“If buildings sprang up suddenly out of the ground like mushrooms, their rooftops would be covered with a layer of soil and plants.

That’s not how humans build, of course. Instead we scrape away the earth, erect the structure itself, and cap it with a rainproof, presumably forgettable, roof.

It’s tempting to say that the roofscape of every city on this planet is a man-made desert, except that a desert is a living habitat.

The truth is harsher. The urban roofscape is a little like hell—a lifeless place of bituminous surfaces, violent temperature contrasts, bitter winds, and an antipathy to water.”

Verlyn Klinkenborg – The New York Times

Fed Square now, an urban desert

Fed Square with green roofs, an oasis in the city (Copyright © Antonino Giglio)

Introduction

By 2005, 50% of the world’s population lived in cities (Bindé, 1998), and in the industrialised world, the figure has already surpassed 80%.

The growth in urban population has and will continue to create a unique set of environmental problems, both within cities and in the surrounding areas, due to the large demands for food, energy and water.

Many of these problems are either directly caused, or exacerbated, by the removal of vegetation to accommodate urban expansion.

It is expected that many of these problems will be further affected by climate change, particularly impacts that contribute to heat waves and the associated health problems, rapid temperature changes, stormwater runoff, water quality, biodiversity and food security.

Green Roofs in the World

Green roofs are an accepted part of modern building in Europe and in North America where some city and even national governments have mandated their use.

* Countries like Germany have had green roof for about 100 years and the green roof industry is now 40 years old. Over there – were green roofs are now compulsury – over 30 million m2 of green roofs have been erected since 2000 alone, bringing the total area of roofs being greened to 14%.

* Switzerland it is also at the forefront of green roof technology and it has one of Europe’s oldest green roofs, created in 1914 at the Moos lake water-treatment plant, Wollishofen, Zürich.

* Linz, in Austria requires green roofs on all new residential and commercial buildings with rooftops larger than 100m2

* German green roof building has been encouraged by the Federal Nature Protection Act, the Building Code and state-level nature protection statutes.

* In the United Kingdom, green roofs are often used in built-up city areas where residents and workers often do not have access to gardens or local parks. They have also been used by companies such as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, who have one of the biggest green roofs in Europe (covering more than 32,000m² to help their factory, at Goodwood, West Sussex, blend into its rural surroundings.)

* North America is catching up quickly. For example in Canada the city of Toronto approved a by-law in May 2009, mandating green roofs on residential and industrial buildings.

* In Sweden What the world’s first green roof botanical garden was set up in Augustenborg, a suburb of Malmö, in May 1999.

* In Greece the Greek Ministry of Finance has now installed a green roof on the Treasury in Constitution Square in Athens. Studies of the thermodynamics of the roof in September 2008 concluded that the thermal performance of the building was significantly affected by the installation.
In further studies, in August 2009, energy savings of 50% were observed for air conditioning in the floor directly below the installation.

Where is Australia at?

Australia has a very well established landscape design and construction industry. However, to date there has been little development in the area of rooftop or vertical garden design. This is an area of considerable research potential.

As we see Australian cities experience more pressure from urban growth, we need to look at and utilise rooftop and vertical spaces to bring the natural environment and all its benefits back into the urban landscape.

Extensive research from Europe, North America and South East Asia emphasises the benefits of green roofs and should be used to promote the benefits of rooftop and vertical gardens in Australia.

In 2007 Green Roofs Australia (GRA) has been established to begin Australia’s entry into important global networking and information exchange with 15 other national green roof organisations that make up the World Green Roof Infrastructure Network (WGRIN).

In cities where land is valuable and scarce, we must begin to think creatively to increase and restore the urban environment. Bare rooftops can be green open spaces without altering the land use or compromising development.

But what is a green roof?

A green roof is a roof surface, flat or pitched, that is planted with vegetation and a growing medium over a waterproof membrane.

Green roofs can be extensive or intensive.

