Green Roof Enhancement on Buildings of the University of Applied Sciences in Neubrandenburg (Germany) in Times of Climate Change

Abstract

The reduction in evaporative surfaces in cities is one driver for longer and hotter summers. Greening building surfaces can help to mitigate the loss of vegetated cover. Typical extensive green roof structures, such as sedum-based solutions, survive in dry periods, but how can green roofs be made to be more effective for the longer hot and dry periods to come? The research findings are based on continuous vegetation analytics of typical extensive green roofs over the past 20 years. -Survival of longer dry periods by fully adapted plants species with a focus on the fittest and best adapted species. -Additional technical and treatment solutions to support greater water storage in the media in dry periods and to support greater plant biomass/high biodiversity on the roofs by optimizing growing media with fertilizer to achieve higher evapotranspiration (short: ET) values. The main findings of this research: -The climate benefits of green roofs are associated with the quantity of phytomass. Selecting the right growing media is critical. -Typical extensive green roof substrates have poor nutrition levels. Fertilizer can significantly boost the ecological effects on CO2 fixation. -If the goal of the green roof is a highly biodiverse green roof, micro-structures are the right solution.