EVSC30006 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Urban Species, Storage Organ, Succulent Plant
1 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
LECTURE 17: ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION USING
BUILDINGS
• Determined by urban planning policies, which can be influenced by urban ecology
GREEN ROOFS
Components
• Plants: usually geophytes, need to survive harsh, exposed environment
o Use succulents in Europe & USA – bad for stormwater quantity & providing cooling
o Australian natives good: selected on physical & morphological adaptations
o Need plants which reduce runoff when water high, & maintain water status when water is limited
• Substrate (vegetation support layer)
o Growing medium for plants – uses mineral, organic & synthetic components, usually inorganic compounds
o Main issues in design: weight loading (mass, depth), balancing
air & water (drainage, hydraulic conductivity), component
properties (mass, shape, availability), nutrition, irrigation
• Filter fabric (cloth layer)
• Drainage layer
• Protection layer – sometimes with root barrier
• Roof structure
Types
Intensive
Extensive
• Relatively nutrient rich, deep substrate
(usually <20cm)
• Allows establishment of greater range
of vegetation
• Requires higher level of maintenance,
regular irrigation and fertiliser
• Weight can be considerable
• Shallow, low-nutrient light substrate (2-
15cm)
• Low maintenance, no irrigation or
fertiliser
• Don’t provide amenity and recreation
• Planted with succulents, flowers and
grasses
Barriers to Extensive GR in Aus
• New, unknown technology – no industry, can’t move same from Europe due to biosecurity
• Significant differences in rainfall, temp, substrates & vegetation – need plants to survive tough conditions
• Could increase risk & cost of projects
• Research needed to evaluate performance, costs & benefits
VERTICAL GREENING
Façade Greening
Living Walls
• Self-clinging climbers
• Twiners & tendril
climbers
• Need trellis or wire
support systems
• Cheaper than living
walls, however take
longer
2 types:
• Fabric based hydroponic systems
• Work of art, more extensive
• Lighter than modules
• Cell/modular based irrigated systems
• More energy, maintenance = expensive
• Planted stone and rock walls
Both less benefits than green roofs
BENEFITS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Human well-being
• Aesthetic & amenity - can be used for urban food production
• Improved mental well-being
• Localised food production
Green Roof: a roofing assembly consisting of a waterproof membrane & additional layers: growing media,
drainage, root protection – allowing propagation of vegetation across part of a roof surface
Document Summary
Buildings: determined by urban planning policies, which can be influenced by urban ecology. Green roof: a roofing assembly consisting of a waterproof membrane & additional layers: growing media, drainage, root protection allowing propagation of vegetation across part of a roof surface. Intensive: relatively nutrient rich, deep substrate (usually <20cm, allows establishment of greater range of vegetation, requires higher level of maintenance, Low maintenance, no irrigation or fertiliser: don"t provide amenity and recreation regular irrigation and fertiliser, weight can be considerable. Barriers to extensive gr in aus: new, unknown technology no industry, can"t move same from europe due to biosecurity, could increase risk & cost of projects. Research needed to evaluate performance, costs & benefits. Significant differences in rainfall, temp, substrates & vegetation need plants to survive tough conditions. Twiners & tendril climbers: need trellis or wire support systems, cheaper than living walls, however take longer. Fabric based hydroponic systems: work of art, more extensive.
