Articles
Biosolar green roofs: harnessing the combined power of green roofs and solar energy
Article number
1429_16
Pages
139 – 146
Language
English
Abstract
The integration of greenery into building structures such as with green roofs is a promising tool in building resilient cities in a changing climate.
Combining green roofs with photovoltaic solar energy generation (“Biosolar green roofs”) adds a further level of sustainability and space efficiency value.
However, there is currently a lack of research that quantifies many of the services that such systems can provide.
In particular, studies focusing on the quantitative performance improvements of green roofs relative to conventional building technologies are rare, as these require urban spaces where comparisons between green and conventional roofs can be made without spatial and temporal confounding.
The current study investigates the benefits of a novel Biosolar green roof in Sydney, Australia, focusing on biodiversity, air pollution mitigation, urban heat reduction, stormwater management, and renewable energy production.
The research compares two adjacent buildings – one with photovoltaic panels and the other integrating photovoltaic panels with a green roof.
Notably, the green roof resulted in a nine-fold increase in insect species diversity and a four-fold increase in avian species diversity.
Plant coverage underwent changes, with changes in shaded areas.
Monitoring air pollutants revealed lower O3 levels in the green roof.
We recorded a decrease in trace metals entering stormwater systems from the green roof.
The green roof exhibited a significant reduction in surface temperatures, compared to the conventional roof, demonstrating an insulative capacity reducing heat transfer indoors and resulting in substantial renewable energy generation from the photovoltaic panels, with the green roof producing significantly more energy than the conventional roof.
The results presented here are significant both for the generation of sustainable energy, but also to demonstrate that building owners/stakeholders should not have to choose between a green roof or a solar roof, and that there and many benefits for Biosolar Green roofs.
Combining green roofs with photovoltaic solar energy generation (“Biosolar green roofs”) adds a further level of sustainability and space efficiency value.
However, there is currently a lack of research that quantifies many of the services that such systems can provide.
In particular, studies focusing on the quantitative performance improvements of green roofs relative to conventional building technologies are rare, as these require urban spaces where comparisons between green and conventional roofs can be made without spatial and temporal confounding.
The current study investigates the benefits of a novel Biosolar green roof in Sydney, Australia, focusing on biodiversity, air pollution mitigation, urban heat reduction, stormwater management, and renewable energy production.
The research compares two adjacent buildings – one with photovoltaic panels and the other integrating photovoltaic panels with a green roof.
Notably, the green roof resulted in a nine-fold increase in insect species diversity and a four-fold increase in avian species diversity.
Plant coverage underwent changes, with changes in shaded areas.
Monitoring air pollutants revealed lower O3 levels in the green roof.
We recorded a decrease in trace metals entering stormwater systems from the green roof.
The green roof exhibited a significant reduction in surface temperatures, compared to the conventional roof, demonstrating an insulative capacity reducing heat transfer indoors and resulting in substantial renewable energy generation from the photovoltaic panels, with the green roof producing significantly more energy than the conventional roof.
The results presented here are significant both for the generation of sustainable energy, but also to demonstrate that building owners/stakeholders should not have to choose between a green roof or a solar roof, and that there and many benefits for Biosolar Green roofs.
Authors
P.J. Irga, F.R. Torpy, R. Fleck, S. Matheson
Keywords
phytoremediation, green infrastructure, green roof, nature based solutions
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