Urban environments face challenges like poor air and water quality, lack of green space, and heat islands that rooftop gardens can help address. Rooftop gardens mitigate these issues by conserving energy, improving environment quality, managing stormwater, and providing local food and habitat. They are most effective on flat commercial roofs and incorporate waterproofing and growing medium. Beyond benefits, rooftop gardens must be promoted through education, standards, and incentives to encourage widespread adoption as an urban sustainability solution.
Green Building Site Selection and Development is equally important as the Construction of Building itself. Let's discover ways to conserve from the first step.
This two-hour lecture will cover residential design features and choices that may help to conserve energy. The discussion will include building siting and orientation issues, building envelope details, glazing, shading structures & devices, thermal mass and energy-conserving landscape elements. We will also briefly discuss how interior space lay-out can affect energy efficiency.
grenn architecture, concept of sustainability, green architecture journalism, introduction of green architecture, principle of green building design, natural buildings, passive solar design, green building material, living architecture, green walls, green building benefits, methodology of green architecture.
Green Building Site Selection and Development is equally important as the Construction of Building itself. Let's discover ways to conserve from the first step.
This two-hour lecture will cover residential design features and choices that may help to conserve energy. The discussion will include building siting and orientation issues, building envelope details, glazing, shading structures & devices, thermal mass and energy-conserving landscape elements. We will also briefly discuss how interior space lay-out can affect energy efficiency.
grenn architecture, concept of sustainability, green architecture journalism, introduction of green architecture, principle of green building design, natural buildings, passive solar design, green building material, living architecture, green walls, green building benefits, methodology of green architecture.
This presentation was delivered by Diaa El-Masry to a group of young people in Qatar University during summer 2014. It is a basic introduction to the Green concepts and how can we help ourselves by being more environmental friendly!
This document is to give an insight on green roofing system, comparing it to the traditional and modern roofing system and also enumerating some key advantages of the new or green system to the environment.
Sustainable Architecture is an effort to minimize the negative environmental impact of the buildings by using specific materials, energy and development space through strict moderation and efficiency
ROLE OF CULTURE IN SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTUREVISHAKA BOTHRA
information about the role of culture in sustainable architecture, importance of culture in sustainable architecture, cultural logic of sustaiable architecture, architectural practices of cultural logic.
Paul Roebuck, one of our London based ecologists, takes you through some basics on green infrastructure in the UK and highlights some really interesting projects we have worked on and exciting future developments.
The slides cover legislation, mitigation, habitat creation, ecology impact assessments and green roofs and walls.
Presentation on Green infrastructure for Urban AreasVijeta Nigam
Rapid urbanization and scarcity of land are the characters of present India’s urban face. Migration of population continuously adds pressure on the natural growth of the towns and cities. The value of “Green Infrastructure” is needed to be upgraded with the growing communities and their built environment. The concept of green infrastructure shifts opens space protection from a community amenity to a community necessity. It comprises of many built elements of varying scales at different levels like individual building, street or an entire neighbourhood. The network of open space, woodlands, wildlife habitat, parks and other natural areas altogether sustains clean air, water and natural resources also enhances our quality of life needs to be taken under consideration.
The present study encompasses the need, importance,
principles, concept and examples and recommendations of green growth including international case studies.
Living Green Shell: Urban Micro-Vertical FarmCSCJournals
In order to reduce the urban heat island effect and increase cooling insulation, certain innovative cities rely on the benefits of vertical greening system. However, finding the space in a highly- developed city such as Hong Kong and Taiwan is a significant challenge. Facing the same challenge, cities like New York, Tokyo and Singapore, develop vertical greening system such as green walls, green roof, or urban agriculture to maximize the greening capacity. However, the green-roof development in Taiwan faces the challenge of the unique culture of architectural additions, known as sheet metal housing. The roof-top sheet metal housing is commonly used in most of the Taiwanese communities and occupies the roof space. Moreover, this sheet metal not only limits the scale of greening development, it also increases the indoor temperature and energy consumption with its heat-transfer nature. According to the research, the Living Green Shell functions as shelter, cooling insulation, air purifier and helps improve cooling efficiency in conjunction with the concept of vertical farm. Through the BIM simulation evaluations, the research focuses on how the cooling insulation of the Living Green Shell (LGS) over the sheet metal buildings could give a better energy-saving efficiency. The micro-vertical farm system is evolving from LGS 1.0 to the final version, LGS 3.0 to improve related functions. The LGS also provides edible vegetables and produces solar energy via the mini-solar bites. With the sheet metal housing's easily fabricated nature, the housing could be integrated with the LGS devices and led to a broad implementation in Taiwan with proper promoting.
