A run-down three-story office block in downtown, in Tokyo has a roof top garden that is teeming with life. Kazuyoshi Kojima, who is spearheading the drive to lower temperatures says that cities need to be designed with greater thought as to how the temperature is increased with the sun beating down on concrete and asphalt, the heat from heavy traffic and millions of air-conditioning units all work together to make summer in the cities hotter the heat-island effect. 'The rooftop garden helps to absorb heat and keeps temperatures inside the building lower, Kojima says (Chang-Ran Kim Planet Ark "Tokyo turns to rooftop gardens to beat the heat" 8/7/02).
As sprawling cities pave over natural areas a series of effects are altering the way environmental systems function:
Water
Heat
Species diversity and migration
Heat Island Effect
Reduced Poriousity of acqifers
Species eradication and decline
Local climates in and around urban areas are being altered by what is called the heat island effect. The eradication of natural ecosystems in urban environments with concrete and asphalt has created heat islands. These heat islands in addition to increasing cooling costs in summer time also alter rainfall patterns and some research has linked these effects to increased flooding.
Urban development patterns also reduce the ability of water to be absorbed into the ground which not only reduces acqifer recharge but increases flash flooding.
As cities have built up for all intents and purposes ecosystems have ceased to function as total units because they have become so hindered by human development.
The Green Roof is a way to develop a multi-use design technology that incorporates several key appropriates technologies into the building roof. Most roofs are simply there to keep the buildings dry. Arcology to me implies a rethink of how we design cities. One goal is more self-reliance within cities for food supplies:
Existing cities use over 50 percent of their areas to sustain the automobile, reducing our dependence on the auto will increase the amount of land that can used for open space and agriculture in the city.
Few roofs are covered with protective membranes that allow the flowering of plants, food gardens and even small trees.
The money saved from not having to build man made flood control systems could be used to create water catchment systems, which would also reduce water usage and expenses:
Grass roofs is one way to reduce the impact of the built environment on natural systems.
Grey water can be used to irrigate gardens on the roof in dry periods.
Grass roofing is one way to reduce the amount of wastewater flows offsite. To absorb and slow water flows during extreme rains.
Going a step further would involve creating cisterns to store the water for irrigation during dry periods.
American Hydrotech Inc is designing roofing systems that allow for gardens and green spaces. While American Hydrotech is primarily promoting green roofs as a way to improve aesthetics, flood control and heat build-up in urban areas, other seeking a more comprehensive view.
The eventual ideal is to decentralize wastewater treatment within the integrated industrial ecology/permaculture systems of the community, replacing turf grass with more ecologically appropriate alternatives. Living systems imply a rethink of how we design cities involves more self-reliance within cities for food supplies.- urban agriculture (UA). Francis Frick has come up with a plan for a South China Arcology as one way to increase the ability of cities to feed themselves is by installing green roofs.
The ecocity will have rooflines dominated by greenhouses and open air green areas, "EdenSpaces" brimming with vegetable gardens and enclosed and semi-enclosed landscaped relaxation spa areas. We also might be able to catch more water and keep it on the roofs reducing erosion on site while also using water to grow crops on the rooftops, converting a desolate concrete roof into a eden-like wonderland. From an aesthetic standpoint pedestrian accessible gardens might provide an eye-catching experience for visitors, workshoppers and residents, of the EdenSpace themed project thus increasing the "urban effect."
Cascading terraces will functionally and aesthetically unify the aesthetic spaces of the community and maximize the amount of greenhouse/green roof space. Terraces could produce food in greenhouses in their most intense form as hydroponics design agricultural systems producing up to five times more than conventional agricultural systems.
Richard Nelson's Solar Roof Gardens are innovative because they reduce heating costs making them more competitive than existing greenhouses, an example of an entropy reducing or negentropic system.
The typical roof of the EdenSpace ecovillage building will be buzzing with activity:
Architectural and structurally integrated solar panels.
Using solar hot water heating is a way to utilize the solar heat from the sun.
Greenhouses and green roof gardens for growing food and providing a wonderful "EdenSpace Aesthetic.
Swimming pools that double as heat sinks to heat and cool the buildings.
Solar hot water panels that use the sun's radiation to create hot water.
This integrated approach as applied through multi-use roof systems can demonstrate how combining various systems on the roof that you can reduce environmental impacts as well as save money and providing for a pleasing, healing EdenSpace Aesthetic.
By incorporating green roofs into the design of urban prototypes in sustainable design, we demonstrate:
Flood Control: Catching more water and keeping it on the roofs reduces water flows during heavy rains and this means that costs associated with erosion and flood problems are reduced both in terms of onsite costs as well as municipal costs.
Aesthetics: Using water to grow crops and gardens on rooftops means converting a desolate roof -scape into a Eden-like wonderland. From an aesthetic standpoint pedestrian accessible gardens might provide an eye-catching experience both for visitors, work shoppers and residents, thus increasing the "urban effect" within the ecovillage or ecologically themed project.
Food Production: Roofs will increasingly be valued by their ability to enable people to grow food close to the end user, minimizing transport costs while shortening supply lines and keeping resource flows closer to the consumer.
The solar roof concept stated here is a pivotal strategy for an integrated sustainable development eco-center development model. The idea behind it is that a prototype urban community is supposed to function as a place to improve upon the function of modern urban systems through experimentation, such as though the "green" roof technologies mentioned above. Such programs are more inclined to generate economic critical mass by catching the imagination of people who come to the centers and would purchase various services and activities at these centers as well as those who would be relied upon to financially support the project through grants and donations. Most importantly of all the design and development model offered here has the potential to inspire, provide a high quality of life and give people living and working at these centers piece of mind that they are working to promote an alternative of model of living on this planet that is consistent with their values and aspirations as conscious beings!