this scheme. Lastly, through The Mayor of London’s future scheme to-
wards a Green Infrastructure, all the parks, trees, gardens, wet/woodlands and green roofs will be brought together and regulated to promote healthier living through granting areas
for physical activity and relaxation51.
At a time of increasing urban industrialisation and global
warming, green roofs and walls are integral to contributing
to greener, denser cities, especially in areas with a deficien-
cy in green spaces. The green plantation will help cool the
city during hotter summers and improve storm water attenu-
ation through absorption, therefore excluding expensive underground drainage infrastructure and cutting the chances
of localised flooding. Furthermore, the use of vegetation on
building roofs also mitigates the negative thermal effects of
conventional roofing surfaces through the cooling effect of
evapotranspiration. There is also evidence that living roofs
are adaptable to climate change and can be used to replicate urban (brownfield) and non-urban natural ecosystems.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF GREEN ROOF GARDENS Roof gardens cannot thrive or promote biophilia without the 42
