Ideas for green urban structures began in the 1870s, with concepts of urban farming and garden allotments.[1]
Green Infrastructure is a concept originating in the United States in the mid-1990s that highlights the importance of the natural environment in decisions about land-use planning.[8][9] However, the term does not have a widely recognised definition.[10][11] Also known as “blue-green infrastructure”[12] or “green-blue urban grids”[1] the terms are used by many design-, conservation- and planning related disciplines and commonly feature stormwater management, climate adaptation and multifunctional green space.
The term "green infrastructure" is sometimes expanded to "multifunctional" green infrastructure. Multifunctionality in this context refers to the integration and interaction of different functions or activities on the same piece of land.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the concept of “green infrastructure” to apply to the management of stormwater runoff at the local level through the use of natural systems, or engineered systems that mimic natural systems, to treat polluted runoff.[13][14] This use of the term "green infrastructure" to refer to urban "green" best management practices (BMPs), although not central to the larger concept, does contribute to the overall health of natural ecosystems.
However, it is apparent that the term “blue-green infrastructure” is applied in an urban context and places a greater emphasis on the management of stormwater as an integral part of creating a sustainable, multifunctional urban environment.