Latest in: biodiversity.

Latest News

The winner “BuGG Green Roof of the Year” 2021 is announced!

The winner of “BuGG Green Roof of the Year” 2021 has been recently announced! The German Association of Building Greening (Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. – BuGG) has been holding the annual election for “BuGG Green Roof, Facade and Interior Greening of the Year” since 2001. BuGG members can submit outstanding objects. The election will then take place during a members’ meeting or an event. At the end of last year, the election was held in digital form and with a large number of participants during the Federal Congress of Building Greening (Bundeskongress Gebäudegrün). The winning project for the “BuGG Green Roof of the Year” 2021 is the designed and accessible green roof of the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter in Hamburg, submitted by BuGG member Landschaftsarchitektur+. The building has a total roof area of approx. 3,870 m² on various storeys, of which more than half (2,440 m²) is greened. The greening is designed both as an extensive green roof in a multi-layer construction with 4 cm drainage, filter fleece and 11 cm extensive substrate and in the form of a roof garden on the lower terraces and the common area of the canteen. The accessible roof garden also consists of a multi-layered structure: 6 cm plastic drainage, filter fleece, about 5-45 cm sub-substrate (in thicker areas with tree plantings) and 35 cm intensive substrate. The plant selection includes perennials, grasses and woody plants. Ramps and stairs between the levels create connections and a way to cross the campus on the east-west axis. Due to various seating areas along the curved paths, the roof garden can be enjoyed as a retreat and “green place to linger”. The comprehensive lighting concept ensures usability and a delightful atmosphere on the roof even in the dark. The award winner, with its exemplary green roof installation worthy of imitation, also reflects the trend described by the “BuGG Market Report on Building Greening 2021”: the areas of intensive green roofs, and thus the use of roof areas as recreational and living space, are increasing every year. In 2020, for example, 18 percent of the roof areas in Germany were already greened. More information …………………………………………………. Construction information Object: Green roof, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg Year of construction: 2021 Green roof area: 2,440 m² Building owner: Max Planck Society, Hamburg Architect: Architekturbüro hammeskrause architekten, Stuttgart Planting design: Prof. Mark Krieger, OST Rapperswil Landscape architect: Landschaftsarchitektur+, Hamburg Green roof structure: Extensive green roof in 3-layer construction and intensive green roof in 4-layer construction Green roof system: Optigrün international AG Executing company: Garten- und Landschaftsbau Klaus Hildebrandt GmbH, Hamburg …………………………………………………. Author/Contact Laura Vötig/Dr. Gunter Mann Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e. V. (BuGG) Albrechtstraße 13 10117 Berlin Telefon: +49 30 / 40 05 41 02 E-Mail: info@bugg.de www.gebaeudegruen.info BuGG President Dr. Gunter Mann (centre) presents the managing directors of Landschaftsarchitektur+ Felix Holzapfel-Herziger (left) and Julian Benesch (right) with the winner’s badges for the “BuGG Green Roof of the Year” 2021. Source: Landschaftsarchitektur+ / BuGG The roof garden of the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter is an inviting place to take a break. Source: Landschaftsarchitektur+ Winner “BuGG Green Roof of the Year” 2021: The Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter in Hamburg. Source: Landschaftsarchitektur+ The winning object is also a ” luminous highlight ” in the twilight of the evening. Source: Landschaftsarchitektur+

Read More »
Latest News

Multifunctional Urban Green Infrastructure Book

The World Green Infrastructure Network continues with its own publications. After its first book “Green Cities in the World” in 2014, the update in 2015 and the Spanish version in 2016, the “Vertical urban agriculture” book followed in 2018. Now you have our new book in your hands, which also updates the overview of national green infrastructure associations around the globe. The present book is a product of several WGIN members and other selected authors. The aim is to highlight some specific examples of implemented projects around the exiting world of green infrastructure. One focus are insight stories about lessons learned in green infrastructure. Why this collection? Green infrastructure has become a hot topic all around the globe; this book can help to expand your knowledge about the associated benefits. Combining construction with plants and incorporating their functionality into the architectural design is today much more accepted than years ago. This publication is an insight view of several pioneer projects and some detailed solutions, which are worth replicating or adapting to other climates, regions or cultures. Read here

Read More »
Latest News

Call for Proposals: CitiesAlive 2022

CitiesAlive 2022 is finally back in person and will be held in Philadelphia from October 16th-19th, 2022. It will focus on the theme of “Green Infrastructure & Water in a Changing Climate”. CitiesAlive 2022 is now accepting proposals for presentations and research papers. The application deadline is Saturday April 30th, 2022, at 11:59 pm, please submit your proposals here. CitiesAlive 2022 is accepting proposals that are within orbit of the following topics: submit a proposal CitiesAlive 2022 will highlight new policy, design practices, emerging research, innovative products, and Philadelphia-centric green infrastructure developments. The goal is to help inform the current policy debate by making a case for the rapid and significant increase in green infrastructure investment, a trend that’s occurring worldwide. Submit a proposal by Saturday April 30th, 2022, at 11:59 pm. You are invited to review the submission process and related criteria for submitting by clicking here. A big thank you to the Sponsors of CitiesAlive 2022: Hunter – Silver SponsorCarlisle CCM – Silver SponsorRooflite – Silver SponsorChatfield Green Roofing – Lanyard SponsorNaturcycle – Copper SponsorGinkgo Sustainability – Copper Sponsor

Read More »
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

Read More »
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.”

