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Green roofs featured in Portuguese-speaking media

© Getty Images The director of Instituto Cidade Jardim and Brazilian WGIN board member, Sérgio Rocha, participated in an interview for the channel Um Só Planeta (One Planet) published in early April. Together with the researcher Priscila Stark, they presented to readers and listeners of the Portuguese language the case study of the city of Munich, talking about the historical roots and the evolution of this technology that is changing for better the urban climate of European cities. Um Só Planeta brings together the stories of journalists from 21 brands of Globo companies that are committed to writing a new future for the Earth. Valor Econômico, O Globo, Extra, Época, Época NEGÓCIOS, Galileu, Marie Claire, Quem, Crescer, Casa e Jardim, Globo Rural, Small Business & Big Business, AutoEsporte, TechTudo, Vogue, Casa Vogue, GQ, Glamour, CBN participate , Rádio Globo and BH FM. Read here Listen here

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04/13/2022 No Comments
Latest News

Study: Green urban infrastructure in Spain

In April 2022, the European Green Market Report on green roofs and walls published a new study assessing the state of play of urban green infrastructure in Spain. Taking Nature-Based-Solutions (NBS) as a reference, the 80-page publication consists of various chapters proposing a contemporary take on the historical situation, municipal scenarios, and urban architecture. A second section has been devoted to social perception through a national survey of scholars and professionals; and finally, a case study of Madrid exposes the evolution and trends at national level. The study has been carried out thanks to an interdisciplinary collaboration between companies and civil organizations, constituting the working group: Pronatur, member of the Boards of Directors of WGIN and EFB; Agrarian Forum; itdUPM; Juan XXIII Roncalli Foundation and Actual Research. The results of the study aim to highlight the important role that NBS must play in response to the challenges of our environment. The study on Spain was carried out within the European Green Market Report on roofs and walls, which includes previous studies in the United Kingdom, Austria and Germany. The study follows the guidelines of the European Federation of Green Roofs and Walls and the World Green Infrastructure Network. Read the full study here

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04/11/2022 No Comments
EU chapter

Smartly combining green infrastructure and solar installations can transform Europe’s built environment

Solar panels on a green roof with flowering sedum plants. ID: 1984038584 The European Solar Rooftops Initiative presents a unique opportunity to maximize the impact for cities and citizens promoting the combination of green infrastructure and solar installations on every rooftop and impervious surface where it is economically and technically feasible. The energy crisis, exacerbated by the tragic invasion of Ukraine, has shown how serious Europe’s energy dependence on Russia’s natural gas and oil is. European Governments and the international community are now working on short- and medium-term solutions to increase energy security. These include, among others, plans to diversify energy supplies, the very bad idea to reopen nuclear plants and return to coal, and the excellent idea to boost renewable energy sources. Investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy should have been our governments first political priority for energy security for decades. With the recent release of REPowerEU, a Joint European Action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy, the European Commission recommends deploying 420 GW of solar capacity by 2030. As part of this effort, the Commission “will present in June a communication on solar energy with the aim of helping unlock solar energy’s potential as a major renewable energy source in the EU. Based on an analysis of the state of play of solar energy across the EU, the solar strategy will propose a European Solar Rooftops Initiative, which will identify barriers, propose measures to accelerate the roll-out and ensure that the public can fully reap the benefits of rooftop solar energy”. The European Solar Rooftops Initiative presents a unique opportunity to maximize the impact for cities and citizens promoting the combination of green infrastructure and solar installations on every rooftop and impervious surface where it is economically and technically feasible. Biosolar installations, which combine green roof and solar energy technologies together, would change our urban environment. Individual homes, building blocks and local energy communities would satisfy their energy needs with solar energy produced on site or nearby. Green roofs and other forms of vegetation would increase urban biodiversity. From an energy perspective, by reducing stormwater runoff and urban heat island effect, green roofs could also significantly decrease the energy required to treat rainwater and cool our cities while also increasing the production efficiency of rooftop solar installations by anywhere from 5 to 15 per cent. Green roofs also provide the ability to ballast racking systems for solar panels without any roofing penetrations. And because green roofs protect the underlying waterproofing, extending its life expectancy beyond 40 years, there is no need to remove solar panels and reroof in the future. Citizens would support biosolar installations. Property value would increase, home and cities would be more beautiful, more energy performant and healthier place to live in. And health and wellbeing in the difficult times of COVID pandemic are a top priority for individuals and communities. Read the full article Living Architecture Monitor (LAM) is a quarterly publication first published in 1998. It features in-depth interviews with leaders in the green building movement, opinions, research, and green roof and wall project profiles.

