Building greening is becoming more and more important in urban planning. A large area of the city disappears through buildings, regardless of whether the buildings are new or old. Unfortunately, it is often the case that buildings are built cheaply and the roofs remain unused. In Germany, there are now many regulations for roofs and facades to be greened. Every year about 7 – 8 million square meters of new green roof area are added. Unfortunately, in most cases (about 80 percent) the prescribed simple greening, the extensive greening, is installed for cost reasons. On the one hand, it‘s good because extensive greening has a better influence on the environment than bitumen or gravel roofs; on the other hand, these roofs cannot be walked on or used by the public. Only about 19 percent are constructed as intensive green roofs, i.e. as accessible roof areas. And a major part of these are underground garage roofs.
We want to point out that there is usually no thought yet of making the lost area on the ground on the roof “usable” again. There are many examples that show what is possible on the roof. Because if the conditions are right, practically the same thing can be done on the roof as on the ground. Urban farming is then possible in various forms. In the first place, the cities must be active here. The BuGG (SME in EdiCitNet) can help to develop strategies so that “Rooftop Gardens” or “Facade Gardens” will hopefully be standard and not stop at a few examples here and there. A few ideas how the BuGG can support:
Front Runner Cities:
• Planning support for the building greening for Living Labs, especially Urban-Farming-Roofs.
• Development of brochures / working tools (also for private persons) on how urban farming can be implemented on the roof / facade.
• Development of information brochures for “Urban Gardening” on buildings • Development of strategies to promote ECS, especially on buildings, in the city.
• Arrange contacts to companies for green roofs and green facades.
• Arrange Contacts for potential analyses for green roofs by means of aerial photography.
Follower Cities:
• Development of brochures / working tools (also for private persons) on how urban farming can be implemented on the roof / facade.
• Development of strategies to promote ECS, especially on buildings, in the city.
Article submitted by
Felix Mollenhauer
Project Manager
Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e. V. (BuGG)
Germany
felix.mollenhauer@bugg.de
