Blue-green roofs with forecast-based operation to reduce the impact of weather extremes

Sustainability addresses the need to reduce the structure’s impact on the environment but does not reduce the environment’s impact on the structure. To explore this relationship, this study focuses on quantifying the impact of green roofs or vegetated roofs on seismic responses such as story displacements, interstory drifts, and floor level accelerations. Using an archetype three-story steel moment frame, nonlinear time history analyses are conducted in OpenSees for a shallow and deep green roof using a suite of ground motions from various distances from the fault to identify key trends and sensitivities in response.

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Climate Change, Weather, Housing Precarity, and Homelessness: A Systematic Review of Reviews

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115812 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5812

Author(s):

Mariya Bezgrebelna ◽

Kwame McKenzie ◽

Samantha Wells ◽

Arun Ravindran ◽

Michael Kral ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Green Infrastructure ◽

Temperature Extremes ◽

Weather Extremes ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Review Of Reviews ◽

The Impact

This systematic review of reviews was conducted to examine housing precarity and homelessness in relation to climate change and weather extremes internationally. In a thematic analysis of 15 reviews (5 systematic and 10 non-systematic), the following themes emerged: risk factors for homelessness/housing precarity, temperature extremes, health concerns, structural factors, natural disasters, and housing. First, an increased risk of homelessness has been found for people who are vulnerably housed and populations in lower socio-economic positions due to energy insecurity and climate change-induced natural hazards. Second, homeless/vulnerably-housed populations are disproportionately exposed to climatic events (temperature extremes and natural disasters). Third, the physical and mental health of homeless/vulnerably-housed populations is projected to be impacted by weather extremes and climate change. Fourth, while green infrastructure may have positive effects for homeless/vulnerably-housed populations, housing remains a major concern in urban environments. Finally, structural changes must be implemented. Recommendations for addressing the impact of climate change on homelessness and housing precarity were generated, including interventions focusing on homelessness/housing precarity and reducing the effects of weather extremes, improved housing and urban planning, and further research on homelessness/housing precarity and climate change. To further enhance the impact of these initiatives, we suggest employing the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA).

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New York City property values: what is the impact of green roofs on rental pricing?

Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences ◽

10.1007/s12076-010-0046-4 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 21-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Kiku Ichihara ◽

Jeffrey P. Cohen

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

York City ◽

Property Values ◽

Green Roofs ◽

The Impact

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Nature-based cooling potential: a multi-type green infrastructure evaluation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

International Journal of Biometeorology ◽

10.1007/s00484-021-02100-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vidya Anderson ◽

William A. Gough

Keyword(s):

Urban Agriculture ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Green Infrastructure ◽

Urban Climate ◽

Surface Air Temperature ◽

Green Roofs ◽

Near Surface ◽

Green Walls ◽

The Impact ◽

Agriculture Systems

AbstractThe application of green infrastructure presents an opportunity to mitigate rising temperatures using a multi-faceted ecosystems-based approach. A controlled field study in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, evaluates the impact of nature-based solutions on near surface air temperature regulation focusing on different applications of green infrastructure. A field campaign was undertaken over the course of two summers to measure the impact of green roofs, green walls, urban vegetation and forestry systems, and urban agriculture systems on near surface air temperature. This study demonstrates that multiple types of green infrastructure applications are beneficial in regulating near surface air temperature and are not limited to specific treatments. Widespread usage of green infrastructure could be a viable strategy to cool cities and improve urban climate.

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Analysis of Stormwater Retention on Green Roofs / Badania Retencji Wód Opadowych Na Dachach Zielonych

Archives of Environmental Protection ◽

10.2478/v10265-012-0035-3 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 38 (4) ◽

pp. 3-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Ewa Burszta-Adamiak

Keyword(s):

Life Sciences ◽

Green Roofs ◽

Retention Capacity ◽

Runoff Reduction ◽

Science And Education ◽

Peak Runoff ◽

The Impact ◽

Stormwater Retention ◽

Maximum Runoff ◽

Sewage Systems

Abstract This study presents the results of tests conducted in 2009 and 2010 on experimental sites installed on the roof of the Science and Education Building of the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The aim of the analysis was to determine the retention capacity of green roofs and the runoff delays and peak runoff reduction during rainfall recorded in Wroclaw conditions. The research shows that green roofs allow to reduce the volume of runoff stormwater in comparison to conventional roofs, that they delay the runoff in time and influence the reduction of the maximum runoff intensity, and thus may limit the impact of stormwater on the stormwater drainage and combined sewage systems.

