CIBSE publishes New Guidelines On Design Applications Of Green Roof Systems

The new ‘Guidelines for the design and application of green roof systems’ by Dr Sam C M Hui has been pub-lished by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

In his foreword, Dr Hui describes how many cities in the world are facing problems of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) and a lack of green space. Among growing concerns about environmental issues and the need to promote sus-tainable urban environments, green roofs have recently attracted much attention.

Green roof systems, living vegetation installed on roofs, have been recognised as having the ability to perform a vital role in helping cities adapt to the effects of climate change by reducing the need for artificial cooling in hot weather and attenuating or capturing rainwater runoff, as well as providing a range of habitats for urban wildlife.

However, the market for green roofs is still developing, and more information and understanding on their techni-cal design, effectiveness and actual benefits are needed.
These new comprehensive guidelines cover: scope, definitions, planning requirements, design considerations, construction methods, maintenance issues and project management for green roof systems.

These guidelines will be of interest to building services engineers, architects, urban planners and designers con-sidering implementing green roof systems options on new build or refurbishment projects.

In the UK, green roof systems have been installed on homes, schools and office buildings. Many of the scenar-ios described in the guidelines are based on experiences in both Hong Kong and China, and demonstrate how green roof systems have become embraced internationally as a new option for building services engineers to consider, particularly in city environments.

CIBSE President George Adams’ presidential theme is examining how CIBSE can support the evolution of resil-ient cities, as well as the importance of collaboration across the built environment.