Green Walls Technology: Benefits and Design
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
This presentation was delivered by Diaa El-Masry to a group of young people in Qatar University during summer 2014. It is a basic introduction to the Green concepts and how can we help ourselves by being more environmental friendly!
This document is to give an insight on green roofing system, comparing it to the traditional and modern roofing system and also enumerating some key advantages of the new or green system to the environment.
Sustainable Architecture is an effort to minimize the negative environmental impact of the buildings by using specific materials, energy and development space through strict moderation and efficiency
ROLE OF CULTURE IN SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTUREVISHAKA BOTHRA
information about the role of culture in sustainable architecture, importance of culture in sustainable architecture, cultural logic of sustaiable architecture, architectural practices of cultural logic.
Paul Roebuck, one of our London based ecologists, takes you through some basics on green infrastructure in the UK and highlights some really interesting projects we have worked on and exciting future developments.
The slides cover legislation, mitigation, habitat creation, ecology impact assessments and green roofs and walls.
Presentation on Green infrastructure for Urban AreasVijeta Nigam
Rapid urbanization and scarcity of land are the characters of present India’s urban face. Migration of population continuously adds pressure on the natural growth of the towns and cities. The value of “Green Infrastructure” is needed to be upgraded with the growing communities and their built environment. The concept of green infrastructure shifts opens space protection from a community amenity to a community necessity. It comprises of many built elements of varying scales at different levels like individual building, street or an entire neighbourhood. The network of open space, woodlands, wildlife habitat, parks and other natural areas altogether sustains clean air, water and natural resources also enhances our quality of life needs to be taken under consideration.
The present study encompasses the need, importance,
principles, concept and examples and recommendations of green growth including international case studies.
Living Green Shell: Urban Micro-Vertical FarmCSCJournals
In order to reduce the urban heat island effect and increase cooling insulation, certain innovative cities rely on the benefits of vertical greening system. However, finding the space in a highly- developed city such as Hong Kong and Taiwan is a significant challenge. Facing the same challenge, cities like New York, Tokyo and Singapore, develop vertical greening system such as green walls, green roof, or urban agriculture to maximize the greening capacity. However, the green-roof development in Taiwan faces the challenge of the unique culture of architectural additions, known as sheet metal housing. The roof-top sheet metal housing is commonly used in most of the Taiwanese communities and occupies the roof space. Moreover, this sheet metal not only limits the scale of greening development, it also increases the indoor temperature and energy consumption with its heat-transfer nature. According to the research, the Living Green Shell functions as shelter, cooling insulation, air purifier and helps improve cooling efficiency in conjunction with the concept of vertical farm. Through the BIM simulation evaluations, the research focuses on how the cooling insulation of the Living Green Shell (LGS) over the sheet metal buildings could give a better energy-saving efficiency. The micro-vertical farm system is evolving from LGS 1.0 to the final version, LGS 3.0 to improve related functions. The LGS also provides edible vegetables and produces solar energy via the mini-solar bites. With the sheet metal housing's easily fabricated nature, the housing could be integrated with the LGS devices and led to a broad implementation in Taiwan with proper promoting.
Green Walls Technology: Benefits and Design
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Felton Properties Green Roof Report 400 SW 6th Ave Portland,.docxlmelaine
Felton Properties Green Roof Report
400 SW 6th Ave Portland, OR
400 Building
Introduction:
The ecoRoof will combine innovation with practicality. The building is
currently seeking LEED Gold certification, and ecoREAL will work in an
integrated fashion with roofing experts specializing in weatherproofing,
structural engineers and green roof companies specialized in the bio-
regions native plant species to come up with the best design and function
for meeting the building overall green building goals. Water drainage,
low-impact design and aesthetic will be looked at simultaneously. At
each layer of the green roof sustainable design attributes will be assessed
for regional material (especially vegetation) and recycled content (such
as the HDPE geo-cells) in the drainage system along with triple bottom line
life-cycle assessments on how the project affects the context (such as
HVAC systems, and surrounding buildings). Since the building is on a zero-
lot, the green roof grant is critical for pursuing LEED certification relating to
both Sustainable Sites and Water Efficiency credits. The green roof would
augment Felton Properties commitment to retrofitting their existing
building stock to be more sustainable.