Extensive green roofs have a growing medium up to 200mm deep and vegetation like grasses, ground covers, succulents.

Intensive green roofs have a soil from 200mm up to a metre or more supporting vegetation up to the size of trees.

Benefits of Green Roofs

Extended Roof Life

The original green roofs in Germany came out from covering wet bitumen with 6cm of sand, which became vegetated. This covering was to protect the wet bitumen from fire.
Green roofs have now been shown to double if not triple the life of waterproofing membranes beneath the green roof.

A green roof system protects the waterproofing membrane from climatic extremes, UV light & mechanical damage and in so doing almost doubles its life expectancy.

Therefore a good quality root resisting waterproofing system with a normal life expectancy when exposed to the elements of 30 years, can be expected to last up to 60 years, thus saving the cost of re-waterproofing during the average buildings expected life time.

Improved Thermal Performance and Energy Saving

Green roofs have a positive effect in terms of thermal insulation through their ability to cool buildings and insulate them during the winter.

The use of a green roof compared to conventional roofing surfaces can have a significant impact on the energy balance within a given building and on the immediate environment.

This is particularly relevant if a building has poor insulation and poor ventilation, which can lead to increased use of air conditioning and therefore increased energy use.
Studies have shown that the membrane temperature beneath a green roof can be significantly lower than where the membrane is exposed.

The National Research Council of Canada noted temperature fluctuations during spring and summer on a conventional roof were of the order of 45°C whilst under a green roof the fluctuations were in the order of 6°C.

The positive effect on the temperature of the membrane under a green roof not only protects the membrane from the effects of UV, frost and sunlight, but also moderates heat flow through a building by shading, insulation, evapotranspiration and thermal mass.

Although green roofs do provide potential energy savings by improving building insulation characteristics, it is difficult to give them a R Value rating.

Studies in Germany have provided various estimates. Figures attributed to ZinCo estimate that 2 litres of fuel oil are saved per m2 of green roof per year.

An energy study undertaken by the City of Chicago estimated that, with whole scale greening of the cities rooftops, energy to the value of $100M could be saved each year due to the reduced demand for air conditioning. This would to a reduction in peak demand in the order of 720MW.

Winter         Summer

0.2°C                 32°C            Temperature under membrane of conventional roof
4.7°C               17.1°C           Temperature under membrane of green roof

Nottingham Trent University   www.greenroofs.co.uk

Storm Water Management

Green roofs mimic natural ecosystems by allowing stormwater to filter slowly through vegetation and soak into the soil.

The specially engineered growing media of green roofs is designed to both hold water and release it at a certain rate.

This is the quality that makes green roofs effective for storm water management.

By absorbing water quickly in a storm, then releasing it gradually, the intensity of runoff during the storm can be tempered.

However the growing media must simultaneously hold onto enough moisture to keep the root systems of the plants healthy and reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation (Wachtel, 07).

A Malaysian study (Olsson et al, 02) showed that the runoff peak from green roofed buildings was reached more slowly than that from similar buildings without roof gardens.

As a result, rather than the single large runoff peak usually observed in cities, stormwater runoff from a green-roofed city would have two smaller peaks – an earlier peak corresponding to runoff from impervious surfaces and a later peak resulting from runoff from roof gardens.

This scenario is much easier for Melbourne’s drainage system to cope with due to the reduced volume. Due to these benefits green roofs have been sighted as the only ‘at source’ solution to storm water management.

* A green roof will typically intercept the first 5mm and more of rainfall providing interception storage, the amount of which will be dependent on the depth and type of substrate in the green roof system.

* In the summer a green roof can typically retain between 70% – 80% of the runoff and slowly release it.

* In Germany between 40% – 100% of rainfall can be retained, dependent upon the season 75% of rain falling on extensive green roofs can be retained in the short term and up to 20% can be retained for up to 2 months

* As the rainfall events become shorter and more intense, the positive effect of a green roof remains as there is still a significant reduction in peak runoff rates.

