Investigating green roofs’ CO₂ sequestration with cold- and drought-tolerant plants (a short- and long-term carbon footprint view)

Abstract

In recent years, green roofs have become the subject of increasing interest because of their good aesthetic qualities, energy conservation, and ability to reduce thermal island effect and absorb greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO₂). Given the typically significant carbon emission of construction activities, adding any extra component to a structure increases the amount of carbon to be released during the execution stage. This also applies to green roofs, which require more materials and more extensive construction activities than traditional roofs. However, plants of green roofs absorb substantial amounts of CO₂ during their lifetime, thus leaving both short- and long-term positive impacts on the building’s carbon footprint. This study investigated the short- and long-term effects of green roofs on carbon footprint, as compared to conventional roofs. For this investigation, the CO₂ uptake of eight plant species with suitable drought- and cold-resistant properties was measured by infrared gas analysis (IRGA), and the effect of green roof on the building’s carbon footprint was analyzed using the software Design Builder. The results showed that building a green roof instead of a traditional roof increases the carbon emission of the construction process by 4.6 kg/m² of roof area. Investigations showed that, under high light intensities (1500–2000 μmol/m² s), Sedum acre L. has the best performance in compensating the extra carbon emission imposed on the construction process (in 264 days only). Under low light intensities (1000–1500 μmol/m² s), Frankenia laevis showed the best increase in the amount of carbon uptake (2.27 kg/m² year).