Left: Looking South over green roof installation
Right: Looking Northeast over green roof installation
Project Type Commercial retrofit
Technologies
Malarkey roofing tray system 2000 sqft
Tuff Stuff - Sedum Tile
Major Benefits
Stormwater management - limit disruption and pollution of
natural water flows by managing stormwater runoff.
Heat Island Reduction - reduce heat islands to minimize impact
on microclimate and human and wildlife habitat.
Cost $70,192.00
Constructed
.O. Box 17217, Portland, OR 97217-0217
Telephone: (503) 283-1 www.MalarkeyRoofing.com
.O. Box 17217, Portland, OR 97217-0217
Telephone: (503) 283-1 www.MalarkeyRoofing.com
System Components: AVRS Tray System
System Components: Tuff Stuff – Sedum Tile
Technical Data
Vegetation – 95% coverage
Fiber/Soil Base – Approx. 1” thick
Measurements – 15”w x 20”l x 2”-3”h
Area = 2.08 sqft per tile
Max weight – 4.5 #/sqft fully saturated
Irrigation:
No irrigation was used on this project. The tray system chosen was
designed and planted to not utilize any irrigation system.
Budget:
Existing Roof make minor tune up repairs
At window washer davits and supports, clean and reseal all with SBS
modified mastic and with granules
Make misc. minor repairs and reseal all pipe penetrations
At west parapet reseal parapet cap metal flashing joints
Total: $9,900.00
Green roof option 10% of total roof area 2000sqft
Install 1/8 inch protection board underneath green roof trays, 2000sqft
Install Malakey roofing tray system with fully mature ...
Felton Properties Green Roof Report 400 SW 6th Ave Portland,.docxmglenn3
Felton Properties Green Roof Report
400 SW 6th Ave Portland, OR
400 Building
Introduction:
The ecoRoof will combine innovation with practicality. The building is
currently seeking LEED Gold certification, and ecoREAL will work in an
integrated fashion with roofing experts specializing in weatherproofing,
structural engineers and green roof companies specialized in the bio-
regions native plant species to come up with the best design and function
for meeting the building overall green building goals. Water drainage,
low-impact design and aesthetic will be looked at simultaneously. At
each layer of the green roof sustainable design attributes will be assessed
for regional material (especially vegetation) and recycled content (such
as the HDPE geo-cells) in the drainage system along with triple bottom line
life-cycle assessments on how the project affects the context (such as
HVAC systems, and surrounding buildings). Since the building is on a zero-
lot, the green roof grant is critical for pursuing LEED certification relating to
both Sustainable Sites and Water Efficiency credits. The green roof would
augment Felton Properties commitment to retrofitting their existing
building stock to be more sustainable.
Left: Looking South over green roof installation
Right: Looking Northeast over green roof installation
Project Type Commercial retrofit
Technologies
Malarkey roofing tray system 2000 sqft
Tuff Stuff - Sedum Tile
Major Benefits
Stormwater management - limit disruption and pollution of
natural water flows by managing stormwater runoff.
Heat Island Reduction - reduce heat islands to minimize impact
on microclimate and human and wildlife habitat.
Cost $70,192.00
Constructed
.O. Box 17217, Portland, OR 97217-0217
Telephone: (503) 283-1 www.MalarkeyRoofing.com
.O. Box 17217, Portland, OR 97217-0217
Telephone: (503) 283-1 www.MalarkeyRoofing.com
System Components: AVRS Tray System
System Components: Tuff Stuff – Sedum Tile
Technical Data
Vegetation – 95% coverage
Fiber/Soil Base – Approx. 1” thick
Measurements – 15”w x 20”l x 2”-3”h
Area = 2.08 sqft per tile
Max weight – 4.5 #/sqft fully saturated
Irrigation:
No irrigation was used on this project. The tray system chosen was
designed and planted to not utilize any irrigation system.
