Breathe/Respirar

Breathe/Respirar is a multidisciplinary action research programme that explores how green infrastructure and other nature-based solutions contribute to air quality, health and wellbeing, and provide opportunities to enjoy co-benefits.

Greenery on border of playground against wall

About the project

Since 2017, the universities of Sheffield and Buenos Aires have implemented a series of joint projects in collaboration with schools, communities and other organisations.

Context

Projects

School children with signs displaying green symbols

BREATHE

BREATHE explores the use of green barriers/living fences around school playgrounds as a way to block and filter air pollution, creating a healthier environment for children and facilitating contact with nature for the school community. It involves design, implementation and impact assessment in two schools (in Sheffield and Buenos Aires) and assesses the feasibility of scaling the project to other schools.

Cooperative members standing outside around plantpots

Breathe Deep

This project allowed small-scale horticultural producers from disadvantaged peri-urban areas in Buenos Aires to acquire the skills to construct and install green barriers/living fences in schoolyards and to grow the plants required. This provided them opportunities to diversify and expand their activities to service the emerging green infrastructure sector in Buenos Aires, boosting employment opportunities and livelihoods.

A barrier of greenery against a school railing

Breathing Infrastructures

This multidisciplinary project is implementing Urban Living Labs in Buenos Aires with the aim of demonstrating the efficacy of green barriers in filtering air pollution out of schoolyards to reduce environmental risks to children’s health and development, as well as generating multiple social and ecological co-benefits that can be derived from living fences.