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WORLD GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD

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Ecoregional Green Roofs

Category:

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC WORK

Project creators

United States of America

Country

College Station

City

Texas A&M University

Institution

Master

Nominator Degree Program

data

Nominator

Project specifications

Research includes physical testing
or observation location

Location City(s)

Main location Country

Other countries list

NO

College Station

United States of America

Canada

Project Abstract

Originality Declaration

Consent for Use of Materials

The prompt says 1000 characters, but only 50 fits

This research was published through Springer, Nature 2021. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-58395-8

I give consent to use the materials here for the purposes of a research award submission to WGIN.

Research details

Breef research description

United States of America

Source of funding

United States of America

The Research type

The Research relates to

Source of funding

Other

environmental issues

private

Year of construction

Year of research completion

Area brutto (m2)

2021

2021

0

Research outcomes

Is the research a precursor to expected follow up research?

No.

How does the research address the issue of water stewardship?

All nine case study chapters address water for the 72 green roof case studies. Applications of water ranged from none (rainfall only), to potable water, harvested rainwater, greywater and blackwater sources of irrigation water.

How does the research address the human well-being aspects of GI?

Not directly. However, several case studies of green roofs on hospitals were reported.

How does the research address the economic aspects of GI?

Not directly. However, some case studies reported unique findings such as how much energy was saved by the green roof, how plants protected waterproofing from hail damage, and how green roofs captured all of the rainwater, thus no need for a land-based stormwater detention system. Most of the integrated designs in the case studies reported significant benefits to building owners including reduced energy use, natural daylighting, reduced demand for potable water, reduced stormwater runoff, biophilic environments for building users and visitors, and conservation of native vegetation and wildlife.

How does the research address the environmental sustainability aspects of GI?

Ecoregional Green Roofs: Theory and Application in the Western USA and Canada (Springer, 2021, 619 pages) is a recent peer-reviewed book that explores how ecoregions are useful for green roofs. It covers current needs for green roofs by addressing (1) research on vegetation (Blank 2013); (2) research in hot and dry climates (Williams et al. 2010); (3) reporting of emerging ideas (Sutton and Lambrinos 2015); (4) research on native plants (Cook-Patton and Bauerle 2012); and (5) research on full-scale applications. Part I introduces the history and theory of ecoregions for green roofs, and research methods. Part II covers case studies and Part III covers lessons learned and future outlook. Through on-site visits, interviews with designers and owners, and reviews of literature, nine authors explore 73 green roof case studies in 20 ecoregions.

How does the research address social aspects of GI?

Addressing social aspects was not a focus of the book.

How does the research address the topic of biodiversity?

A major focus of the book was to address how native plants and wildlife occupy the green roofs. The nine case study chapters each include 8-10 case studies. Each case study reports on wildlife findings for the green roof. Native local and migrating wildlife made use of the native vegetation on green roofs. Some of the larger ecoregional green roofs described in this book had hundreds of sightings of native birds, butterflies, bees, and other forms of wildlife. Some wildlife observed on ecoregional green roofs have not been seen in the region for decades. The habitat value of including native vegetation on green roofs could prove vital to the conservation of native biodiversity in cities.

What types of GI multifuncionality are addressed by the nominated research?

Yes, case studies revealed many multifunctional dimensions of green roofs. For example, many featured integrated designs require a process where multiple perspectives and skills are considered early in the planning stages of a project. Green roofs where greywater or blackwater were sourced for water took additional planning phases. Green roofs with rainwater harvesting systems as a source of irrigation water required input from architects, mechanical engineers, landscape architects and maintenance operators. Case studies report on various ecosystem services reported by green roofs.

Does the research support innovation?

Yes, the nine green roof case study chapters reveal innovations on green roofs across the western U.S. The concluding chapter and Back Matter summarize major findings of the book and address 10 gaps where new green roof research is necessary.

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