Articles

Spring 2024, Research, JLIV, M. M. Lekhon Alam et al M. M. Lekhon Alam, Lee R. Skabelund, et al. Spring 2024, Research, JLIV, M. M. Lekhon Alam et al M. M. Lekhon Alam, Lee R. Skabelund, et al.

Investigating the Climate Mitigation Performance of a Green Roof System in the Flint Hills Ecoregion, USA

This paper evaluates carbon sequestration on green roofs. Results suggest shallower beds with native grasses may offset deeper beds, aiding climate mitigation with proper irrigation.

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Cooling Effects of a Modular Living Wall System in a Humid Subtropical Climate

This study repurposes automotive sheet metal into 300 modular living wall system (MLWS) planters, observing the cooling effects of 25 plant species on southeast-facing MLWS during summer. Results show Coreopsis lanceolata 'Sterntaler' achieving a 3.4 °C cooler ambient air temperature, highlighting MLWS's notable cooling effects in humid subtropical climates.

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Extensive Green Roof Study on a Retrofit Building in Berlin, Germany: Report After 34 Years of Monitoring

This report describes the continued observation of the plant development on a green roof on a retrofit building in Berlin from 1986 to 2019. This project symbolizes a shift in the urban planning paradigm in post-war Berlin away from demolishing blocks of the housing that survived World War II to gradual renovation of the remaining historic rented courtyard buildings.

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Disentangling Dynamics of Green Roof Vegetation Analogue to Dry Grassland Over 3 Years: Plant and Substrate Response to Microenvironmental Variations

The abiotic conditions of the ExGR substrate are analogous to those of native dry grasslands (poor, shallow and highly drained soil), providing opportunities for diversifying ExGR with native flora. This study characterized vegetation and substrate dynamics of a sown native dry grassland community on a 254 m² ExGR in relation to microenvironmental conditions.

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Plant Profile, Fall 2021 Bruce Dvorak Plant Profile, Fall 2021 Bruce Dvorak

Four Approaches to Making Living Roofs With Native Plants

There is a great potential for and an essential role for making green roofs with native plants. If conservation practices are not taking place at the ground level, or if the native plant communities have already been significantly altered, then living roofs may provide a last chance to support the ecological heritage of the region. This article explores four approaches to make living roofs with native plants.

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Water Management, Summer 2021 Dr. Anna Zakrisson Water Management, Summer 2021 Dr. Anna Zakrisson

The Value of Rigorous Science for Green Infrastructure

The green infrastructure industry has an incredible responsibility to provide the best possible green solutions for the 66 percent of the world’s population that will live in urban areas by 2050. We can only get there through excellent research and rigorous science, as well as close collaborations with civil engineers.

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Research, Summer 2021 Roxanne Miller, Nataliia Gerzhova Research, Summer 2021 Roxanne Miller, Nataliia Gerzhova

Understanding the Behaviour of Fire and Green Roofs

A lot has been said and written about green roofs and fire safety which is inaccurate. Regulations and norms can vary from country to country or even city to city. Gaps in research on fire and green roofs means we are left to draw conclusions from private research or extrapolations from research conducted on standard roofing systems.

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