Budget:
Existing Roof make minor tune up repairs
At window washer davits and supports, clean and reseal all with SBS
modified mastic and with granules
Make misc. minor repairs and reseal all pipe penetrations
At west parapet reseal parapet cap metal flashing joints
Total: $9,900.00
Green roof option 10% of total roof area 2000sqft
Install 1/8 inch protection board underneath green roof trays, 2000sqft
Install Malakey roofing tray system with fully mature.
It was a Group-Presentation on "Tree Plantation on Rooftop" in North South University, Bangladesh. Prepared by MD. Arif Hossain, Shoaib Siddique Bappy and Arif Faisal Emon
Roofs remain the most unproductive space in the building, which is used, abused, misused only for putting water storage, making access to services etc. However, roof area can be used as an valuable area for living , leisure and making buildings sustainable. Green roofs remain valuable for offering enormous social , physical, economic and environmental advantages to the individuals, owners, communities, city , nation and planet earth, in terms of; making buildings cost-effective, energy efficient and least consumers of energy and resources; bringing nature into the city; reducing the urban heat island impact; reducing the intensity of storm water and saving cities from flooding; reducing global warming and lowering carbon footprints of the buildings/city; conserving rainwater water; meeting deficiency of green spaces in congested parts of cities; making optimum use of available unused roof space; making addition to usable space without increasing the building footprints; promoting economy; generating employment; promoting socialization and security; making people happy, healthy and more productive; bringing birds back to the cities; growing vegetables and making cities self-sufficient in daily needs; eliminating transportation and refrigeration of vegetables; increasing value of properties; empowering cities to become zero-carbon. Despite numerous benefits green roofs offer, major obstacles in promoting the green roof remains the non-availability of affordable and proven technologies and high initial cost. Green roofs typically cost two to three times more than a non-green roof. Although green roofs are not simple to construct or cheap to maintain, yet numerous benefits they offer in long term outweighs, the initial cost concerns. Over time, green roofs, pay for themselves besides making large contribution to the urban sustainability and urban environment. Promoting green roof would require to make them part of study curricula to make students aware about the principles, concepts and technologies to be used in the planning, designing, construction and maintenance of green roof. Industry also needs to be roped in to bring innovative technologies and manufacturing of the components used in the making of the green roof, on large scale to bring cost-effectiveness and economy of scale. Bye-laws applicable at the local level also need review and redefinition to facilitate the creation of green roofs in the city. Our capacity to promote the acceptability of green roof in the urban context, will hold the key to decarbonizing the cities and make them sustainable, livable and carbon-neutral.
ECO CITY AND ITS FUTURE PLAN,VISION CONTESTswarna dey
An Eco-city is a human settlement modeled on the self-sustaining resilient structure & function of natural ecosystems.
Our dream for an eco-city would be that of elimination of carbon waste, energy production entirely through renewable resources, & merging the city harmoniously with the natural environment.
How to make our city more connected to the nature? The answer lies within some interconnected methods.
To begin with, the advocacy of vertical gardens in Dhaka that hates being decorated with extensive use of architectural glass as a building material that snowballs temperature drastically. A green wall is a wall partially or completely covered with greenery that includes a growing medium, such as soil or a substrate. They, may be indoors or outside, freestanding or attached to an existing wall, & come in a great variety of sizes. It’s a paramount & cost-effective solution to pollution. It wanes urban heat island effect & smog, cleanses outside air of pollutants & dust, cleans interior air space by removing VOCs, acts as a sound proofing barrier, insulates the building envelop, creates habitats for avifauna & insects, helps patients to recuperate through biophilia, assists children with ADHD to focus on studies.
Next, the promotion of urban forestry is needed which manifests the care & management of tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Landscape architecture combining with urban forestry can provide many facilities such as scaling down storm water runoff, axing air pollution, downsizing energy costs through increased shade over buildings, enhancing property values, improving wildlife habitat, & mitigating environmental impact.
Lastly, the proper evaluation & expansion of Horticulture can be a stroke of luck for us. It includes plant conservation, landscape restoration, garden design & maintenance. Garden designing in buildings, specially rooftops & corridors can bring indefinite benefits. The implications of Arboriculture, turf management, floriculture, olericulture & landscape horticulture in urban areas will demonstrate tangible improvements in economic, psychological and other outcomes, access to nature.
