Image Source: LivingRoofs.org.

Last year’s COP-15 event may have achieved “epic fail” status, but that’s certainly not going to stop the former host city—Copenhagen, Denmark—from pushing their green standards a bit further.

Copenhagen is now the first Scandinavian city to put a mandatory green roof policy into action. The new policy requires vegetation and soil to be a mandatory part in architectural planning; in particular, it covers all roofs with a slope less than 30 degrees, plus the refurbishment of older roofs. By putting this new green roof policy into action, it pushes the great Danish city one step closer to reaching their carbon neutral goal by 2025.

Now, as far as the green roofs go, there is a list of specific requirements to consider. Buildings with green roofs must be able to meet at least 2 of the following requirements:

• The roof must absorb 50-80% of the precipitation that falls on the roof.
• The roof must provide a cooling and insulating effect of the building and reduce reflection.
• The roof must help make the city greener, reducing the urban heat island effect, counteracting the increased temperatures in the city.
• The roof must contribute to a visual and aesthetic architectural variation that has a positive effect on the quality of life.
• The roof must double the roof life of the roofing membrane by protecting it against UV rays, etc.

So far, at least 30 buildings in Copenhagen have green roofs—and this is before the policy even went into effect. I am curious to see what their next steps will be to add more green to the city.

By Heidi Marshall

Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik, photo Luanne Lozier (Image source: inhabitat.com)

During the previous years, builders gave very little thought to the amenities that could be integrated into rooftop buildings. They focus mainly on the façade and interiors. But the need for green open spaces among urban dwellers has helped pave the way for the development of rooftop gardens in major buildings and skyscrapers.

These blanket-like roofs have been around for centuries in Scandinavia and Iceland. And now that we are experiencing erratic climate changes, places such as Toronto in Canada have made green roofs mandatory, while Chicago provides financial assistance to promote them.

All over the world, architects and developers have embraced this concept and green roofs have become the equivalent of mirrored glass. More than just frou-frou, green roofs help reduce heat during summers and also provide heat insulation during cool winter months. It also provides habitat for birds and insects, and the relaxing ambience can become a haven that building residents can enjoy. Read the full article here

By Maria Belgado