US cities are doing green infrastructure, but in bits and pieces. Today’s climate-driven floods require a much broader approach to create true sponge cities that are built to soak up water.
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Articles on Green roofs
Displaying 1 - 20 of 39 articles
Regular floods are washing away parts of KwaZulu-Natal faster than they can be rebuilt.
A new study shows we can maximise the benefits of green roofs and rooftop solar systems by putting them together on the one roof.
A new report lays out steps communities can take to help their residents survive heat waves as the risk of dangerous temperatures rises.
In 2015, 6,700 premature deaths were caused by urban heat – this can be reduced by a third by planting more trees.
Australian cities remain woefully unprepared for the more extreme weather we are already seeing with climate change. But some cities overseas stand out for having developed readymade solutions.
Green buildings can cost more than conventional structures, but the small increase has noticeable benefits for those working and living within them.
For a long time the roof has been an afterthought in urban design, but the future is definitely looking up.
The release of a roadmap for green roofs, walls and facades in Australia can help our cities catch up with the world leaders in urban greening.
Warmer waters, heavier storms and nutrient pollution are a triple threat to Great Lakes cities’ drinking water. The solution: Cutting nutrient releases and installing systems to filter runoff.
From happier and healthier residents to more resilient buildings – green roofs offer significant benefits to cities.
Greater urban density is making it harder to preserve, let alone increase, tree cover. It’s vital, then, to demonstrate the full value of green infrastructure for healthy liveable cities.
South Africa needs to develop low-cost housing solutions that are inherently comfortable and environmentally sustainable. Green roofs could be part of these solutions.
Hot weather kills more Americans yearly on average than floods, tornadoes or hurricanes. Three scholars explain how cities can prepare and help residents stay cool.
Rather than mourn the end of a seven-year reign as ‘world’s most liveable city’, Melbourne could raise its sights to become more liveable, healthy and sustainable for all who live in the city.
Urbanisation is the main reason for rising temperatures and water pollution, but receives little attention in discussions about the health of water streams, reefs and oceans.
Australia’s coastal settlements are highly exposed to the impacts of climate change. Climate-resilient urban landscapes that can cope with large amounts of water need to become the new normal.
Darwin’s climate is getting even hotter and it’s one of the main reasons people leave the city. A lot more can be done, though, to make our tropical cities safe, cool and enjoyable.
Taking this step may improve the quality of life for vulnerable people and reduce the amount of air conditioning they use, making their neighborhoods less prone to power outages.
Energy experts are getting excited about a proposed solar farm in Kent and what it could mean for a clean energy future.
Top contributors
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Professor, School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney
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Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto
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Senior Lecturer in Urban and Environmental Planning, Griffith University
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Associate Professor in Planning, School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney
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Research Assistant, GRIT Lab, University of Toronto
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Research Professor ISGlobal Barcelona and Professorial Fellow, ACU Melbourne, Australian Catholic University
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Professor of Human Geography and Planning, University of Tasmania
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Illinois Research Climatologist, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture , University of Toronto
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Karine Dupré is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor in Architecture, Griffith University
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Professor of Sustainability Science, Edinburgh Napier University
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Queensland
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Associate Professor in Urban Ecology and Urban Horticulture, The University of Melbourne
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Chair professor, Queensland University of Technology
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Associate professor, UNSW Sydney
