Greening the Horizon: Possibilities of Preserving Biodiversity During the Renovation of Apartment Buildings as Manifestation of Values of European Green Deal

Abstract

Biodiversity is often an afterthought in city planning and development; however, as cities densify or expand, the need to protect urban nature and enhance biodiversity becomes more urgent. Residential building renovation becomes increasingly important urban development sector in the context of reaching sustainability goals and implementing European Green Deel. Consequently, the relevance of biodiversity conservation during and after the building renovation process becomes increasingly high. The focus this research is biodiversity in urban residential areas built up-with Soviet modernistic apartment buildings and the possibilities of biodiversity conservation and enhancement in buildings renovation process considering ecological, social, and aesthetic aspects. The methods of research include literature analysis, observations on site and pilot sociological survey. The results of the research confirm the importance and potential of integrating biodiversity considerations into planning, renovation practices, and policies to create sustainable and livable neighborhoods. Pilot sociological survey revealed the positive attitudes of surveyed Kaunas residents towards urban biodiversity. The observation on site in Eiguliai, Gričiupis, and Dainava neighborhoods demonstrates positive improvements in terms of building aesthetics and signs of residents’ interaction with nature; however, there were also areas that lacked sufficient public space amenities and showed limited diversity in plant species. The observations highlight the need for further attention to enhancing livability and biodiversity aspects in the neighborhoods, alongside the ongoing renovation projects.