Why we finally have to go below the surface

Heavy-rain events are becoming more frequent and more intense. At the same time, our cities are so heavily sealed that water can hardly infiltrate any more. Instead, it races across the surface through the streets – channelled between buildings, faster and more destructive all the time. We know the result from Valencia and many other places: flooded basements, destroyed infrastructure and major damage.

The solution lies not only on the surface but above all beneath it.

That is exactly what the JUMBO BLOCK system was developed for – the consistent further development of the sponge-city idea: Sponge City 2.0.

What defines Sponge City 2.0?

JUMBO BLOCK does not replace classic sponge-city measures but complements them perfectly:

Surface: desealing, swales, green roofs and planted areas
Underground: large-volume, modular concrete retention and infiltration systems directly beneath streets and squares
Surrounding area: renaturalised watercourses and higher-level retention basins
Digital: real-time monitoring and intelligent early warning

The large-format modules (2.5 × 2.5 × 2.5 m) not only offer enormous storage volume; they are walk-in, accessible for machines and allow protected integration of fresh-water, wastewater, power and fibre-optic lines. In an emergency, teams can enter the installation directly and respond quickly – without tearing up streets.

The advantages at a glance:

KRITIS-ready (NIS-2 & CRA)
80–120 years of service life
Practically unlimited extension and dismantling
High load capacity (traffic load LM1 to EN 1991-2)
Maximum free cross-section for water combined with multifunctionality

More about the true Sponge City 2.0 and how JUMBO BLOCK makes cities and municipalities future-proof:

→ Read the full page: True Sponge City 2.0, ready for critical infrastructure