* This increase in the ‘time of concentration’ means that a green roof will be beneficial throughout a wide range of rainfall conditions.

* These benefits collectively mean that by incorporating a green roof into new development, there will be a reduction in the amount and cost of the overall drainage infrastructure required to serve that development.

Water Quality

Pollutants within the atmosphere and from roofs can cause run off from roofs to have poor water quality.

Many studies in Europe and North America have shown that green roofs can improve the quality of the water that leaves a roof with vegetation and substrates on it.

Contrary to many beliefs it is possible to harvest rainfall from green roofs as it is common in Germany and Switzerland.

Biodiversity and Wildlife

The State Government of Victoria states in VCCAP that we have a role to play in managing and assisting our natural assets to improve their resilience to climate change through planned adaptation activities, for example working to identify and establish migration corridors or ‘bio-links’ that join up suitable habitat fragments (Vic. 08).

Green roofs provide us with an excellent solution to this aim, as a roof greened with local indigenous species can replace lost habitat for birds and insects.

Furthermore, Green roofs reduce erosion from storm water runoff and increase water quality by removing toxins and heavy metals, and will therefore improve and protect the health and biodiversity of our waterways.

Green Roofs & Solar Power
There is a perception that a building can either have green roofs or solar production at roof level but not both.

However we can use both technologies, in fact there is substantial evidence from Germany that the use of both solar/photovoltaic and green roofs provides dual benefits in terms of energy production and energy saved.

Solar panels are known to work more efficiently when installed on a green roof rather than a on a conventional surface.

Noise and Sound Insulation

The combination of soil, plants and trapped layers of air within green roof systems can act as a sound insulation barrier. Sound waves are absorbed, reflected or deflected.

The growing medium tends to block lower sound frequencies whilst the plants block higher frequencies.

The amount of sound insulation is dependent on the system used and the substrate depth.

A green roof with a 12 cm substrate layer can reduce sound by 40dB and one of 20 cm by 46-50dB.

Standard Unvegetated 33dB
Vegetated [dry] 41dB
Vegetated [wet] 51dB
100mm Concrete Wall 43dB

Reduction of urban heat island effect

Urban areas have a higher average temperature than surrounding rural areas; this Difference in temperatures is called the urban heat island effect [UHIE] and is caused by the reduction in green space through urbanization and the large amount of hard surfaces that provide high thermal mass.

The dark surfaces of roofs exacerbate the UHIE by absorbing summer heat and reflecting it back to the atmosphere during the night. As the UHIE increases there is greater need for air conditioning and thus energy, as buildings heat up.

Research at the US Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and elsewhere has shown
that the use of city vegetation can substantially reduce UHIE.

Firstly, the green surfaces absorb less heat from the sun. Secondly, the plants cool the air by evaporating water in a process known as evapotranspiration (Wong et al, 03).
The temperature contrast between the cool roof surface and the warmer hard surfaces at ground level promotes vertical mixing of the air: the warmer air above hard surfaces rises and is replaced by cooler air from above vegetated roofs, thus leading to cooling at ground level (Johnston & Newton, 1996) and thus a cooling of the whole micro-climate.

A study of the effect of rooftop gardens has estimated that greening all roofs of an inner suburban city block in Melbourne could lower local ambient air temperatures one metre above the roofs by up to 1.4°C (Bruse & Skinner, 1999).

Field measurements of temperatures 300 mm above the roof of a low-rise commercial building in Singapore showed temperature reductions due to roof vegetation of as much as 4.2°C (Wong et al., 03).

Flinder Street Station as it is now, a desert from above

Flinder Street Station with green roofs to manage the Urban Heat Island Effect (Copyright © Antonino Giglio)

Increased Air Quality

Plants filter airborne particles in both gaseous and particulate form by trapping the particles on their leaf surfaces. Furthermore a reduction in air temperatures over roof surfaces will decrease the occurrence of smog.

