Prospects of Green Roofs Applications in Alleviating Environmental Challenges & improving GI of Addis Ababa
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Date
2019-04
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Publisher
EiABC
Abstract
Alternative green infrastructure solutions such as green roofs and green exteriors offer a better coping mechanism for the loss of the conventional green space in the built environment. It also offers various ecosystem benefits & bionetwork services, particularly in cities where there is an absence or lack of conventional green spaces due to several factors. To mention some of the benefits: improved food security, better storm-water management, improved aesthetics, efficient control of building temperatures, reduced urban heat-island effects, improved mental health in society and increased urban wildlife habitat.
On top of exploring these extensive benefits, this research investigates the major difficulties and constraints that hinder the widespread application of alternative coping mechanisms specifically green roofs in the case of Addis Ababa. Considering the huge and prominent potential of green roofs offer to retrieve the lost green elements and spaces; and their respective services, the research asking why such alternatives are not well adapted in the city scale. In this regard, this research has explored evidence in applications of green roofs in the respective context and challenges as well as benefits for the city by examining the current trends of their applications. To carry out these investigations; the deployed methodologies are case study method, observations as well as conducting in-depth interviews together with an extensive literature review.
The findings of the study confirm the extensive use of green roofs in the context of Addis Ababa for compensating the lost conventional open spaces and their multiple benefits. Moreover, the interrelated challenges in the application of the system about the absence of regulations, limited skill in design and construction, and minimal awareness of its co-benefits are identified. Accordingly, adaptable, flexible and cost-effective design recommendations are forwarded in order to alleviate the identified challenges and to contribute for sustainable growth of the city. Moreover, the research recommends further investigations on the extensive adaptation of green-roofs and other similar green infrastructure solutions to explore and deploy their potential in future urban design and planning practices in Addis Ababa. Moreover, the city administration can adopt as a guideline for the development of a green infrastructure system in day to day building and landscape development practices.
Description
A thesis submitted to the school of Graduate Studies of Addis Ababa
University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Masters of Science in Landscape Architecture
Keywords
green exteriors, retrieve the lost green patches, Green Roof environmental Benefits, stormwater management, building energy consumption reduction, urban biodiversity and habitat conservation, urban agriculture