scholarly journals Experimental Winter Monitoring of a Light-Weight Green Roof Assembly for Building Retrofit

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4604
Author(s):  
Fabiana Frota de Albuquerque Landi ◽  
Claudia Fabiani ◽  
Anna Laura Pisello
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Cold Season ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Light Weight ◽  
Building Retrofit ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact

Green roofs are a recurrent solution for improving environmental quality in buildings. Such systems can, among other things, reduce the urban heat island effect, improve indoor thermal comfort and visual quality, and reduce energy consumption in buildings, therefore promoting human comfort. This work presents the winter monitoring of a light-weight green roof assembly with the potential to be implemented in extensive urban areas. The green roof monitoring was compared to those of previous bituminous and cool-coating applications. Results show that the system was able to decrease heat losses maintaining a positive energy flow from solar radiation gains and a more constant indoor temperature. In a well-insulated construction, the impact during the cold season was discreet. However, compared to the reference building, a slightly lower indoor air temperature (about 1 °C) was registered.

scholarly journals The impact of climate change will hit urban dwellers first – Can green infrastructure save us?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rüdiger Grote
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact

Two phenomena that can cause large numbers of premature human deaths have gained attention in the last years: heat waves and air pollution. These two effects have two things in common: They are closely related to climate change and they are particularly intense in urban areas. Urban areas are particular susceptible to these impacts because they can store lots of heat and have little opportunity for cooling off (also known as the urban heat island effect). In order to mitigate these impacts and to establish an environment that protects human health and improve well-being, implementation of green infrastructure – trees, green walls, and green roofs – is commonly proposed as a remedy. More trees, hedges and lawns are intuitively welcome by people living in cities for their beautifying effects, but to which degree can such greening actually counterbalance the expected effects of climate change? In this review I would like to investigate what science can offer to answer this question.

scholarly journals Surface temperature analysis of conventional roof and different use forms of the green roof

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 632-640
Author(s):  
Anna Baryła ◽  
Agnieszka Bus ◽  
Agnieszka Karczmarczyk ◽  
Joanna Witkowska-Dobrev
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
Thermal Imaging System

Increasing urban populations raises a number of problems and risks that are strengthened by observed and projected climate change. An increase in green areas (so-called green infrastructure) has turned out to be an effective means of lowering temperature in the city. Green roofs can be one of the possible measures leading to achieving this aim. The aim of the study was the analysis of temperature changes of different roof surfaces (conventional roof, board, intensive roof substrate without plant cover, substrate covered with plants (shrubs). Studies on comparing the temperature between a conventional roof and green roofs were carried out in the period from April to September 2015 on the roof of the building of the Faculty of Modern Languages, University of Warsaw. The measurement was performed using the FLIR SC620 thermal imaging system. As a result of the tests, it was found that in the summer months the differences between the temperature of the green roof and the conventional roof amounted to a maximum of 31.3°C. The obtained results showed that the roof with vegetation can signifi cantly contribute to the mitigation of the urban heat island phenomenon in urban areas during summer periods.

scholarly journals Is Smart Growth a smart adaptation strategy?: Examining Ontario's proposed growth under climate change

2004 ◽  
Vol 71 (424-426) ◽  
pp. 57-62
Author(s):  
Brad Bass
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Smart Growth ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
The Impact

The author is a member of Environment Canada's Adaptation and Impact Research Group, located in the Centre for Environment at the University of Toronto. His primary research interests include the use of ecological technologies in adapting urban areas to atmospheric change, the impacts of climate change on the energy sector, and the characteristics of adaptable systems. His current work on ecological technologies includes green roofs, vertical gardens and living machines. Dr Bass has been involved in two major projects, in Ottawa and Toronto, to evaluate the impact of green roofs on the urban heat island, energy consumption, stormwater runoff and water quality. Currently, Dr Bass is conducting research on integrating green roof infrastructure with other vegetation strategies at a community scale, simulating the impact of a green roof on the energy consumption of individual buildings.