Also, in a Melbourne study which measured levels of CO2 around Melbourne, it was found that Summer time CO2 fluxes were lower than during winter due to greater vegetative influence (Couts et al,06).

Therefore, green roofs will increase air quality by reducing air born particles, temperatures and CO2 levels.

Amenity Green Space

In dense urban environments there is often a lack of green space for residents. Roof Gardens and roof top parks provide important green spaces to improve the quality of life for urban residents.

The value of green spaces to people living and working in towns and cities has increasingly been recognised by Governments.

English Nature has published research that suggests that an accessible natural green space should be no more than 300 metres from where anyone lives in order to meet people’s needs for contact with nature. Evidence suggests that regular direct contact with natural green space (and elements of the natural world such as birdsong and seasonal colour change) is good for people’s health.

Green Roofs and Walls are an excellent way of adding vegetation to high density urban areas.

Health

There is a growing body of evidence that the visual and physical contact with natural greenery provides a range of benefits to people. These include both mental benefits (such as reduction of stress) and physical benefits (including the provision of cleaner air).

A BBC report said research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed the impact is particularly noticeable in reducing rates of mental ill-health.

The annual rates of 15 out of 24 major physical diseases were also significantly lower among those living closer to green spaces. One environmental expert said the study confirmed that green spaces create ‘oases’ of improved health around them.

The biggest impact was on anxiety disorders and depression.

The researchers also showed that this relation was strongest for children younger than 12.
They were 21% less likely to suffer from depression in the greener areas.

The researchers think the green spaces help recovery from stress and offer greater opportunities for social contacts.

Most of the diseases which are related to green spaces are diseases which are highly prevalent and costly to treat so policy makers need to realise that this is something they may be able to diminish with green spaces.

DISEASES THAT BENEFIT MOST FROM GREEN SPACES

Coronary heart disease
Neck, shoulder, back, wrist and hand complaints
Depression and anxiety
Diabetes
Respiratory infections and asthma
Migraine and vertigo
Stomach bugs and urinary tract infections
Unexplained physical symptoms

Roof top food production

Due to the challenge that climate change poses to traditional rural agriculture, it will became increasingly important to produce our food locally, in an urban environment. Also we know that there is a growing resurgence of the back yard veggie patch- but what about people living in apartments with no access to somewhere to grow their own food?

A Canadian study measured how much food could be produced on an inner city roof-top.
From July to September 2007 the garden produced more than 113 kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables – armloads of fragrant basil, cherry and field tomatoes, cantaloupes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, zucchini, Swiss chard and spinach (Lamey, 07).
This experimental demonstration project featured sixty lightweight containers, 40 of which were planted with vegetables, herbs or fruits. The other 20 contained roses, lantana and other flowers to attract pollinating insects.

BEES:researchers are noticing that bee numbers are in decline globally. Although the reasons are unclear, one reason could be the lack of pollen rich flowers in urban areas. green roofs can help to boost bee numbers in urban areas, by providing flowers for food, and we can even produce gourmet roof top honey.

Australian green roof expert Geoff Wilson suggests that we can design complex roof-top food production systems, which mesh technologies of aquaponics, vermiculture, rooftop water harvesting, and solar-powered air moisture harvesting (GRA, 07).

Climate change adaptation

Predicted effects:

* Extreme temperatured and heatwaves, increased Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE)
* Negative health impacts
* Reduced airquality
* Changes in precipitation patterns
* Reduced rainfall overall
* Increased intensity of rainfall events- storm water flooding/flash flooding
* Drought- impacts on food supply
* Impacts on biodiversity

Ss we have seen above green roofs can help us adapt to these effects and therefore help create a safer climate future for urban dwellers.

Extreme temperatures, heatwaves

As climate change takes place the frequency of hot days will also increase. UHIE will contribute towards even further elevated temperatures, which can be harmful for vulnerable urban residents, particularly during summer and heat-wave episodes. (Rankin, 1959)

Negative healt impacts

Higher incidences of heat-related illnesses including heart disease and even mortality have been associated with elevated temperatures within urban areas (Couts et al, 08).

