2015-09-06

CVL300
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
Presentation 2
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GREEN
TECHNOLOGY

Is life a
balancing act?

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U.N.’s Definition of
Sustainable Development

Economy Social Harmony

Environment

What does it mean?

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CSCE’s Principles for

Sustainable Future

A Green Roof Technology

Development Process in the
City of Toronto

James Li
Ryerson University

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Sideview of Hong Kong

Top view of Hong Kong

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• Demonstration projects
• Environmental Plan
BACKGROUND
Recommendations
• Official Plan Policies
• Green Development
Standards

Ryerson University Toronto City Hall

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COST BENEFIT STUDY

Definition of Green Roof

• Vegetated roof over heated space

• Excludes vegetated roof on grade
• Extensive green roof with limit of 10 lbs
per square foot
• Roofs greater than 350 square meter
• Roofs with relatively low slope

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DETERMINING CITY BENEFITS

• Toronto’s land area – 63,174 ha
• Toronto’s roof area – 13, 478 ha (21% of land
area)
• Green roof area – 4985 ha (8% of land area)

STORMWATER BENEFITS
• Reduction in storm runoff

• Improvement in quality of
stormwater runoff

• Fewer Combined Sewer

Overflows

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Stormwater Control Benefits

• Annual Average Stormwater flow reduction

of 12 million cubic meter
• Capital cost from infrastructure reduction
of $504 million
• Capital cost from erosion control measures
of $25 million

Combined Sewer Overflow

Benefits
• One overflow reduction per year
• Three additional beach open days per year
• Capital cost from infrastructure reduction
of $45 million
• Dollar value of beach openings is $752,000
per year

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ENERGY SAVING BENEFITS

Building Level Benefits

• Less energy for heating and

cooling buildings

Citywide Benefits

• Less stress on transmission

system

• Avoidance of new infrastructure

costs

• Reduction in urban heat island

Photo: Earth Pledge

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Direct Peak Demand Reduction

• Reduction in peak demand of

115 MW
• Dollar value of reduction in peak
demand related to infrastructure
reduction of $69 million

Urban Heat Island Benefits

• Reduction in cooling energy

consumption of 118,000 MWh per
year
• Reduction in cooling energy cost
of $12 million per year

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Urban Heat Island Peak Demand

Reduction
• Reduction in peak demand of 133
MW
• Dollar value of reduction in peak
demand related to infrastructure
reduction of $80 million

Reduction in Carbon Dioxide

• Reduction in carbon dioxide from

reduction in electrical energy
requirements of 88,000 tons per
year.
• Dollar value of reduction carbon
dioxide is $880,000

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AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

BENEFITS
• Reduction in levels of
Carbon Monoxide
(CO), Nitrogen
Dioxide (NO2),
Ground level Ozone
(O3), Particulate
Matter (PM10),
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
from green roof
medium
• Reduction in Carbon
Dioxide (CO2) from
reduced fossil fuel
use

Air Quality Benefits

• Reduction in CO, NO2, O3, PM10
and SO2 by 38, 175, 343, 237
and 67 mg/ha/year
• Dollar value of reduction in air
pollutants is 2.4 million per year

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URBAN GREEN SPACE BENEFITS

• Beautify Toronto’s
buildings

• Provide pleasant
recreational areas for
residents and employees

• Raise a building’s value,

particularly in dense urban
areas

Queen’s Quay
Photo: Monica Kuhn

215 Spadina Ave

Photo: urbanspace PROPERTY group

OTHER BENEFITS
• Potential for local food
production
• Refuge for birds and
insects

Photos: urbanspace PROPERTY group

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Benefit Summary
Category Capital Annual
Stormwater $117 M
CSO $46 M
Beach Open $0.75 M
Air Quality $2.4 M
Direct Energy $21.6 M
UHI $12.3 M
Peak Demand $149 M
CO2 $0.880 M
Reduction

Costs of Greenroofs

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STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP
Workshop Attendees

City Staff
Other 5%
8% Green Roof
Designers
Building 31%
Owners /
Managers
10%

Supplier /
Builders /
Installers
Developers
21%
25%

ROUNDTABLE on the ENVIRONMENT

Special Meeting, November 23rd, 2005

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RECOMMENDATIONS
The City as the Leader

New City Buildings

• Build green roofs,
where feasible and
practical.