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03/28/2022 No Comments
EU chapter

Sika joins World Green Infrastructure Network

WGIN welcomes Sika AG as a new corporate member. The Swiss multinational specialty chemicals company will also be part of the network’s European Chapter. The World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) is delighted to announce that Sika is joining the Network as a new corporate member. Sika is also joining WGIN’s EU Chapter, the group’s advocacy section dedicated to advance the green infrastructure agenda in the European Union. Sika AG was founded in 1910 with the invention of a quick-setting waterproofing admixture for mortars, which was used to waterproof the Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland and enabled the Swiss railway company to electrify the important connection between Northern and Southern Europe. Today, thanks to its leading position in developing and producing systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry, the company is considered as enabler of sustainable transportation and construction. Sika has been waterproofing green roofs and other landscaped areas for over 40 years globally, and in the United States for over 25 years. Sika’s Sarnafil® roofing systems have recently celebrated their 60-year anniversary. With close to 400 million m2 of roofing and waterproofing membrane installed worldwide, architects, specifiers and building owners know they can rely on Sika for proven products and system performance. Already today, Sika generates 70% of its sales with products that have a positive sustainability impact. Manfred Koehler, President of the World Green Infrastructure Network, commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Sika as a new member of WGIN and of its EU Chapter. As a multinational company well known for its innovative and high-quality products, Sika is a perfect match with our ambition to promote the deployment of green infrastructure globally. We look forward to working together on this key agenda.” Patricia Heidtman, Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer at Sika, said: “Sustainability is at the center of everything Sika does. Our company is focusing on helping customers to reduce their CO2eq footprint by providing innovative solutions and products. In many respects, Sika’s technologies make the company an enabler that strongly contributes to the climate neutrality journey of the construction and automotive industries. That’s why we share the ambition to promote green infrastructure in urban planning and we are happy to join WGIN and support them in this endeavor.”   Patrick Horisberger, Head Target Market Roofing at Sika, added: “Green roofs lower the energy costs by absorbing heat which in turn significantly reduces the need for air conditioning in summer and provides additional insulation in the winter. Another important benefit is their ability to reduce and slow stormwater runoff, besides using the roof as a recreational area. With our membership in WGIN we want to influence and support the development of green roofs by sharing know-how, supporting studies, and developing new solutions.”   Download the pdf version   Media contacts Luigi Petito Head of Secretariat, World Green Infrastructure Network – EU Chapter luigi.petito@wgin.org   Harriet Sihn Public Relations Manager, Sika AG sihn.harriet@ch.sika.com   ABOUT WGIN The World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) is a collaborative global network promoting the integration of green infrastructure in urban planning. Since 2009, WGIN has expanded to represent 22 National Associations and has held 10 World Green Infrastructure Congresses. WGIN has established supportive working research committees and has an active board of directors representing 11 nations. In 2019, WGIN set up a European Chapter with the aim of raising awareness among EU policymakers about the multiple benefits of green infrastructure.   ABOUT SIKA Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Headquartered in Baar (Switzerland), Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 300 factories. Its more than 27,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 9.3 billion in 2021.

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03/17/2022 No Comments
Latest News

Urban Agriculture Technology, Design And Planning Symposium – Virtual

Green Roof for Healthy Cities presents their Urban Agriculture Technology, Design and Planning Symposium on March 16 from 1pm-5pm est. The current climate demonstrates the need for strong local economies and resilient solutions. Urban and rooftop agriculture is a productive form of green infrastructure that supports local economies, creates jobs, improves access to fresh produce, and increase biodiversity. GRHC brings together urban and rooftop agriculture experts to share the benefits and challenges around urban agriculture to advocate for green roof and policy implementation and drive the industry forward. Learn how agrivoltaics is redefining urban agriculture with Jennifer Boussolot and explore the compelling case study with Roxanne Miller of the award winning IGA’s rooftop farm project. The first grocery store rooftop garden in Canada! Other speaks include Jeremy Wright, Business Development and Project Manager at Zinco Canada, Mark Winterer, Director of Operations at Recover Green Roofs, and Steven Peck, Founder of GRHC. The event is only $50 USD, and is pending approval for 3 LU|HSW credits from AIA, ASLA, and GRP credits, and pending approval for 2 credits from APLD. See here for the full agenda, and to register: https://greenroofs.org/virtualevents/urban-agriculture-technology-design-and-planning-symposium Back to Events