Air quality

UHIE will also reduce air quality by increasing ozone production through photochemical reactions which are increased by higher temperatures. This creation of low atmospheric ozone is the primary component of smog (Couts et al, 06).

Precipitation patterns

CSIRO reports that although the overall rainfall for Victoria is expected to decrease, extreme rainfall events are projected to increase 3% by 2050. The future precipitation regime will have longer dry spells interrupted by heavier precipitation events, especially in the summer and autumn (CSIRO, 2007b). Melbourne will experience times when rainfall exceeds the coping capacity of existing stormwater and wastewater systems, leading to flash flooding.

Drought and reduced rainfall is more of an ongoing condition of climate change in Melbourne, rather than a one-off event such as a heatwave or flood (MCC, 2008) Clearly the most significant risk in the face of drought is insufficient water supply for Melbourne.
However, traditional rural agricultural production will also be seriously challenged by climate change, (GRA, 08) which will affect Melbourne’s food supply. Localised rooftop urban agriculture can help Melbourne adapt to this challenge.

Climate change impacts on bio-diversity

Large volumes of storm water runoff are hazardous to the health and biodiversity of our creeks, rivers and Port Philip Bay. Sudden periods of stormwater runoff are considered the main cause of toxins in the rivers (MCC, 2008) They are also a significant cause of erosion in our waterways, which reduces native habitat for endangered species. Green roofs aid in counteracting these negative effects of climate change on Melbourne’s biodiversity.

Conclusion

Living Roofs have been used by humans for thousand of years, from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the Sod Roof Houses in Norway, and eventhough they are not part of the Australian tradition it would be very irresponsable not to implement them because, as we have clearly seen, their benefits surpasses by a huge measure the perceived barriers.
We have a technology here where everyone will be a winner and no-one will be a looser, from any point of view you are looking at it. Wether you are a builder, an architect, a private citizen, a doctor or an ecologist. Everyone will gain!
Living roofs are one piece of the big puzzle in transforming our cities into liveable and sustainable places. Cities more in harmony with nature and, therefore, with ourselves.

Antonino Giglio

July 2008 Newspoll results indicated that 89% of Australians want more public green space in their local area. Despite this, urban plannning policy does not recognise the benefits of green space and plants with commercial and residential land to building ratios, allowing builders to reduce outdoor space.

Trees, gardens and urban green spaces are essential to quality of life and provide a muiltitude of health and social benefits:

Parks and greens spaces provide opportunities for physical activity
Plants and green-life intercept pollutants such as Co 2 (carbon dioxide) N 2O (nitrous oxide) and CH 4 (methane)
Increased green-life planting can save energy – for example; shade tree planting
Studies have shown that increased green-life planting in cities helps lower crime rates and aids in the general wellbeing of citizens
Green-life helps reduce driver tension and road rage

Health

Green surroundings reduce mental tiredness while enhancing concentration and attention, leading to an improved ability to cope and make positive decisions. Greenery and natural surroundings are a proven, positive life enhancer.

Patients exposed to views of nature require less medication, are less stressed and are happier in their outlook, leading to better health overall.
Experiencing nature can improve children’s behaviour and reduce symptoms of ADD.
Children play more creatively in a natural environment and parents are more likely to join in playing with children.

Views of nature can relate to feelings of: Satisfaction, Wellbeing, Coping, Personal effectiveness and Optimism.

Trees reduce exposure to ultraviolet light, lessening the risk of associated health problems such as skin cancers and cataracts.

Fact: Two trees are needed to supply the yearly oxygen needs of each person. A typical person consumes about 175 kilograms of oxygen a year. A healthy, 10.5 metre tree can produce about 118 kilograms of oxygen a year.

Social

Road Safety
Tree lined streets are perceived as narrower, resulting in reduced speeds. Trees along streets provide a buffer between pedestrians and vehicles.

