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Vegetated roof systems: design, productivity, retention, habitat, and sustainability in green roof and ecoroof technology

Coffman, Reid Richards
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1196868927

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Horticulture and Crop Science.
The environmental technology of vegetated roof systems depends on collaboration between designers and scientists. But this collaboration is difficult to carry out due to well-entrenched differences in disciplinary methods. To compensate this dissertation attempts to improve our conceptualization and dissemination of vegetative roof system projects and to extend our scientific knowledge of how these systems function. In Chapter 1, I identify current problems and offer designers a framework for the conceptualization of ecoroof projects and dissemination of knowledge about such systems. I propose a design-research framework for the inclusion and communication of research agendas into design projects. In Chapter 2, I describe the first scientific study, which was designed to evaluate experimentally the effect of substrate depth on net primary productivity, water retention, and water quality. My data revealed that deep substrate roofs retained 18% more rainwater while producing 2.5 times more biomass than shallow substrate roofs. Roofs using water recycling or run-on water produced up to 26% more biomass than those receiving only direct precipitation and did so without any significant reduction in retention. In Chapter 3, I quantify animal diversity on two vegetated roof systems using rapid assessment method for insects, spiders and birds. The Rènyi family of diversity indices was used to compare diversity between the two ecoroofs. My data revealed relatively low similarity between the species assemblages, but a relatively strong similarity in community structure. Overall, the intensive ecoroof supported slightly higher diversity. Finally, in Chapter 4, I use emergy analysis to quantify and compare the sustainability of three vegetated roof systems: an agricultural roof garden, a shallow-substrate ecoroof, and a deep-substrate ecoroof. The shallow-substrate ecoroof was the most sustainable (least unsustainable) of the three, followed by the deep-substrate ecoroof and the agricultural roof garden. All three systems were less sustainable than various agricultural practices, while being more sustainable than conventional landscapes, urban gardens and cities. These results confirm that vegetated roof systems can improve the sustainability of a city, but are reliant on many non-renewable resources for their construction and upkeep.
Claudio Pasian (Advisor)
209 p.
Green roof; design; sustainability; sustainable design; sustainable development

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Coffman, R. R. (2007). Vegetated roof systems: design, productivity, retention, habitat, and sustainability in green roof and ecoroof technology [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1196868927

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Coffman, Reid. Vegetated roof systems: design, productivity, retention, habitat, and sustainability in green roof and ecoroof technology. 2007. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1196868927.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Coffman, Reid. "Vegetated roof systems: design, productivity, retention, habitat, and sustainability in green roof and ecoroof technology." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1196868927

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1196868927
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© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.