Considerations for plant selection in green roofs

It is the vegetation layer that creates the living skin on the rooftop in green roofs, controls the long-term effect of any green roof installation and provides a naturally evolving and changing roofscape. Therefore, plant layer is the most challenging and important element of green roofs. A success...

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Main Authors: Arabi, Roozbeh, Shahidan, Mohd Fairuz, Mohd Shariff, Mustafa Kamal, Ja'afar, Mohamad Fakri Zaky, Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Design & Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2015
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/1/FKRSE1_10-17.pdf
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author Arabi, Roozbeh
Shahidan, Mohd Fairuz
Mohd Shariff, Mustafa Kamal
Ja'afar, Mohamad Fakri Zaky
Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi
author_facet Arabi, Roozbeh
Shahidan, Mohd Fairuz
Mohd Shariff, Mustafa Kamal
Ja'afar, Mohamad Fakri Zaky
Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi
author_sort Arabi, Roozbeh
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description It is the vegetation layer that creates the living skin on the rooftop in green roofs, controls the long-term effect of any green roof installation and provides a naturally evolving and changing roofscape. Therefore, plant layer is the most challenging and important element of green roofs. A successful green roof system needs a meticulous plant selection. Considering aesthetic values, different designs are available which incorporate various plant species, but the vegetative layer requires wise consideration in terms of the projected goals and existing conditions. Design goals of the roof define the plant selection process, whether the goals are linked to aesthetic values, performance, education or function. Like any landscape at ground level, vegetative layer that propagate primarily on a green roof may not continue to flourish in the long term as a result of fluctuation in climate and other critical factors. While, aesthetic values and ecological aspects are crucial criteria in roofscape, the selected plants must first be survivable. The plant selection process relies on the building structure, aesthetic values, micro-climate condition, existing maintenance and the condition of growing medium. Necessarily, green roof vegetation must be less nutrient-reliant and tougher than plant species currently found in ground level landscape. In this case Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants are suggested. In Overall, the best plants for green roofs environment are cold, heat, drought, wind, sun, disease and insect tolerant and preferably native plant species. Drought resistant, durable and low maintenance plant species are recommended for extensive green roofs; however, almost infinite plant selection is used for intensive green roofs.
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spelling upm-423072016-04-12T09:36:50Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/ Considerations for plant selection in green roofs Arabi, Roozbeh Shahidan, Mohd Fairuz Mohd Shariff, Mustafa Kamal Ja'afar, Mohamad Fakri Zaky Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi It is the vegetation layer that creates the living skin on the rooftop in green roofs, controls the long-term effect of any green roof installation and provides a naturally evolving and changing roofscape. Therefore, plant layer is the most challenging and important element of green roofs. A successful green roof system needs a meticulous plant selection. Considering aesthetic values, different designs are available which incorporate various plant species, but the vegetative layer requires wise consideration in terms of the projected goals and existing conditions. Design goals of the roof define the plant selection process, whether the goals are linked to aesthetic values, performance, education or function. Like any landscape at ground level, vegetative layer that propagate primarily on a green roof may not continue to flourish in the long term as a result of fluctuation in climate and other critical factors. While, aesthetic values and ecological aspects are crucial criteria in roofscape, the selected plants must first be survivable. The plant selection process relies on the building structure, aesthetic values, micro-climate condition, existing maintenance and the condition of growing medium. Necessarily, green roof vegetation must be less nutrient-reliant and tougher than plant species currently found in ground level landscape. In this case Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants are suggested. In Overall, the best plants for green roofs environment are cold, heat, drought, wind, sun, disease and insect tolerant and preferably native plant species. Drought resistant, durable and low maintenance plant species are recommended for extensive green roofs; however, almost infinite plant selection is used for intensive green roofs. Faculty of Design & Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2015-12 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/1/FKRSE1_10-17.pdf Arabi, Roozbeh and Shahidan, Mohd Fairuz and Mohd Shariff, Mustafa Kamal and Ja'afar, Mohamad Fakri Zaky and Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi (2015) Considerations for plant selection in green roofs. ALAM CIPTA, International Journal on Sustainable Tropical Design Research & Practice, 8 (spec.3). pp. 10-17. ISSN 1823-7231; ESSN: 2289-3687 http://www.frsb.upm.edu.my/dokumen/FKRSE1_10-17.pdf
spellingShingle Arabi, Roozbeh
Shahidan, Mohd Fairuz
Mohd Shariff, Mustafa Kamal
Ja'afar, Mohamad Fakri Zaky
Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi
Considerations for plant selection in green roofs
title Considerations for plant selection in green roofs
title_full Considerations for plant selection in green roofs
title_fullStr Considerations for plant selection in green roofs
title_full_unstemmed Considerations for plant selection in green roofs
title_short Considerations for plant selection in green roofs
title_sort considerations for plant selection in green roofs
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/42307/1/FKRSE1_10-17.pdf