Public Safety
Areas with higher levels of planting experience lower levels of crime.

Greenery helps people to relax and renew, reducing aggression and lessening violence.

• The proximity of trees to dwellings has an effect on residents’ use of outdoor space – the closer the trees, the higher the usage.
• Many more people are involved in social activities in green environs than in areas that have few or no trees and shrubs.
• Gardens and other plantings contribute to residents feeling safer, more supported and satisfied with their surroundings.
• Green spaces bring residents together more often, promoting chance meetings and encounters. Residents get to know one another, producing stronger, more cohesive neighbourhoods.

Fact: Surveys of landscaped and non-landscaped community areas have shown that the incidence of crime, vandalism and graffiti is many times lower in areas planted out with greenery.

Economic

The value of property can be up to 20% higher in areas planted with trees when compared with similar areas.

Consuming less fossil fuels to heat and cool our homes minimises the impact on our environment.

A garden adds to the aesthetic appeal of your home and neighbourhood, and it adds real monetary value to your home. Did you know? Roads with good tree canopy cover are protected from the sun and last longer. This saves us all money!

Fact: A well planned landscape can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 20%.

Environmental

500 trees are required to absorb the 5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emitted by a 4 cylinder car driven 20,000 kilometres. 30 to 40 mature trees are required to store the carbon produced by one person.

• Trees intercept and slow storm water, decreasing the likelihood of flooding and erosion, and improving water quality.
• Large trees have a greater benefit in terms of reducing pollution than small trees.
• Trees, shrubs, sedges and grasses have a positive effect on the environment by the transpiration of water and the emission of oxygen by photosynthesis.
• Trees can provide habitat for a large range of species. Trees can also provide important habitat for birds in urban areas.
• Plantings around buildings are a proven method of reducing the demand for artificial heating and cooling with a resultant, and important, lower use of fossil fuels.
• Greenery provides ‘white noise’ reducing the effects of man-made sounds.

Haven’t we all driven around looking for that shady spot to park on a hot summer day! Trees and other plantings can reduce asphalt temperatures of carparks by as much as 13°C, and cabin temperatures by 17°C.

Fact: Trees and shrubs absorb polluting chemicals such as nitrous oxide and ozone through their leaves, while releasing oxygen through photosynthesis.

Tree canopy on private land is declining at a rate of 5% per year, where will our children play?

Quality landscapes with plenty of greenlife are critical to the future wellbeing of our urban environment and everyone can assist in the creation of that environment. The best gardens, streets and parklands start with a good plan.

Engaging a professional landscape architect or garden designer is an excellent method by which you can bring your ideas to life. The professionals in these bodies are trained to consider fully all the aspects of landscape design such as climate, aspect, soils, drainage, environmental impact, selecting the right plants and of course, they are up to date with the latest contemporary designs.

For the total do-it-yourselfer, magazines, television and radio, public shows and your local nursery are a great source of ideas and inspiration.

It’s important to select the right plant for the right position and your local garden centre is an ideal place to seek advice on what will be suitable for your garden. They also stock a huge range of products such as pavers, pots, mulches and sculptures to help create a stunning landscape or your own quiet hideaway.

We need to plan our landscapes so we and future generations can enjoy a quality way of life in communities that combine sustainability, workability and positive benefits for all.

(Thanks to NGIV for the informations)

Throughout the year countless initiatives are being organized to disseminate information, promote the protection of biodiversity and encourage organizations, institutions, companies and individuals to take direct action to reduce the constant loss of biological diversity worldwide.

Among the many initiatives (www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/) one that caught particularly my attention was the transformation of the Champs-Elysees in Paris from a fashionable but busy street into an extraordinary garden.

You have to see it to believe it therefore I’ve posted here some pictures to show you the amazing transformation (only for few days) of the famous Champs-Elysees.