scholarly journals An Evaluation of the Potential Energy Benefits of Installing Green Roofs in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina D. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Potential Energy ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Cool Roof ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Margin Of Error ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
Annual Reduction ◽  
Story Building

Green roofs help mitigate the urban heat island effect, increase available green space, and reduce energy consumption of buildings. This thesis estimates potential energy benefits of installing green roofs on buildings in Hong Kong. EnergyPlus, a building energy simulation program, is used to model an extensive green roof installed on a two-story building in downtown Hong Kong. Indoor and outdoor temperature data were collected from the green roof. Model calibration is performed using monitoring data, meeting the set acceptable margin of error of ± 20%. Air conditioning usage from April to September is approximately 232 kWh less in the room under the green roof that for the original roof showing that green roofs can reduce heat flux from the roof into buildings. Compared to other energy saving technologies, the cool roof provides a savings of 184 kWh over the green roof, translating to a $55 annual reduction in energy costs.

scholarly journals Evidence of the Climate Mitigation Effect of Green Roofs—A 20-Year Weather Study on an Extensive Green Roof (EGR) in Northeast Germany

Buildings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred Köhler ◽  
Daniel Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Urban Heat Island ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Good News ◽  
Urban Heat Island Effect ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Case Scenario ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Urban Heat

Approximately 10 km2 of new green roofs are built in Germany every year. About 85% of these are Extensive Green Roofs (EGR). An EGR with several research features was installed on new buildings belonging to the University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg in 1999. The results of the almost 20-year permanent survey of the climate effects of the green roof in contrast to gravel roofs are presented here. High-quality sensors, similar to those used by official weather stations, are in use, and data is collected every 10 s and aggregated to hourly values which enable comparisons to official measurements made by the DWD in Neubrandenburg and Berlin. The results show the typical urban heat island effect (UHI) and the mitigation effect of EGR. Whilst the temperature increased over the years due to the urban heat island effect, the temperature within the growing media in the green roof remained constant. The EGR has a stabilization effect of 1.5 K. This is good news for all those seeking a UHI mitigation solution for city centers. In a best-case scenario, the green roof potential of cities in Germany is between 3 and 8%. A value of 50% can be achieved for all buildings; roofs represent about ¼ of urban surfaces, and the cooling effect of 1.5 K in 20 years is a reasonable contribution to cooling cities and achieving environmental goals by greening urban surfaces.

scholarly journals The Impact of Green Roofs on the Parameters of the Environment in Urban Areas—Review

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dariusz Suszanowicz ◽  
Alicja Kolasa Więcek
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Urban Heat Islands ◽  
Heat Islands ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

This study presents the results of a review of publications conducted by researchers in a variety of climates on the implementation of ‘green roofs’ and their impact on the urban environment. Features of green roofs in urban areas have been characterized by a particular emphasis on: Filtration of air pollutants and oxygen production, reduction of rainwater volume discharged from roof surfaces, reduction of so-called ‘urban heat islands’, as well as improvements to roof surface insulation (including noise reduction properties). The review of the publications confirmed the necessity to conduct research to determine the coefficients of the impact of green roofs on the environment in the city centers of Central and Eastern Europe. The results presented by different authors (most often based on a single case study) differ significantly from each other, which does not allow us to choose universal coefficients for all the parameters of the green roof’s impact on the environment. The work also includes analysis of structural recommendations for the future model green roof study, which will enable pilot research into the influence of green roofs on the environment in urban agglomerations and proposes different kinds of plants for different kinds of roofs, respectively.