How Can Tech Companies Succeed By Adopting Sustainability_.pdfAnil
Tech companies can succeed by adopting sustainability through various strategies and initiatives that address environmental, social, and economic concerns. Here are some key ways in which tech companies can integrate sustainability into their business practices
Definition of green building. Advantages of implementation of green building. Countries having councils for helping the concept grow. How to make a green building cost effective. Cost and payoff of green building.
THE RISE OF ROOFTOP GARDENS IN INFORMALLY DEVELOPED AREAS IN EGYPT: EXPLORING...Iman Gawad
Informally Developed Areas provide shelter to millions of poor residents in Egypt. They struggle to overcome social, economic, and environmental problems currently faced by a country in a state of change. With high rates of urbanization, many millions more will soon resident this type of areas in the coming years. After decades of attempts by the government and many national development agencies to regulate Cairo's informal urban growth, the problems remain as massive and ill-managed as ever. Recently, a number of Egyptian NGOs started to lift people above the poverty line through an income generated by the sale of rooftop gardening products. They focus on setting up trainings in agricultural techniques and developing hydroponic agriculture, which grows in mineral rich water, without soil. They are aiming at making a peaceful, yet determined stance against Cairo’s polluted microclimate and the problems of poverty and food shortages in informal regions.
This paper performs an investigation on how such settlements could be improved and hence the quality of life of the majority of its residents through the development of the rooftop farming strategy. It also reviews environmental and socio-economic characteristics attributed to the proliferation of informal areas using the hydroponic farming system and its architectural design potentials and challenges in the local microclimate. The research aims at exploring the potentials of vegetative green rooftops and conclude the best national strategies for sustaining them. Some successful NGOs, public institutions and private civil initiatives working in Cairo district rooftop urban gardens are presented as well as the obstacles they encountered.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
1. Rooftop Gardens
Urban communities face many challenges related to the health and well being of citizens. Many
of these challenges arise as the direct consequence of dense urban environments. Industry,
automobiles, and impermeable concrete and asphalt surfaces combine to negatively impact
upon the air and water quality, while climate change serves to exacerbate the urban heat island
effect through global warming. Intense competition for land decreases green space, and there is
a subsequent spiritual disconnect from agricultural roots and the natural world.
The Benefits of Rooftop Gardens
To help alleviate the environmental problems encountered with dense urban habitation and to
encourage sustainable development, governments and non-profit agencies worldwide are
working toward creating laws, establishing standards, and funding incentives to promote best
practices in green development. Rooftop gardens are an excellent example of incorporating
passive, eco-friendly technology into new or existing development. Rooftop gardens help
mitigate the negative impacts of cities on the environment by: conserving energy and water,
improving air and water quality, assisting in storm water management, absorbing solar radiation,
becoming a source of local food production, providing habitat restoration, and creating natural
retreats.
Rooftop gardens are most effective when constructed on the flat roof styles common to many
city commercial, institutional, or industrial buildings. Depending on the load bearing capability,
city buildings can either be retrofitted, or rooftop gardens can be incorporated into the original
design. The basic components of a green roof include: a waterproof membrane, a root barrier, a
drainage system, filtering cloth, growing medium, and plants. Green roofs can double the
longevity of a roof when compared with traditional roofing materials, and some components
incorporate recycled materials.
Part of the original building design, the Trent University rooftop vegetable garden utilizes the flat roof surface over the
biology wing of the Environmental Science Building. Surrounded by plants, ventilation stacks exhaust air from the
rooms located below.
2. Urban Agriculture and Rooftop Gardens
In an accessible rooftop garden, space becomes available for localized small-scale urban
agriculture, a source of local food production. An urban garden can supplement the diets of the
community it feeds with fresh produce and provide a tangible tie to food production. Rooftop
agriculture allows for the retention of traditional or cultural gardening practices while local choice
of plants can preserve heritage species and maintain diversity in diet.
Ancient grains such as Quinoa (pronounce keen-wa) and Amaranth grow behind the onions in the Trent
University rooftop garden.
3. The three sisters - corn, beans, and squash - grow together in the Trent rooftop garden. This combined planting is an
example of traditional indigenous gardening knowledge whereby the beans provide nitrogen to the corn, the squash
leaves provide shade and reduce soil evaporation, and all three vegetables are nutritional dietary staples.