The Champs-Elysees Avenue Before the Transformation

The Champs-Elysees Avenue After the Transformation

Amazing isn’t it? If you wish to know more about this event this is the official website (just in French): www.naturecapitale.com

If you wish to know more about the Champs-Elysees this is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champs-Élysées

And now some techical details…

Built on a ten acre parcel in Salt Lake City Utah, the Assembly Building for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is situated directly across from Temple Square. The Assembly Building is designed to accommodate 21000 congregants with ample lobbies and support areas full facilities for theatrical and audio visual productions and below grade parking for 1400 vehicles makes this 1 million square foot auditorium one of the world’s largest religious buildings. The Assembly Building is deferential to the Temple and its overall mass is reduced by submerging the building into the rising landscape so that it doesnt overwhelm the whole of Temple Square. In doing so the extensive building becomes a landscape unto itself reflecting the mountainous terrain of the Wasatch Range beyond. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Conference Center won the 2003 Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Award of Excellence in the New Combination category.

The roof balcony terrace and orchestra levels of the auditorium are integrated with an extensive system of fountains exterior stairs gardens and a five acre rooftop alpine meadow. The northern and eastern sides of the building are enveloped by long horizontal terrace planters stepping from street level to the roof filled with native varieties of coniferous and deciduous vegetation. A continuous series of basins and cascading wall fountains break at the main axis of the Temple where a central garden of immense rectangular planters of aspen and conifers monumentally wide stairs and long runnels and basins of water step up the sloping roof to a source pool the meadow and ultimately the broadest view to the landscape of the Wasatch Range beyond. The Assembly Building combines an expertise in rooftop construction technologies and native landscapes.

(*)
More on Tanya Ha at this link:
http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/content/s2884548.htm?site=catalyst

Rooftop Farm in Chicago

Development of a vegetable carbon footprinting tool in consultation with industry

A pilot vegetable carbon footprinting tool is currently being modified for wider use in the vegetable industry. The tool was developed by Houston’s Farm in 2009, using a grant from Woolworths/Landcare, with matched funding from the Australian Government through HAL. After significant success, it is now being adapted for the use of vegetable growers throughout Australia using funds from the vegetable industry levy with matched funding from the Australian government facilitated by HAL. It will be available for industry use later in 2010.

In anticipation of the release of the tool, information on carbon footprinting is now available to the vegetable industry through workshops and online seminars. This educational component of the project is focused on the background and business benefit of carbon accounting. The program is designed to ensure growers are informed about implications for the vegetable industry of operating in a carbon-constrained world. The tool itself will be trialed with a group of growers in July/August, then released the rest of the industry in September/October.

Workshops have been held in all states and webinars have been run for those unable to attend face-to-face meetings. The final workshop will be held in NSW on Monday, 7 June, in Cobitty, and the final webinar will be held on Tuesday, 25 May. Additional webinars may run in June/July; however, the dates are still to be confirmed.

To register for either of these events, or indicate your interest in upcoming webinars, contact Arris on info@arris.com.au

When: November 1-3, 2010
Where: Venue to be announced, please register at http://www.skyrisegreenery.com/index.php/conference/

The conference is organized by the National Parks Board and International Green Roof Association (IGRA) and the theme is “Surfaces of Creativity: Spaces of Delight”

It will serve as a platform for the holistic exchange of ideas in the new innovations of urban greenery and its potential to transform our cityscapes and the lives of the people.

It will also serve as a platform where international urban greenery experts from various discipline, will come together with the academia, architects, landscape architects, landscape contractors, policy-makers and stakeholders to discuss the present and future trends of this growing sector.

Topics will include the various essential aspects of skyrise greenery such as specifications and installation of green roofs and vertical greenery systems, technical studies (eg. heat shield and the thermal aspects, integration of skyrise greenery with sustainable eco-processes) as well as the sharing of the experience garnered from global political incentives and guidelines.

The conference will be presented in forms of lectures, workshops, projects and site excursions.

So tune in on ABC1 next week on Thursday, we at LAM definitely will!

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/