SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS GREEN ROOFS, AND THEIR IMPORTA
both of which will drive the need for innovative approaches to the design of new buildings to meet the ever more onerous principles of sustainable development. What this will most likely mean is a rising pressure for urban regeneration and the drive for increased density levels on all forms of development, which will have adverse impacts on drainage, water abstraction, biodiversity, accessible ground level green space, and local climate conditions. Green roofs can play a positive role in helping to mitigate these impacts and contribute towards a better quality urban environment. Although green roofs in the UK date from the 1930s, a conventional building and planning culture has served to constrain their installation. However, in the past 5 years there has been a renewed interest in green roofs, and rising confluence of growers, suppliers, ecologists, architects, designers, and others with an interest in green roofs to bring about the necessary changes in order for green roofs to play an important and rightful role in the design and life of our towns, cities and villages.
UK, nonetheless it is already clear that environmental issues will continue to play a key part in future strategic thinking. With both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats having promoted green policy issues heavily in their manifestos and the election of the first Green Party MP to Parliament, there is clearly a strong desire across the political divide for continued action to reduce the environmental impact created by both new and existing structures.
T 54| With the continuing drive for
sustainability, many bodies in both public and private sectors are seeking ways to support communities for many generations to ensure they enjoy their surroundings and appreciate where they
SUSTAINABLE FM | JUNE 2010
he recent changes in the political landscape are likely to have an impact on all planned expenditure for both new-build and refurbishment projects in the
live and work. Maintaining existing green spaces is critical to this goal, as is seeking opportunities for the creation of additional green areas to meet the commitment to improving the environment both now and for the future.
Buildings, and their efficient management, have a significant impact on our environment and with the exciting new innovations in construction technology that will benefit the occupiers and owners alike, it is vital that our buildings, both current and new, are sympathetically developed and upgraded to deliver a safer, healthier and more attractive environment. One way in which to achieve this is to look to the skylines to realize these goals. The new Government’s focus is likely to be a balance between the desire for urban regeneration, coupled with the inevitable need for greenfield development in carefully selected areas,
This drive has brought to the attention of many in the public and private sectors that green roofs represent the way forward and that their well documented benefits can assist in the delivery of both environmental targets and biodiversity action plans. In addition, it is increasingly being recognised that green roofs can assist in reducing the energy usage of a development whilst also delivering rainwater attenuation characteristics that can be incorporated within the sustainable urban drainage scheme for the site.
GREEN ROOFS SAVE ENERGY For last few years it has been recognised that green roofs can deliver a positive benefit in terms of thermal insulation, through their ability to cool buildings in the summer and keep them warm during the winter, which is dependent on daily conductance of the green roof. Recent research in Germany has shown that retrofitted green roofs can contribute to savings in heating costs on existing structures of up to 2 litres of fuel oil/m2
/year. The Possman Cider Cooling
and Storage Facility in Frankfurt had a green roof installed and the management succeeded in recovering the cost of it’s installation in 2-3 years, through the savings achieved in heating and cooling
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