Read More »
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.

Read More »
Latest News

WGIN members to implement Blue-Green infrastructure projects in Poland

Photo “PIASTÓW”: © psdz The Polish Green Roof Association (PSDZ) together with the Norwegian Association for Green Infrastructure (NFGI), both WGIN members, will implement Blue-Green Infrastructure projects in two Polish cities: Konin and Piastów, in the frame of the “Environment, energy and climate change” program co-financed by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. The project implemented in Konin is called “Green corridors in the city – climatic awakening in Konin” and the planned activities will take place from September 1st 2021 to April 30th 2024. The project in Piastów is called “Creation of green-blue infrastructure in the city of Piastów” and the planned activities will last from January 1st 2022 to November 30th 2023. The implementation of the projects will contribute to strengthening the resilience of cities to the negative effects of climate change. In addition, the project aims to raise public awareness of climate change, as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in cities with less than 90,000 inhabitants. The planned activities are to support the implementation of projects related to the adaptation of cities to climate change and mitigation of climate change. The planned activities in both cities include: construction of new green roofs and living walls, rain gardens, unsealing of pavements and educational activities such as conferences and workshops. The presence of both cities on the list of program beneficiaries is a great success for all those involved in the preparation of the description of planned activities. Grants were awarded to 19 applicants, with a total of over 90 cities participating in the competition.

Read More »
Latest News

Study confirms green roofs’ positive impacts on solar panels

We at WGIN have for long known that green roofs can positively impact the performance of solar panels. Now, an Australian comprehensive study shows green roofs’ benefits across energy savings, CO2 reduction and an increase in biodiversity. Carried out in a district of Sydney, the study compared the performance of conventional photovoltaic (PV) solar system with a combined PV solar and integrated green roof system (bio-solar roof) on two identical office buildings over the course of eight-months. Researchers found that the green roof improved performance by as much as 20% at peak times and by 3.6% – equivalent to 9.5 MWh of additional energy generation – over the length of the experiment. The green roof removed an additional 8.8 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gasses compared to the standard roof solar panels, the equivalent of planting 110 trees. Surface temperatures were greatly reduced on the green roof – in some cases by up to 20°C during summer, suggesting a potential reduction in urban heat island effects. Insulation was another benefit of the integrated system, preventing heat transferring inside the building as well as retaining heat in cooler periods. Furthermore, stormwater modelling on both roofs showed the bio-solar roof could reduce flows into the stormwater drains by more than 600 litres per second compared to the conventional roof. This could reduce the impacts of flooding during storm events. Overall, the integrated green roof solar PV system outperformed the conventional solar PV system, confirming that green infrastructure is among the easiest and most efficient solutions that, through its multiple benefits, can help make our cities more resilient to climate change. The study was led by Peter Irga from the University of Technology Sydney and funded by the City of Sydney Council. Read the full study here Read more in the ABC news story here

Read More »
Latest News

Living architecture monitor: Summer Edition

Summer 2021: The Climate Issue While the Climate Crisis clearly threatens us, it also provides a powerful motivation to fight it by embracing rapid change. Much of this change is already taking the form of new and positive policy developments, exciting design opportunities, and supportive research profiled in this issue. Our challenge over the next decade is to help accelerate the rate of change, implement high-quality living architecture, and emphasize what can be achieved in this, the fight of our lives. Read the Summer issue here.

Read More »
Latest News

Launch of Sempergreen white paper: ‘Building for Biodiversity’

How can green roofs contribute to promoting biodiversity in urban areas? WGIN member Sempergreen developed a white paper ‘Building for biodiversity’, which answers this question and aims to raise awareness among architects, property developers, governments, and other parties involved in the construction and refurbishment of buildings. Hot topic Biodiversity is becoming a hot topic both in the industrial and political arena, as shown by the EU new Climate Adaptation Strategy and the European Parliament’s recent resolution on the EU biodiversity Strategy for 2030. And rightly so: biodiversity loss will have, and is already having, a devastating impact on both people and planet. Thankfully, we as humans can do something about it. Urbanisation being among the main causes of biodiversity loss across Europe, greening cities is the next logical step. Indeed, as recently recognised by the European Parliament, “green urban areas and green infrastructure can provide ecosystem services to support biodiversity and contribute to the physical and mental well-being of the population”. WGIN, Sempergreen and biodiversity In the new EU Climate Adaption Strategy, a novel focus is put on promoting green roofs and walls as ‘no-regret’ solutions to make urban infrastructure more climate-proof. As member of the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN), Sempergreen is actively advocating for increasing green infrastructure in the EU to create a more sustainable society. In addition to this white paper, Sempergreen Trade’s director Stephan Beerends was part of one of the panels of the European Green Infrastructure Day 2021, where he contributed to an illuminating discussion about biodiversity and urban development. You can download the white paper here. All images © Sempergreen

Read More »

Follow us on our social channels.

Follow us on the channel that best suits you to receive our latest updates!