalities.
Several publications were produced through the development of the Business Model, including these:
- Urban green infrastructure: A review on valuation toolkits from an urban planning perspective
- Negotiating the green obstacle course: Ranking priorities and problems for municipal green infrastructure implementation
- Summary Brochure: Getting More Green - Smaller Municipalities' Approaches to Delivering Green Infrastructure
- Full Report: Getting More Green - Smaller Municipalities' Approaches to Delivering Green Infrastructure
- Green Light? Testing the NSC Business Model
- An Examination of the Financing Options
All of these can be accessed here.