Neubrandenburg- Berlin – Rio de Janeiro: Green roof research since 1984:
Luckily about 3000m² research green roof with many test installations, since 1999. This was a great extension of the former further existing green roof research fields in Berlin. – Some cooperation opens comparable studies with Institutions in Rio de Janeiro for a number of year.
The well-working weather station in Neubrandenburg, got an extensive update after about 20 years of climate measurements, with data sets of every 10 seconds, summarized as 5 /15 minutes values. Mid 2018 the Weather station is completely updated again by FundC-Güstrow – Gülzow, financed by EFRE.
The ongoing researches covers:
-Biodiversity surveys on the roofs. In 2020, a data set of 34years can be interpreted, case study Paul-Lincke-Ufer. Some years younger is the , Ufa-Fabric green roof research, started in 1992 in an ongoing procedure.
A lastest field of interest is urban roof-top agriculture on roofs, Done by two years as a DBU funded aquaponic /hydroponic project.
Berlin: Senate of urban development
Long years good cooperation in a number of projects see:
The opening of the case study green building exhibition from Berlin in Neubrandenburg, Oktober 2018. The tables are available in German and English.
Prof. Dr. Manfred Köhler opens the exhibition in Neubrandenburg
Main research interests in:
-Long time studies on plant species compositions,
-Climate modification by green roofs,
-Stormwater retention/Blue-Green Infrastructure, see the output of the Steckbriefe.
-Energy performance of Green roof systems,
-Life cycle costs of Green roof construction,
-Maintenance of Green roof systems,
-Green roofs and photovoltaics.
Long time studies on plant species compositions
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| e.g. Paul-Lincke Ufer | e.g. Ufa-Fabrik, |
Long time studies on biodiversity and plant species development on green roofs.
– Since 1984 (Berlin – Kreuzberg: 10 different inclination and expositions, constructed in 1984),
– Since 1992 (Berlin – Ufa-fabric: 6 different roofs, constructed between 1984 and 1996),
– Since 1998 (Neubrandenburg: Variables: 6 growing media, 4 expositions, three types of implementing green roof plant species: seed, sprouts, pre-produced vegetation mats; two depth of growing medium).
Additionally, some studies on tropical green roof vegetation are done in Rio de Janeiro.
Climate modification by green roofs
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| Climate research instruments, installed in 1999 on one of the Buildings of the University of Applied Sciences in Neubrandenburg |
As an example of data acquisition on the green roofs in Neubrandenburg. Two days of extremely cold winter days in February. What happens inside the two different growing media inside the gravel layer. And the three infrared temperatures of this. |
The most famous effect of green roof benefits is the modification of the urban surface temperatures.
Variables like: type of growing medium, water inside the growing medium, type of vegetation and some others have a significant influence
on this performance.
See the published results of the 20-year period 1999 to 2018 in Buildings, special issue.
The weather station is completely updated Mid 2018, by an EFRE-Support.
Additional surface temperature measurements
with infrared Camera systems
Equipment: Infrarotcamera der Firma Jenoptik, Varioscan HighResolution, 3221 ST
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Summer infrared measurements on the research green roof at about 9.00 o’clock: Three lines: L01: Line on a well-growing area, L02: a dark growing media; L03: The concrete path in the morning shad. |
Additional to the fixed measurement equipment, Infrared cameras offers the opportunity for surveys of buildings surfaces in a larger
scale.
Like this example surfaces under extreme climate, situations can be observed. Small differences in the pattern of greened and non
greened areas on the same roof become visible.
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| One type of small scale weighing lysimeter on a research green roof in Neubrandenburg. | Tipping counter equipment installed in the drainpipe systems under the different green roof variables. |
The ongoing discussion differs between separate events and some steering facts, like how much water is just inside the growing medium
if the rain comes. So it is necessary to make online measurements. Above some of the research, the equipment can be seen to have an online
data set. From different small scale lysimeter, with a special measurement of the runoff and bigger systems (right-hand side) to calculate
the eluate – runoff from real green roof areas. Now each second the data set was stored.
Some more, like the information about the real water needs of a green roof system, will be given at the upcoming conference.
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Precipitation, runoff measurements, and at the same time the measurement of the change in water content of the growing medium. This is the model of the stormwater survey in Neubrandenburg |
Energy performance of Green roof systems
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| Model cube to test green roof energy performances. | Climate chamber inside of the lab of Civil engineering. |
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| From Left to right: Ulrich Porsche D, Karsten Jarmer Thailand, Manfred Koehler most time in Germany, Melissa Keeley (USA), Steven Peck (Canada), | The plant species grow better (higher altitude) in the shelter of the PV-panels. |
On the green roofs of the Ufa fabric in Berlin, one of the extensive PV-Power plants are installed. The interaction between green roof
and PV are investigated in Cooperation with the Ufafabric and the producer of these systems. Cooling of PV means a better energy efficiency
but the shade of the growing plant species could decrease the results of the energetic production. So only a long time survey can give a clear answer.