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03/08/2022 No Comments
EU chapter

Bauder joins World Green Infrastructure Network

WGIN welcomes leading Germany-based company as a new corporate member. The green roof firm will be part of the network’s European Chapter. The World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) is delighted to announce that as of 2022 Bauder is joining the Network as a new corporate member. Bauder is also joining the EU Chapter of WGIN, the network’s advocacy section dedicated to advance the green infrastructure agenda in the European Union. Paul Bauder Gmbh & Co. KG, a family business founded in 1857, is a leading international manufacturer of building construction materials. The third Bauder generation established an important milestone in the company’s history by focusing on the roof. In addition to the flat roof business unit, which includes green roof and photovoltaic systems, they built up the pitched roof business unit. Today the company provides clients with waterproofing membranes and insulation to make buildings watertight and thermally efficient, photovoltaic installations for renewable energy generation, and green roofs to support the environment and create better living and working spaces for people. Bauder is based in Stuttgart and operates in 16 countries around the world, with more than 1.300 employees. Manfred Koehler, President of the World Green Infrastructure Network, said:“We are extremely pleased to welcome Bauder as a new member of WGIN and of its EU Chapter. As one of the world leaders in green roof technologies, Bauder fits perfectly with our mission to promote green infrastructure to create greener and healthier urban spaces, benefitting nature and people. We look forward to working together towards achieving this important goal in Europe and beyond.” Tim Bauder, Bauder Managing Director, commented:“At Bauder, we know the potential that roofs have for mitigating the effects of climate change. Every green roof creates new, important living space that makes our cities greener and therefore more liveable. We are very happy about our membership and to be able to support WGIN with our expertise in green roofs.” Download the pdf version Media contactsCéline DurerCorporate CommunicationsBauderceline.durer@bauder.de Luigi PetitoHead of SecretariatWGIN – EU Chapterluigi.petito@wgin.org

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02/10/2022 No Comments
Latest News

First Dutch Detention Roof for soft drink supplier Vrumona

Picture: © Ritchie Damwijk The very first Detention Roof in the Netherlands was recently installed on the Vrumona business premises in the municipality of Bunnik. On November 8, 2021, the 588 m2 green roof was officially opened by local alderman Jocko Rensen. Thanks to this innovative green roof concept, the risk of flooding due to extreme precipitation on the site will be drastically reduced. The Detention Roof can store rainwater in a fully saturated state and discharge it in a delayed and controlled manner. Making the Utrecht region more climate-proof In recent years several green initiatives have emerged in the province of Utrecht. Detention Roof supplier Sempergreen recently signed a Declaration of Intent for Climate Adaptive Building with the Province of Utrecht with the aim of making the Utrecht region more climate-proof. Both Vrumona and Sempergreen are also participants of Green Business Club Bunnik. Thanks to this green initiative, the companies came into contact and were able to realize this ambitious green roof project together. Sjors Wessels of Sempergreen, participant of Green Business Club Bunnik: “We are very pleased with the extensive collaboration that has been established to realize this innovative project. It shows that local initiatives in the field of sustainability can be an important basis for projects that make the region more climate resilient. By this initiative, Vrumona is taking an important first step in the field of preventing water problems at and around the business park.” Preliminary exploration with the help of Water Board At the start of the project, the parties involved mapped out issues that could cause flooding in the area together with Water Board ‘De Stichtse Rijnlanden’. This preliminary exploration showed that the business park where Vrumona is located at, is predominantly petrified and would benefit hugely from a Detention Roof. With the implementation of this Detention Roof, a large part of the water problem in the area will be solved, because water is discharged in a delayed and controlled manner. In the event of extreme precipitation the Detention Roof will relieve the sewer system. Moreover, the green roof system complies with governmental water policies, rainwater regulation and/or other, increasing requirements of municipalities and water boards. Evelien Sanders-De Boer, General Manager of Vrumona: “This green roof is a wonderful example of local collaboration and fits in perfectly with the circular and sustainable mission that we have at Vrumona. Water is a crucial part of our product and a good and efficient water supply on our site is very important.”