Existing City Buildings

• Install green roofs
when roofs are due
to be replaced,
where feasible and
practical.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Financial Barriers – Installation Costs
• Higher installation
costs are seen as a Conventional versus Green Roof
major barrier Installation Costs

• Financial incentives
300
$269
Costs per square metre

250
have been successful 200

in encouraging green 150 $129

$161

roofs in other 100

50
$86

municipalities 0
Conventional Roof Extensive Green Roof

*Figures based on background literature review

and discussions with industry professionals

Stuttgart Daimler Chrysler Mercedes Benz

Factory Source: www.greenroofs.com

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RECOMMENDATIONS
Financial Incentive Programs

Pilot Incentive
Program
• Flat rate per
square metre
Rebate on water bill
• helps to promote
awareness
Green Loans
• Low- and no-
interest loans for
green roof
construction

RECOMMENDATIONS
The Development Approval Process

New Private Buildings:

• Encourage through
zoning amendments
and site plan control
applications
• Include installation and
maintenance in
Section 37 agreements
(when secured for
another purpose)
• New powers to
regulate are available
under City of Toronto
Act (section 108)

York University Computer Science Building

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RECOMMENDATIONS
Education and Awareness
Building owners or
developers
• Technical booklet on
construction /
maintenance
• Technical workshop
City staff
• Training
• Green roofs resource
person in all appropriate
City divisions.
General public www.toronto.ca/greenroofs
• Brochures and posters
• Website

RECOMMENDATIONS
Education and Awareness
• Add a Green Roof category to the
Green Toronto Awards
• Invite Toronto-based Green Roofs
for Healthy Cities to hold their
2008 international conference in
Toronto.
• Showcasing Green roofs at
Toronto Open Doors

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IMAGINING
IMAGINING A
A GREEN
GREEN TORONTO
TORONTO

Green Roof Project

James Li
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Green roof infrastructure

• Green roof benefits
• Planning considerations
• Design and construction
• Operation and maintenance

Background and history of green roof

• Rockefeller Center in
New York City.
• Designed to be ‘views
capes’ for the
enjoyment of sky
scraper tenants.

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Background and history of green roofs

• Ancient green roof -

French Fisherman’s
Cottage in Fort
Louisbourg, Nova
Scotia, Canada

Green roof in Chicago

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Green roof at York U, Toronto

Description of the Green roof system

• Some more terminology…….

- Eco-roof: Commonly used as many green roof
designs involve plants that are not green for the entire year.
- Roofscape: describes the overall appearance
of the roof.
- Modular system: vegetation and planting
medium are contained in special trays covering all or
most of the green roof.

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Extensive green roofs

• Low profile or
performance
• Not accessible
• Low weight
• Low capital cost
• Low plant diversity –
contains only one or
two plant species

Extensive green roofs

• Minimal maintenance
requirements
• Commonly designed
for maximum thermal
and hydrological
performance

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Intensive green roofs

• High profile and

known as rooftop
garden
• Accessible to public
• Deeper soil and
greater weight
• Higher capital costs

Intensive green roofs

• Increased plant
diversity – contains a
variety of plant types
and is designed as a
park like setting
• More maintenance
requirements

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Planning Considerations
• Function(s) (e.g. stormwater vs energy
saving)
• Extensive or intensive types
• Structural loading
• Plants and soil
• Drainage
• Safety and liability
• Capital and O&M Costs

Structural Loading

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Summary of Ontario minimum

specified loading on roof top
Function of the Minimum Minimum
building Specified Specified
Load, kPa Load, kg/m2
Residential 1.9 194

Commerical (retail / 4.8 489

wholesale areas /
office areas)
Industrial (factories) 6.0 612

Loading plan on residential buildings

Loading per
unit area
Layer Thickness (m) Density (Kg/m3) (Kg/m2)
Wild flowers N/A 5
Soils (assume 2 inches) 0.05 1250 63.5
Drainage layer (FD 40) 0.04 6
Filter membrane
(polyester) 0.16
Protection layer (root
barrier) 5
Polystyrene Insulation
0.037
Board 16 0.592
Snow/Rain (Live Load) 101.9
Max allowable = 194 kg/m2
Total 182.2