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Green roofs and cool materials as retrofitting strategies for urban heat island mitigation: Case study in Belgrade, Serbia

Thermal Science ◽

10.2298/tsci171120086l ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (6 Part A) ◽

pp. 2309-2324

Author(s):

Marija Lalosevic ◽

Mirko Komatina ◽

Marko Milos ◽

Nedzad Rudonja

Keyword(s):

Green Roofs ◽

Urban Heat Islands ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

Heat Islands ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Urban Heat ◽

Microclimatic Conditions ◽

Typical Summer ◽

Planning And Construction ◽

The Impact

The effect of extensive and intensive green roofs on improving outdoor microclimate parameters of urban built environments is currently a worldwide focus of research. Due to the lack of reliable data for Belgrade, the impact of extensive and intensive green roof systems on mitigating the effects of urban heat islands and improving microclimatic conditions by utilizing high albedo materials in public spaces were studied. Research was conducted on four chosen urban units within existing residential blocks in the city that were representative of typical urban planning and construction within the Belgrade metropolitan area. Five different models (baseline model and four potential models of retrofitting) were designed, for which the temperature changes at pedestrian and roof levels at 07:00, 13:00, 19:00 h, on a typical summer day, and at 01:00 h, the following night in Belgrade were investigated. The ENVI-met software was used to model the simulations. The results of numerical modeling showed that utilizing green roofs in the Belgrade climatic area could reduce air temperatures in the surroundings up to 0.47, 1.51, 1.60, 1.80 ?C at pedestrian level and up to 0.53, 1.45, 0.90, 1.45 ?C at roof level for four potential retrofitting strategies, respectively.

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Does agricultural diversification build economic resilience to drought and flood? Evidence from poor households in Zambia

African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics ◽

10.53936/afjare.2020.15(1).05 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 68-80

Author(s):

Shun Chonabayashi ◽

◽

Theepakorn Jithitikulchai ◽

Yeqing Qu ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Productivity ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Weather Extremes ◽

Economic Resilience ◽

Economic Diversification ◽

Maize Production ◽

Drought And Flood ◽

Agricultural Diversification ◽

Poor Households ◽

The Impact

The adverse effects of weather extremes produce widespread damage and cause severe alterations in the normal functioning of household agricultural production in Zambia. Extreme weather events such as floods and drought are expected to increase in intensity and frequency due to climate change. Coupled with high poverty levels and limited institutional capacity, the country is highly vulnerable to the impact of extreme events. We quantify the effects of economic diversification on agricultural productivity of poor farm households with a skew-normal regression approach while accounting for drought and flood shocks. Our analysis finds that economic diversification is a strategy to increase agricultural productivity and mitigate the adverse impact of droughts and floods on agricultural households. The results also support the country's policies to encourage hybrid maize production and to provide crop seeds and fertiliser to poor farmers. This paper provides a framework to plan and inform interventions to enhance household economic resilience to weather shocks through agricultural diversification in Zambia and other countries.

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The impact of cool and green roofs on summertime temperatures in the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140568 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 743 ◽

pp. 140568

Author(s):

Barry H. Lynn ◽

Icrat M. Lynn

Keyword(s):

Green Roofs ◽

Tel Aviv ◽

The Impact

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Brief communication: Post-wildfire rockfall risk in the Eastern Alps

10.5194/nhess-2019-235 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Melzner ◽

Nurit Shtober-Zisu ◽

Oded Katz ◽

Lea Wittenberg

Keyword(s):

Fire Severity ◽

World Heritage ◽

Eastern Alps ◽

World Heritage Site ◽

Weather Extremes ◽

Heritage Site ◽

The Impact

Abstract. In the Eastern Alps no previous research focused on the impact of wildfires on the occurrence of rockfalls. The investigation of wildfires and post-wildfire rockfalls gains new importance with respect to changes in weather extremes and rapid social developments such as population growths and tourism. The present work describes a wildfire that occurred in August 2018 in a famous world-heritage site in Austria. Indicators of fire severity and rockfall occurrence during and after the fire are described.

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