Living Roof Project

The Living Roof, atop of the Council Chambers.

Extensive Green Roofs in Melbourne - An Introduction

What are the Benefits?

Some of the proven benefits of green roofs include the following:
  • Substantially decreases stormwater run-off and intensity (by up to 90%).
  • Green roofs dramatically reduce roof surface temperatures and generally increase the life of the roof material (in Europe by 2-3 fold).
  • Insulates and cools the building reducing energy expenditure and carbon emissions eg. In Ottawa, 95% reduction in heat gain, 26% reduction in heat loss. 75% saving in energy.
  • Evaporative cooling reduces the urban heat island effect (UHI). eg. In Toronto 50 million sqm of roof could potentially be greened. This would lead to 0.5-2°C decrease in the UHI and lead to indirect energy savings citywide of $12 million, equivalent to 2.37 kWh/m2 per year from reduced energy for cooling.
  • Green roofs are a water sensitive urban design (WSUD) measure that does not require additional space.
  • Aesthetic benefits when the roof is seen from the ground or above. Increasing exposure to green space increases worker productivity.
  • Some existing examples provide habitat and green links for birds, invertebrates, lizards.
  • Dampens noise pollution entering and leaving the building (by up to 18dB).
  • High desirability by the community and subsequently increases rent in buildings in European examples.
  • Easy addition to a new building or retrofit to an appropriate existing building.

Where are green roofs being adopted?

Germany is viewed by many to be the leaders in green roofs with over 60 years of experience. Toronto has more than 100 green roofs, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom have many successful examples of green roofs.

Local planning provisions in some areas including in Germany, Switzerland, North America and the UK, prescribe compulsory green roofs for commercial building developments. An example of the benefits of the substantial and well documented economic gains resulting from these new planning provisions can been seen in Sheffield, UK.

Locally, City of Melbourne have recently launched a regular forum to promote and discuss green roofs in Melbourne (sustainability@melbourne.vic.gov.au) and have recently included the implementation of Green Roofs in the Melbourne Climate Change Taskforce "Future Map" by the Committee of Melbourne.

Project Summary

Background:

The Council Chambers living roof project is to be funded by Melbourne Water and will be conducted in collaboration with Monash University and Melbourne University.

The purpose of the proposed vegetated roof is to allow Monash University (Facility for Advancing Water Bio-filtration, Institute for Sustainable Water Resources), supported by Melbourne Water, to test the quality of the storm water discharging from the roof and measuring the reduction in roof rainwater run-off.

Melbourne University (Department of Resource Management and Geography), is also interested in assessing the benefits of urban "green" roofs for application in urban Melbourne, including amelioration of urban heat island effect, positive benefits for bird and wildlife habitat, insulating properties and improved building performance as a result of living roofs.

Water monitoring equipment will be installed by Monash University to record water quality benefits and stormwater volume reductions as a result of the substrate and vegetation filtering the rainwater. Melbourne University, will be conducting research into plant and substrate performance through monitoring a specified number of plots on the proposed living roof.

Proposed scope:

The project proposal includes retrofitting the existing concrete roof of the council chambers to an extensive living roof or "vegetated" roof.

The plants will be drought tolerant ground covers.

Budget

Melbourne Water have provided $80,000 to Council for the project costs (including construction)

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Last updated: 1 August 2011

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