Cities dominated by impervious artificial surfaces can experience a multitude of negative environmental impacts. Restoration of green infrastructure has been identified as a mechanism for increasing urban resilience, enabling cities to transition towards sustainable futures in the face of climate-driven change. Building rooftops represent a viable space for integrating new green infrastructure into high-density urban areas. Urban rooftops also provide prime locations for photovoltaic (PV) systems. There is an increasing recognition that these two technologies can be combined to deliver reciprocal benefits in terms of energy efficiency and biodiversity targets. Scarcity of scientific evaluation of the interaction between PVs and green roofs means that the potential benefits are currently poorly understood. This study documents evidence from a biodiversity monitoring study of a substantial biosolar roof installed in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Vegetation and invertebrate communities were sampled and habitat structure measured in relation to habitat niches on the roof, including PV panels. Ninety-two plant species were recorded on the roof and variation in vegetation structure associated with proximity to PV panels was identified. Almost 50% of target invertebrate species collected were designated of conservation importance. Arthropod distribution varied in relation to habitat niches on the roof. The overall aim of the Main Press Centre building green roof design was to create a mosaic of habitats to enhance biodiversity, and the results of the study suggest that PV panels can contribute to niche diversity on a green roof. Further detailed study is required to fully characterise the effects of PV panel density on biodiversity.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
Ahern J.2011. From fail-safe to safe-to-fail: sustainability and resilience in the new urban world. Landsc Urban Plan. 100:341–343.
Balvanera P, , Pfisterer AB, , Buchmann N, , He J, , Nakashizuka T, , Raffaelli D, , Schmid B. 2006. Quantifying the evidence for biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning and services. Ecol Lett. 9:1146–1156.
Banaszak J.1980. Studies on methods of censusing the number of bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). Pol Ecol Stud. 6:355–365.
Bates AJ, , Sadler JP, , Mackay R.2013. Vegetation development over four years on two green roofs in the UK. Urban For Urban Green. 12:98–108.
Bousselot J, , Slabe T, , Klett J, , Koski R. 2013. Exploring green roof plant survivability in semi-arid high elevation: photovoltaic array influences the growth of green roof plants. Paper presented at: Cities Alive: 11th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference; San Francisco, NC.
Buchholz S.2010. Ground spider assemblages as indicators for habitat structure in inland sand ecosystems. Biodivers Conserv. 19:2565–2595.
Chemisana D, , Lamnatou C. 2014. Photovoltaic-green roofs: an experimental evaluation of system performance. Appl Energy. 119:246–256.
Collier M, , Nedović-Budić Z, , Aerts J, , Connop S, , Foley D, , Foley K, , Newport D, , McQuaid S, , Slaev A, , Verburg P. 2013. Transitioning to resilience and sustainability in urban communities. Cities. 32:S21–S28.
Cook L.M., & McCuen R.H.2013. Hydrologic response of solar farms. J Hydrol Eng. 18:536–541.
Cook-Patton SC, , Bauerle TL. 2012. Potential benefits of plant diversity on vegetated roofs: a literature review. J Environ Manage. 106:85–92.
Connop S, , Nash C. 2014. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: green roof biodiversity baseline survey. London: Taylor & Francis.
Cottenie K, , De Meester L. 2003. Comment to Oksanen (2001): reconciling Oksanen (2001) and Hurlbert (1984). Oikos. 100:394–396.
Defra. 2011. Biodiversity 2020: a strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services. London: Taylor & Francis.
Drake CM, , Lott DA, , Alexander KNA, , Webb J.2007. Surveying terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates for conservation evaluation. Sheffield: Taylor & Francis. (Natural England research report NERR005).
English Nature. 2003. Green roofs: their existing status and potential for conserving biodiversity in urban areas. Taylor & Francis Peterborough: Taylor & Francis. (English Nature research reports, report no. 498).
European Commission 2012. EU biodiversity strategy to 2020. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/pdf/EP_resolution_april2012.pdf
European Commission 2013. Green infrastructure (GI) – enhancing Europe's natural capital. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions [Internet]. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/docs/green_infrastructures/1_EN_ACT_part1_v5.pdf
European Union 2011. Cities of tomorrow. Challenges, visions, ways forward [Internet]. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/studies/pdf/citiesoftomorrow/citiesoftomorrow_final.pdf
Fuller RA, , Irvine KN, . 2010. Interactions between people and nature in urban environments. In: Gaston KJ, editor. Urban ecology. Cambridge: Taylor & Francis; p. 134–171.
