Landscape PLANNING:   Definitions   Planning   Agriculture   Context theory   Cycling   EID   Forestry   Green Towns   Greenways   Landscape plans   Minerals   Parks  POS   Reservoirs   Rivers   Sustainability   Transport   Urbanisation  Books on landscape planning Links

Roof gardens and parks for sustainable cities

The cities of the future will be under a carpet of vegation. So compelling are the reasons for this policy, they can scarcely be evaded:

• roof vegation has the most beneficial consequences for surface water management
• roof gardens have excellent thermal properties: the insulation they provide makes buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer
• extensive roof gardens provide wonderful habitats for wild life
• roofing membranes last longer when protected by a cool damp layer of vegetation
• in dense cities, outdoor space is at roof level is often pleasanter than outdoor space at ground level: it is quieter and less polluted. These are known as 'intensive' roof gardens
• plants on roofs take in carbon-dioxide and give out oxygen
• vegetated roofs collect dust which otherwise pollutes the air

Cycling and roof-gardening are two of the cheapest and best policies for making cities more sustainable.