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Loading plan on commercial buildings

Loading per
unit area
Layer Thickness (m) Density (Kg/m3) (Kg/m2)
Shrubs and low bushes N/A 10
Soils (assume 6 inches) 0.15 1470 224.0
Drainage layer (FD 60) 0.057 35.2
Filter membrane
(polyester) 0.16
Protection layer (root
barrier) 5
Polystyrene Insulation
0.037
Board 16 0.592
Snow/Rain (Live Load) 101.9
Max allowable = 489 kg/m2 Total 377.0

Loading plan on industrial buildings

Loading per
unit area
Layer Thickness (m) Density (Kg/m3) (Kg/m2)
Shrubs and bushes up to
1.5m N/A 20
Soils (assume 6 inches) 0.15 1470 224.0
Drainage layer (FD 60) 0.057 35.2
Filter membrane
(polyester) 0.16
Protection layer (root
barrier) 5
Polystyrene Insulation
0.037
Board 16 0.592
Gravel surfaces 100
Snow/Rain (Live Load) 101.9
Max allowable = 612 kg/m2
Total 487.0

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Grodan Rockwool Plug to reduce load

Plants and Soil Guidelines

• Third-party green roof construction
guidelines in Germany (FLL 2002)
• North America (ASTM 2006)
• Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls by
Dunnett and Kingsbury (2008)
• Green Roof Plants: A Resource and
Planning Guide by Snodgrass and
Snodgrass (2006).

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What kind of vegetation do you want?

2006

Does it really matter?

2012
2014

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How much do you want to spend?

Percentage of species originating as either

planted, colonizing, or both for 8 greenroofs
(2 to 10 years) in Toronto

3% Planted
Colonist
Both

38%

59%

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Changes of plant species

40
35
30
Number of Species

25
Planted Species
20
Colonist Species
15
10
5
0
MEC ROM HAZ SPA JAZ RIC NOW RYE
Site

Plant selection principles

• Climatic Factors
• Microclimatic Factors
• Growing Media
• Maintenance
• Optimizing Benefits (stormwater,
temperature modulation, air quality,
biodiversity and the use of native species)
• Aesthetics
• Planting approaches (mono, multiple)

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Safety and liability

• How to secure the green roof on
the roof?
• Who is liable if part of green roof
fall off the roof?
• Can green roof be insured?

HONG KONG SOCIAL AGENCY’S GREEN ROOF

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HONG KONG SOCIAL AGENCY’S GREEN

ROOF

Wind
induced
vortex
(suction)
at roof

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Roof suction force

Dimensionless pressure coefficients (Cp):

P  P0
CP 
1
V 2
2
Away from edges Cp ~ -1.2 and if V ~ 50m/s, then P ~ 1800N/m2

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Hong Kong
Housing Society’s
Apartment Complex

Wind field at the greenroof subject to Southwesterly Monsoon

1
P  Po  CPU 2
2

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A two-storey building inside the

Chun Seen Mei Chuen, Hong Kong
真善美村，香港

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Plant Selection

boatlily (Tradescantia spathacea) peanut plant (Arachis duranensis)

variegated stonecrop (Sedum lineare), and green sedum (Sedum sp.)

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Section A - Tradescantia spathacea; Section B- Green Sedum;

Section C – Sedum lineare; Section D - Arachis duranensis.

Construction in late summer of 2008

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Maintenance – Irrigation
• Manual irrigation
was used in the
beginning.
• Automatic sprinklers
(4,7,14) were used.
• Timer and power
problems.

Plant Growth
• Fall of 2008, sedum did not grow well.
• Winter of 2008, Arachis duranensis started
to turn yellow.
• Sedum lineare and Arachis duranensis
needed new seeding in March, 2009.
• Mushroom weeds were found, consuming
valuable soil nutrients, negatively affecting
the growth of desired species, need weed
removal.
• Decided to fertilize every 2 months.

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Problems of weeds

Drainage problems in August, 2009

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Finally established green roof

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