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Carbon Footprint of Green Roofing: A Case Study from Sri Lankan Construction Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Malka Nadeeshani

    (Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa 10400, Sri Lanka)

  • Thanuja Ramachandra

    (Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa 10400, Sri Lanka)

  • Sachie Gunatilake

    (Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa 10400, Sri Lanka)

  • Nisa Zainudeen

    (Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa 10400, Sri Lanka)

Abstract

At present, the world is facing many hurdles due to the adverse effects of climate change and rapid urbanization. A lot of rural lands and villages are merged into cities by citizens, resulting in high carbon emission, especially in the built environment. Besides, the buildings and the construction sector are responsible for high levels of raw material consumption and around 40% of energy- and process-related emissions. Consequently, the interest in defining the carbon footprint of buildings and their components is on the rise. This study assesses the carbon footprint of a green roof in comparison to a conventional roof in a tropical climate with the aim of examining the potential carbon emission reduction by a green roof during its life cycle. A comparative case study analysis was carried out between an intensive green roof and a concrete flat roof located on two recently constructed commercial buildings in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka. Data were collected from interviews, project documents and past literature in addition to on-site data measurements and a comparison of life cycle carbon emissions of the two roof types was carried out. The results revealed that the operational phase has the highest contribution to the carbon footprint of both roof types. In the operational phase, the green roof was found to significantly reduce heat transfer by nearly 90% compared to the concrete flat roof and thereby contributed to an annual operational energy saving of 135.51 kWh/m 2 . The results further revealed that the life cycle carbon emissions of the intensive green roof are 84.71% lower compared to the conventional concrete flat roof. Hence, this study concludes that the use of green roofs is a suitable alternative for tropical cities for improving the green environment with substantial potential for carbon emission reduction throughout the life cycle of a building.

Suggested Citation

  • Malka Nadeeshani & Thanuja Ramachandra & Sachie Gunatilake & Nisa Zainudeen, 2021. "Carbon Footprint of Green Roofing: A Case Study from Sri Lankan Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6745-:d:575026
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shafique, Muhammad & Kim, Reeho & Rafiq, Muhammad, 2018. "Green roof benefits, opportunities and challenges – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 757-773.
    2. Vijayaraghavan, K., 2016. "Green roofs: A critical review on the role of components, benefits, limitations and trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 740-752.
    3. Manso, Maria & Teotónio, Inês & Silva, Cristina Matos & Cruz, Carlos Oliveira, 2021. "Green roof and green wall benefits and costs: A review of the quantitative evidence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Natalia Sergeevna Shushunova & Elena Anatolyevna Korol & Nikolai Ivanovich Vatin, 2021. "Modular Green Roofs for the Sustainability of the Built Environment: The Installation Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Elena Korol & Natalia Shushunova, 2022. "Analysis and Valuation of the Energy-Efficient Residential Building with Innovative Modular Green Wall Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Dong, Xin & He, Bao-Jie, 2023. "A standardized assessment framework for green roof decarbonization: A review of embodied carbon, carbon sequestration, bioenergy supply, and operational carbon scenarios," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).

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