4. The Trent University garden is an exemplary example of urban agriculture. The food produced
on the roof of the Environmental Science Building provides organic produce to The Seasoned
Spoon, a student run, fair trade, vegetarian campus café, as well as providing food security to
local citizens through the Peterborough chapter of Food Not Bombs. Part of the original building
design, the Trent rooftop garden is situated over the biology wing of the Environmental Science
Building. Through the efforts of Dr. Tom Hutchinson, Professor Emeritus, this intensive rooftop
garden also provides ongoing research into the deleterious affects of ground level ozone on
crop production and an opportunity to study the potential of plants to filter out air pollutants.
A corn leaf from a plant in the Trent rooftop garden bears purple striations that indicate damage from ground level
ozone.
Promoting Rooftop Gardens Through Education and Incentives
So, if rooftop gardens offer a multi-faceted solution to improve the health of cities, why do we
not see more evidence of their use? This is where promotion enters the picture. Rooftop
gardens require marketing strategies just like any other product. Developers, policy makers,
architects, and the public require performance information on the technology, benefits, and
costs involved. Even when a city recognizes the benefits of rooftop gardens, there is still the
need to encourage the construction of green roofs by making them a financially viable option.
The initial construction cost of a green roof can be double the cost of a conventional roof,
elevated even more with specialized design or plant materials, and then there is the uncertainty
of maintenance costs once the roof is established. Green roofs have been proven to increase
roof durability, longevity, and save on energy costs, but are these cost benefits enough to
assure developers that there will be a reasonable return on their investment? Alternative
technologies - when first introduced to the marketplace - are often slow to develop due to higher
front-end capital outlay and performance uncertainties. Therefore, policy makers must utilize
economic incentives to stimulate green roof development in order to create a local product
5. market where eventually, economies of scale will help decrease initial costs. Initial projects can
then be used to establish financial and environmental performance records.
Standards and Incentives
Once a municipality decides that rooftop gardens can play an important role in their urban
planning goals, they need to set standards to ensure specific objectives are met. Based on
meeting the standards set by the municipality, developers can be offered incentives such as
expedited permits for green projects and density bonusing. Combined with monetary assistance
in the form of tax incentives, fee rebates, or grants, investment in green roofs can become more
attractive. Partnerships between non-profit organizations, private companies, and government
can improve the financial viability of a project while meeting the individual goals of each partner.
Using Peterborough as an example, rooftop gardens have the potential to be used as a strategy
to relieve storm water peaks and prevent flooding during intense rain events. In this case, for a
developer to qualify for an incentive or rebate, the municipality may require that the rooftop
garden be sized to cover a specified percentage of the roof, have a minimum depth of planting
medium, and be located in an area of concern. Cities also need to establish a method of
ensuring that once constructed, rooftop gardens are maintained to a set standard.
Introducing the Concept of Rooftop Gardens to Cities and Urban Planners
The promotion of technological innovation within the auspices of urban planning can originate
from a variety of sources. Champions of new ideas come from all walks of life. Rooftop gardens
have been introduced to municipalities and stakeholders by non-profit organizations, civil
servants, students and educators, business and community leaders, and ecologically minded
citizens. For more information on rooftop gardens and associated policy, please visit Green
Roofs for Healthy Cities at www.greenroofs.org or check out the following links and resources.
“It was the architect’s vision to blend the rooftop garden into the natural surroundings of the Trent campus,” states
Aimee Blyth. Aimee is currently responsible for maintenance of the garden while completing her Masters in Canadian
Studies, focusing on local markets and small-scale agriculture.
6. Links
Centre for the Advancement of Green Roof Technology: http://commons.bcit.ca/greenroof/
City of Toronto: www.toronto.ca/greenroofs/
Research Papers:
Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of green roofs.
Lisa Kosareo and Robert Ries.
Building and Environment 42 (2007) 2606-2613. Available online at: get it! Trent.
Evaluating Rooftop and Vertical Gardens as an Adaptation Strategy for Urban Areas.
Brad Bass; Bas Baskaran
NRC-IRC-46737 (October 14, 2003) http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ircpubs
Green Roof Policy Development Workshop: Participants’ Manual
Available as a resource item in the Kawartha World Issues Centre located at Trent University
(East Bank) in the Environmental Sciences Building, Room B101
Volunteer Opportunities or Tours of the Trent University Rooftop Garden:
Contact Aimee Blyth at: aimeeblyth@trentu.ca