GREENROOFS

from rooftops

to green acres

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traditional roof

garden,

planting is done in freestanding containers and planters, located on accessible roof terrace or deck

green roof

green space created by adding layers of growing medium and plants on top of a traditional roofing system

green roofs and vernacular architecture

industrial box green surface In Germany Stuttgart requires green roofs on all new flat-roofed industrial buildings

layers of a green roof system

the plants, often specially selected for particular applicationsan engineered growing medium, which may not include soil,a landscape or filter cloth contain the roots and the growing medium, while allowing for water penetration,a specialized drainage layer, sometimes with built-in water reservoirs,the waterproofing / roofing membrane, with an integral root repellent the roof structure, with traditional insulation either above or below.

• Intensiveoften accessible

diverse plant communitiesseveral layers of materials

depth from 20–60 cm (8-24"), with a saturated weight increase of between 290 - 967.7 kg/m2 (60-200

lbs/sf)

• Extensive often not accessible

simple plant communitiesless layers of materials

depth between 5-15 cm (2-6") weight increase of between 72.6-169.4 kg / m2 (16-35 lbs/sf) when fully saturated

EXPERIMENT York University

EFFICIENCY solar panels in Europe

EDUCATION plots at Toronto City Hall

Tests show that 12 cm (5") of growing medium can reduce sound by 40 db.

School boards can integrate curricula and provide added green space for students – outdoor rooftop classrooms

Effluent produced by a factory is treated in an on-site sewage pond at grade and then filtered through the green roof

Greenroofs absorb and/or deflect solar radiation

Green roofs can be designed for exceptional storm water retention capability

Green roofs can be designed as acceptable alternative habitats for some species, as the rocky alvars of Manitoulin Island and and to birds species that only nest on the ground.

ARCHITECTURE Tokio

URBAN DESIGN

Current Examples of Green Roofs

• Chicago City Hall– Began April 2000 – Experimental study on

green roofs– Both intensive and

extensive green roofing

Current Examples of Green Roofs• Ford Rouge River Plant, Dearborn Michigan

– Part of Ford’s redevelopment of their plant; “sustainable manufacturing.”– 454,000 square feet of green roofing; largest in the U.S.A.– Other environmental initiatives such as porous paving, green screens, and the planting of

1,500 trees.

Current Examples of Green Roofs• Rockefeller Center, NYC

• ESL Company, Germany

• Gegenbaur Golf Course, Berlin

GREENING TORONTO’S ROOFS

• Toronto has several Green Roof initiatives– Toronto City Hall– Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre– Sears Merchandising Lofts Building– Mountain Equipment Co-op– Manulife Centre– Roundhouse Park – Metro Convention Centre

TORONTO CITY HALL

• 100 Queen Street West • 7,000 square feet

EASTVIEW COMMUNITY CENTRE & SEARS LOFTS

BUILDING• Neighbourhood Community Centre• 5,230 square feet • 155 Dalhousie Street

• 10,000 square feet

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP

• 400 King Street West• 9,700 square feet

Manulife Centre• 55 Bloor Street West

ROUND HOUSE PARK

• Metro Toronto Convention Centre Parking Garage• Bremner Boulevard• 4.7 hectares

IMPLICATIONS FOR TORONTO’S ECOLOGICAL

SUSTAINABILITY• Toronto is on the right track.• The number of green roofs are a sign of good things to come

(hopefully).• What is needed is the kind of incentive found in places like

Germany, where local governments have created incentives through tax levies and density bonuses.

• The support of all three levels of governments.• More studies and research; quantification of benefits to make

green roods attractive to private companies & the general public.• Awareness and education regarding the benefits of green roofs.

New Material

• Feb 1, 2006 Toronto City Hall made big greenroof Announcment, and Ryerson report is part of website now. Slide has link

• More images of greenroofs from Germany, Egypt, China, Europe, USA, showing variety in design. Greenroofs pretty mainstream in N. American govt buildings, a few homes, and a long way to go for industry it seems.

• Little on mapping green roof areas, showing % coverage, strategic green roofing, as you’d suggested at city hall presentation in November.

In the fall of 2004, Ryerson was selected to carry out the project to research the municipal level costs and benefits of green roofs. A diverse team was assembled to make the study happen as shown in the diagram below.

Here is their report:http://www.toronto.ca/greenroofs/pdf/fullreport103105.pdf

Clockwise from lower left: Farid's kitchen garden; planting strawberries at Al-Orman School; the three-level tube system; Al-Zawya Al-Hamra green rooftops. Cairo, EgyptSource: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/745/en2.htm

The hydroponic farm on the atrium of the 800-bed Changi General Hospital in Singapore. The bare concrete of the atrium roof was a problem in that it diverted sunlight into nearby wards - to cause objectionable glare and heating. The rooftop hydroponics, growing cherry tomatoes and herbs, solved the problem and created a rooftop farm that now supplies patients with healthy fresh food. Another Singapore hospital is about to go even further in food from the roof.

Source: http://www.greenroofs.com/guest_features.htm#Guest%20Feature

• The clip-together Australian oval pipe system that provides lightweight hydroponics for rooftops and balconies in Singapore.

• Source: http://www.greenroofs.com/guest_features.htm#Guest%20Feature

• Two Australian growers have proved that papayas in hydroponics, like this one, can be grown to production of fruit in little more than half the time of soil-grown "Trees." The hydroponically-grown fruit is claimed to be tastier. The tropical papaya is predicted to become a favoured fruit to be produced from rooftops under hail netting in Singapore, and could form a most attractive bank of foliage for rooftop restaurants that also picks and serve the ripe fruit chilled, juiced or in fruit salads.

• Source: http://www.greenroofs.com/guest_features.htm#Guest%20Feature