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01/20/2022 No Comments
Latest News

The EU proposal for new rules on energy performance of buildings is a missed opportunity for nature and well-being

Rotterdam / the Netherlands. ID: 1523657147 While encouraging for energy renovations and decarbonisation, the proposal for the revision of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive adopted by the European Commission felt half-hearted, writes Luigi Petito, Head of WGIN EU Chapter, in the Winter issue of Living Architecture Monitor. With growing urbanisation and 70% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, greening our cities is a no brainer. It is also a key driver for healthy lifestyles and social well-being. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that shows the important role played by Nature in personal well-being. Several psychological studies show that regular contact with Nature heightens our sense of well-being through, for example, the restorative effect of the natural environment and its capacity to stimulate human emotions and reduce stress. The link between green spaces and personal and community well-being should be looked at with much more attention by policy and political decision makers. The health and social impact of integrating vegetations in densely populated areas is tremendous and often surpasses initial costs and other economic considerations. Governments should listen to citizens because they can count on their backing to push through bold and transformative changes to greening the built environment. Greener buildings, with vegetations on roofs and walls, have better energy performance. They require less energy for cooling, and they effectively retain and detain stormwater, which in turn reduces the energy consumption of urban wastewater treatment plants at district or city level. It is also clear that in bio-solar installations green roofs make photovoltaic systems more efficient, generating between 5 to 15% more power due to the evapotranspiration which cools the panels. The European Commission’s proposal is only the first step of a long legislative process which will provide other opportunities for the European Parliament and Member States of the European Union to assess and amend the text before its adoption due by mid-2023. In the weeks ahead, we need to roll up our sleeves and work to raise the bar and improve the Commission’s Directive, for the people and the environment. Read the full article here Living Architecture Monitor (LAM) is a quarterly publication first published in 1998. It features in-depth interviews with leaders in the green building movement, opinions, research, and green roof and wall project profiles.

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12/21/2021 No Comments
Latest News

CitiesAlive Virtual 2021

The rapid deployment of green roofs and walls is paramount to addressing climate change and preparing our communities for the negative extreme weather impacts which are already taking lives and costing billions in damages. In response to the ongoing COVID 19 Pandemic, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Green Infrastructure Foundation, and the World Green Infrastructure Network have teamed up to bring you CitiesAlive Virtual 2021, combining outstanding world class speakers with cutting edge emerging professionals. CitiesAlive® Virtual 2021 is a multi-disciplinary conference, bringing together the best designers, product manufacturers, researchers, and policy makers in the field of living architecture and green infrastructure. Attendees will hear from leading-edge designers, discussing their innovative approaches and newest projects. We will be highlighting progressive policies and showcasing the latest research. Join us in shaping a better, more resilient future, as we emerge stronger from COVID-19 pandemic. More information here.

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11/10/2021 No Comments
EU chapter

A new model of “urban forestation” to reduce energy costs

At EIMA, the international agricultural machinery exhibition in Bologna (Italy), the World Green Infrastructure Network presented proposals for new standards on green areas in rural, commercial and public building renovations and new construction. The association’s proposals revolve around the definition of new parameters for the renovation of commercial, rural and public buildings and for new residential constructions. These parameters should stimulate, through tax and financial incentives, a more rapid reduction in energy costs in the wake of the objectives set by the European Commission. In particular, according to WGIN, green areas should be integrated in new zero-emission buildings and combined with installations of renewable energy systems: a combination that increases energy efficiency by between 5 and 10%. In addition, as regards the renovation of public, commercial and rural buildings, the introduction of a minimum green area standard should become indispensable to improve environmental mitigation measures. “The time has come for Italy, with the support of other EU countries, to seriously promote a real European Green Deal for climate mitigation in urban areas,” said Riccardo Rigolli, agronomist and board member of WGIN. Read more

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10/19/2021 No Comments
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