scholarly journals Detention-based green roofs for stormwater management under extreme precipitation due to climate change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimír Hamouz ◽  
Vincent Pons ◽  
Edvard Sivertsen ◽  
Gema Sakti Raspati ◽  
Jean-Luc Bertrand-Krajewski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Precipitation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Stormwater Management ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Initial Water Content ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Time Of Concentration ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Rooftops cover a large percentage of land area in urban areas, which can potentially be used for stormwater purposes. Seeking adaptation strategies, there is an increasing interest in utilising green roofs for stormwater management. However, the impact of extreme rainfall on the hydrological performance of green roofs and their design implications remain challenging to quantify. In this study, a method was developed to assess the detention performance of a detention-based green roof (underlaid with 100 mm of expanded clay) for current and future climate conditions under extreme precipitation using an artificial rainfall generator. The green roof runoff was found to be more sensitive to the initial water content than the hyetograph shape. The green roof outperformed the black roof in terms of all performance indicators (time of concentration, centroid delay, T50 or peak attenuation). While the time of concentration for the reference black roof was within 5 minutes independently of rainfall intensity, for the green roof was extrapolated between 30 and 90 minutes with intensity from 0.8 to 2.5 mm/min. Adding a layer of expanded clay under the green roof substrate provided a significant improvement to the detention performance under extreme precipitation in current and future climate conditions.

scholarly journals Estimating Carbon Sequestration of Green Roof Plants in Tropical Climate

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Norfekry Md. Yacob ◽  
◽  
Hartini Kasmin ◽  
Muhammad Iqbal Hakeem Hashim ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Co2 Reduction ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Co2 Uptake ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Reduce Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
The Impact

A green roofs is one of the recommended methods of practice in improving the sustainability of urban areas. Green roofs can be used as a passive technique to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the atmosphere. This is due to the role of green roof layers which are vegetation and soil to process the photosynthesis activities and to capture CO2 from the atmosphere. The objective of this paper is to quantify and to compare the amount of CO2 sequestration by ten potential green roof plants, in order to estimate the CO2 reduction within the surrounding atmosphere. It is found that, by planting the Alternanthera Paronychioides (Alternanthera P.) on the roof surface could reduce the indoor air temperature as well as the CO2, thus enhance the quality of air. This study also revealed that the Alternanthera P. generates the highest photosynthesis rate or CO2 uptake compared to the other nine plants, as high as 23.59 μmol CO2 m-2s-1. It is predicted that if the Alternanthera P. is to be installed on a 0.64 m2 test bed roof, the CO2 could be reduced almost 0.010 tonnes, annually. This suggested that by planting Alternanthera P. on the roof surfaces may potentially give advantages on mitigating the greenhouse gas emission, particularly CO2, and reducing the impact of global warming.

scholarly journals An Evaluation of the Potential Energy Benefits of Installing Green Roofs in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina D. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Potential Energy ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Cool Roof ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Margin Of Error ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
Annual Reduction ◽  
Story Building

Green roofs help mitigate the urban heat island effect, increase available green space, and reduce energy consumption of buildings. This thesis estimates potential energy benefits of installing green roofs on buildings in Hong Kong. EnergyPlus, a building energy simulation program, is used to model an extensive green roof installed on a two-story building in downtown Hong Kong. Indoor and outdoor temperature data were collected from the green roof. Model calibration is performed using monitoring data, meeting the set acceptable margin of error of ± 20%. Air conditioning usage from April to September is approximately 232 kWh less in the room under the green roof that for the original roof showing that green roofs can reduce heat flux from the roof into buildings. Compared to other energy saving technologies, the cool roof provides a savings of 184 kWh over the green roof, translating to a $55 annual reduction in energy costs.

scholarly journals Urban Heat Island in Wuhan and Its Relationship With Nearby Water Bodies

2020 ◽  
Vol 185 ◽  
pp. 02008
Author(s):  
Claire Xu
Keyword(s):  
Urban Heat Island ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Island Effect ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact

With predictions of global warming to continue into the near future, heat waves are likely to increase both in frequency and severity. Combined with the fast-developing urban areas and sky-rocketing populations in some regions, urban heat island effect becomes increasingly prominent. This trend has caused numerous problems in energy use, human health, and environmental stress. The purpose of the study in this article is to examine the effects of UHI and its impact on nearby water bodies. Through a series of data, which is collected by using Geospatial visualization tool, the study analyzes the extent to which UHI raises the water temperature in Wuhan, China, and compares lakes in different region of Wuhan to explore the impact of modified land surface and human activities. Given the exacerbation of the urban climatic crisis, the study also presents several potential solutions to a sustainable future in urban areas.

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