urban infrastructure

noted the increasing rate of heat-related deaths across more than 500 cities globally due to the ‘urban heat island’ effect. In the article, Professor Mattheos (Mat) Santamouris, of the University of New South Wales, cited a study of ‘super cool’ roofing materials that reduced the surface temperature of a trial roof to just 25°C on a day where the ambient temperature was 42°C.

In some circumstances, a building structure is not capable of supporting a green roof or wall and in those circumstances, super cool roofs provide excellent opportunities to reduce the urban heat island effect. For buildings that can support green roofs and walls, a suite of benefits can be provided in addition to cooling our cities.

Green roofs can also absorb stormwater when it rains, and green roofs and walls provide habitat ‘stepping stones’ for migratory birds as well as for local birds and insects. When green roofs are combined with solar panels, the ‘bio-solar’ combination improves energy-generating efficiency by 3% on average, and the solar panels provide shade for plants. Green roofs have been shown to improve health and wellbeing of people by filtering air and providing pleasant views.

The cities of tomorrow can look and feel like paradise — we just have to connect with each other in better ways to make it happen.

*Ben Nicholson, together with Gail Hall, is co-founder of the Australasian Green Infrastructure Network (AGIN) — a new peak body formed to bring government, industry and researchers together to facilitate the scalable adoption of green infrastructure such as green roofs, walls and facades in Australia and New Zealand.