Green Roofs and the Urban Heat Island Effect

It is generally accepted that it is warmer by a few degrees in urbanised areas than their rural counterparts. This is because of a phenomenon called the ‘Urban Heat Island’ effect. This effect is a result of a number of factors including:

1. Buildings absorb heat (more so as they are dark and unreflective).
2. There is less vegetation. Trees and other plants cool the surrounding area through a process known as evaporative cooling.
3. There is more heat produced through human activity

Poor Air Quality

Urban heat islands tend to create poor air quality. As you could reasonably expect there are more pollutants being pumped into the atmosphere especially from highly congested transport systems, industry as well as whatever we get up to during work and play. In rural areas pollutants are blown away naturally. However, in the highly urbanised areas the urban landscape itself prevents the pollutants from escaping and instead becomes highly concentrated. This problem has sadly been growing steadily since the industrial revolution and now we live side by side with a variety of toxins both indoors and outdoors as a result of human activity.

Mitigating the Urban Heat Island Effect

In recent years, that standard of air quality in our towns and cities has crept on to the political agenda.

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