Gedge D, , Kadas G. 2005. Green roofs and biodiversity. Biologist. 52:161–169.
GLA 2011. The London Plan. Spatial development strategy for Greater London [Internet]. Taylor & Francis. Available from: http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/The%20London%20Plan%202011_0.pdf
Grimm NB, , Faeth SH, , Golubiewski NE, , Redman CL, , Wu J, , Bai X, , Briggs JM. 2008. Global change and the ecology of cities. Science. 319:756–760.
HM Government. 2011. The natural choice: securing the value of nature [Internet]. Available from: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm80/8082/8082.asp
Hurlbert SH.1984. Pseudoreplication and the design of ecological field experiments. Ecol Monogr. 54:187–211.
Kadas G.2006. Rare invertebrates colonizing green roofs in London. Urban Habitats. 4:66–86.
Kadas G.2010. Green roofs and biodiversity. Can green roofs provide habitat in an urban environment? Taylor & Francis.
Köhler M, , Wiartalla W, , Feige R. 2007. Interaction between PV-systems and extensive green roofs. Paper presented at: 5th Annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities Conference; Minneapolis, MN.
Kovács-Hostyánszki A, , Elek Z, , Balázs K, , Centeri C, , Falusi E, , Jeanneret P, , Penksza K, , Podmaniczky L, , Szalkovszki O, , Báldi A. 2013. Earthworms, spiders and bees as indicators of habitat quality and management in a low-input farming region – a whole farm approach. Ecol Indicat. 33:111–120.
Kremen C, , Colwell R, , Erwin T, , Murphy D, , Noss R, , Sanjayan M. 1993. Terrestrial arthropod assemblages: their use in conservation planning. Conserv Biol. 7:796–808.
Kwak MM.1987. Marking bees without anaesthesia. Bee World 68:180–181.
Lundholm J, , MacIvor JS, , MacDougall Z, , Ranalli M.2010. Plant species and functional group combinations affect green roof ecosystem functions. PLoS One. 5:1–11.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2005. Ecosystems and human well-being: policy responses. Washington (DC ) : Taylor & Francis.
Mueller-Dombois D, , Ellenberg H. 1974. Aims and methods of vegetation ecology. New York Taylor & Francis.
Nagase A, , Dunnett N.2012. Amount of water runoff from different vegetation types on extensive green roofs: effects of plant species, diversity and plant structure. Landsc Urban Plan. 104:356–363.
Nagengast A, , Hendrickson C, , Matthews HS. 2013. Variations in photovoltaic performance due to climate and low-slope roof choice. Energy Build. 64:493–502.
ODA. 2008. Olympic park biodiversity action plan. London: Taylor & Francis.
ODA. 2010. Combining photovoltaic panels and a living roof on the main press centre. London: Taylor & Francis.
OECD. 2012. OECD environmental outlook to 2050: the consequences of inaction. Taylor & Francis.
Oksanen L.2001. Logic of experiments in ecology: is pseudoreplication a pseudoissue? Oikos. 94:27–38.
Perez MJR, , Wight NT, , Fthenakis VM, , Ho C. 2012. Green-roof integrated PV canopies – an empirical study and teaching tool for low income students in the South Bronx. Solar 2012. Taylor & Francis; May 13–17; Colorado.
Pickett STA, , Cadenasso ML, , Grove JM, , Boone CG, , Groffman PM, , Irwin E, , Kaushal SS, , Marshall V, , McGrath BP, , Nilon CH, et al.. 2011. Urban ecological systems: scientific foundations and a decade of progress. J Environ Manage. 92:331–362.
Rumble H, , Gange AC. 2013. Soil microarthropod dynamics in extensive green roofs. Ecol Eng. 57:197–204.
Saville NM, , Dramstad WE, , Fry GLA, , Corbet SA. 1997. Bumblebee movement in a fragmented landscape. Agric Ecosyst Environ. 61:145–154.
