Ramboll envisions climate resilience for Ivy City in Washington DC

Ramboll partnered with the District of Columbia's Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) and Ivy City residents to create a climate resilience strategy that strengthens the community's ability to withstand extreme heat, flooding, and other challenges.

Ivy City in Washington DC, USA, is a residential and industrial neighborhood historically burdened by social and environmental justice challenges. Environmental burdens in the community are compounded by record-breaking heat waves, sudden storms, and heavy flooding. The climate resilience strategy will bolster the local community's ability to withstand the growing challenges posed by climate change.

A true collaboration project

For this project, Ramboll worked closely with Empower DC, a local community advocate, and Moody Graham Landscape Architects. The resilience strategy is based on analysis of current conditions of the area, modeling of urban heat and flooding, and robust community engagement to co-develop strategies that directly address community priorities and needs. The strategy includes a neighborhood-wide network of site-specific projects to address flooding from cloudburst events and determine the best placement of heat mitigation measures within the Ivy City neighborhood.

"The Ivy City Climate Resilience Strategy was a true collaboration between Ramboll, DOEE, and our partners at Empower DC. In order to co-design flood and heat mitigation projects that help the community, it was critical for us to understand Ivy City's history of environmental justice challenges, as well as the present-day context of serious concerns about air quality, displacement, safety, and housing affordability," says Simon Kates, Senior Project Manager, Ramboll.

Reimagining of Lewis Crowe Park

The resilience strategy includes a reimagining of Lewis Crowe Park, one of Ivy City's few park areas. Lewis Crowe Park is prone to interior flooding, has minimal shading, and needs upgraded recreational amenities. The Ramboll team provided conceptual designs to transform the park into a multifunctional resource that helps to mitigate flooding and extreme heat, while also providing improved open space for the community.

Given Ivy City's history of social and environmental justice concerns, and to ensure residents have a voice in the planning process, public engagement plays a critical role in shaping the final recommendations. The strategy is available on the DOEE website, and the final plan will address climate resilience alongside health and environmental justice concerns raised during community consultations – and will be available to the public through DOEE.