Reviewing Green roof design approaches: Case study of residential buildings

ABSTRACT: High density of the residential areas and steep land value in the cities have driven people to maximize liveable and productive spaces in urban settings. This includes the reinvention of roof functions extending merely as a protection from the elements to a platform of housing green building technologies such as green roofs. Increased interest in green roofs have led to advances in technology. An entire industry has sprung up which specializes in lightweight growing materials, roofing membranes, plant containers and plant stock. Many research have focused on developing lighter, thinner green roof systems at a reduced cost that have a minimal impact on the building structure or addressing concerns about leakage and resultant liability. Green roof generally requires thick growing media and a more integrated approach. They are often categorized by their system type; extensive, simple-intensive, intensive, container or greenhouse, which is why this research focuses on mainly extensive and intensive green roofs. As land becomes scarce and development is inevitable in meeting growing needs of the current population, green spaces have paved the solution in enhancing the value of a development in any notion. One promising option is the greening of buildings by implementing green roofs. This will increase the percentage of greenery in urban built-up areas and bring back the vanishing urban green space. Green roofs can bring a patch of country back into even the most over developed urban space. Such a reminder of our place within nature is vital to our sense of wellbeing. The green roof is not the only solution for improving the quality of the existing environment but it is suggested as a lucrative and feasible solution for implementing within its design elements and construction systems. The construction phases and selection of appropriate green roof design materials play a crucial role to enhance the quality of space. This research seeks to understand green roof design implementations on selected residential buildings. The design of green roofs in residential buildings are examined on how architects apply green roof design elements on these particular projects and how these green systems alleviate spatial organization of buildings and its surrounding environment. This research is aimed to review green roof design approaches in the case studies of residential buildings. Initially, fifty buildings were reviewed. The five case studies were selected because of their unique building typology, green roof concepts and design elements. The research has been organized into four chapters. The first chapter, introduces the research. Then the second chapter discusses the theory supported by building typology and its design elements in detail. The third chapter, evaluates five case studies in residential category within their typology and design elements. Finally the fourth chapter provides conclusions. The results obtained through the theoretical research, literature review and analysis, shows that green roofs designs are given more importance on residential buildings. Results from this research indicate that the vegetated space usage in high density housing projects will eventually provide a theoretical framework that can be oriented in the decision-making process for green roofs. The methodology, findings and results emphasize the potential for improving the green roof design implementations and durability of residential building functions by understanding the design environment and the interactions between the surrounding environment and green roof design. These collective requirements have created challenges to develop exciting and innovative green cities offering future studies for green roof design. Key Words: Collective Living, Ecology, Green Design, Green Roof, Green Roof Approach. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………