Schroll E, , Lambrinos J, , Righetti T, , Sandrock D.2011. The role of vegetation in regulating stormwater runoff from green roofs in a winter rainfall climate. Ecol Eng. 37:595–600.
Speak AF, , Rothwell JJ, , Lindley SJ, , Smith CL.2012. Urban particulate pollution reduction by four species of green roof vegetation in a UK city. Atmos Environ. 61:283–293.
Stace C.2010. Field flora of the British Isles. Cambridge (UK): Taylor & Francis.
Takakura T, , Kitade S, , Goto E.1998. Cooling effects of greenery cover over a building. Energy Build. 31:1–6.
Topping CJ, , Sunderland KD. 1992. Limitations to the use of pitfall traps in ecological studies exemplified by a study of spiders in a field of winter wheat. J Appl Ecol. 29:485–491.
Town and Country Planning Association and The Wildlife Trusts (TCPA) 2012. Planning for a healthy environment – good practice guidance for green infrastructure and biodiversity [Internet]. Available from: http://www.tcpa.org.uk/data/files/TCPA_TWT_GI-Biodiversity-Guide.pdf
Tzoulas K, , Korpela K, , Venn S, , Yli-Pelkonen, Kaźmierczak A, , Niemela J, , James P. 2007. Promoting ecosystem ad human health in urban areas using green infrastructure: a literature review. Landsc Urban Plan. 81:167–178.
Uetz GW.1991. Habitat structure and spider foraging. In Bell S, McCoy E and Mushinsky H, editors. Habitat structure: The physical arrangement of objects in space. London/New York: Chapman and Hall; p. 325–348.
UK National Ecosystem Assessment. 2011. The UK national ecosystem assessment: synthesis of the key findings [Internet]. Available from: http://uknea.unep-wcmc.org/Resources/tabid/82/Default.aspx
UN-Habitat 2014. A new strategy of sustainable neighbourhood planning: five principles. Discussion note 3, urban planning. Available from: http://unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/5-Principles_web.pdf
United Nations 2012. World urbanization prospects: the 2011 revision – highlights. Available from: http://esa.un.org/unup/pdf/WUP2011_Highlights.pdf
United Nations Environment Programme 2011. Towards a green economy. Pathways to sustainable development and poverty eradication. Available from: http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/Portals/88/documents/ger/ger_final_dec_2011/Green%20EconomyReport_Final_Dec2011.pdf
White R.2002. Building the ecological city. Cambridge: Taylor & Francis.
Wong NH, , Chen Y, , Ong CL, , Sia A.2003. Investigation of thermal benefits of rooftop garden in the tropical environment. Build Environ. 38:261–270.
All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 3519 | 863 | 40 |
Full Text Views | 334 | 63 | 2 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 432 | 84 | 3 |
Cities dominated by impervious artificial surfaces can experience a multitude of negative environmental impacts. Restoration of green infrastructure has been identified as a mechanism for increasing urban resilience, enabling cities to transition towards sustainable futures in the face of climate-driven change. Building rooftops represent a viable space for integrating new green infrastructure into high-density urban areas. Urban rooftops also provide prime locations for photovoltaic (PV) systems. There is an increasing recognition that these two technologies can be combined to deliver reciprocal benefits in terms of energy efficiency and biodiversity targets. Scarcity of scientific evaluation of the interaction between PVs and green roofs means that the potential benefits are currently poorly understood. This study documents evidence from a biodiversity monitoring study of a substantial biosolar roof installed in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Vegetation and invertebrate communities were sampled and habitat structure measured in relation to habitat niches on the roof, including PV panels. Ninety-two plant species were recorded on the roof and variation in vegetation structure associated with proximity to PV panels was identified. Almost 50% of target invertebrate species collected were designated of conservation importance. Arthropod distribution varied in relation to habitat niches on the roof. The overall aim of the Main Press Centre building green roof design was to create a mosaic of habitats to enhance biodiversity, and the results of the study suggest that PV panels can contribute to niche diversity on a green roof. Further detailed study is required to fully characterise the effects of PV panel density on biodiversity.
All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 3519 | 863 | 40 |
Full Text Views | 334 | 63 | 2 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 432 | 84 | 3 |