The Green Infrastructure Living Laboratory (or GILL for short) is a collaboration between the Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory at Drexel University and the Philadelphia Water Department.
Drexel researchers are monitoring the performance of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) sites throughout the University City District. Through their research, the Drexel team is developing recommendations for design, construction and maintenance of GSI for the Philadelphia Water Department.
What is GSI?
GSI is a form of stormwater management that often uses vegetated systems to capture, slow and infiltrate rainwater back into the ground. In the urban landscape, impervious surfaces such as roofs, streets and sidewalks generate large volumes of stormwater runoff, which can overburden sewer systems and cause pollution in nearby rivers and streams.
To prevent this source of water pollution, the City of Philadelphia is installing GSI to capture that stormwater runoff before it enters the sewer system. GSI includes tree trenches specifically designed to capture extra stormwater, rain gardens in sidewalks or other public spaces, swales, planters, and green roofs.
Read more about Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters plan on the Philadelphia Water Department’s website.
Franco A. Montalto PhD, PE
