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Modern civil engineering education places a strong emphasis on practical skills as well as theoretical knowledge. Practical experiments, laboratory work and actual projects are integrated into the curriculum. This approach ensures that graduates not only understand theoretical principles, but are also able to apply them to practical situations. Industry collaborations and internships further enhance this practical exposure, bridging the gap between academia and the professional sphere. The Professional Profile Map (PPM) assumes a pivotal role in shaping the education of civil engineers, offering a comprehensive framework that steers their academic and professional growth. A primary function of PPM is to assist civil engineering students in identifying the fundamental competencies and knowledge domains crucial for excelling in their profession. It provides a lucid overview of technical skills, which form the bedrock of a civil engineer's expertise. Moreover, the PPM underscores the significance of non-technical skills within a civil engineering education. Competencies like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and project management are deemed indispensable for civil engineers, given their frequent involvement in interdisciplinary teams and interactions with clients and stakeholders. The map serves as a guiding compass, enlightening students about the pivotal role of these skills and motivating them to cultivate both technical knowledge and these vital interpersonal competencies. The paper examines the role of PPM in Erasmus+ education projects, highlighting the ease of adaptation of this tool according to educational needs. Such an approach is in line with the objectives of the Erasmus+ program encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, practical experience and employability. A case study from the GREEN ROOFS project illustrates how PPM was used to identify knowledge, skills and competencies related to the implementation of green roofs engineering in construction. The role of PPM in harmonizing educational programs in different countries and promoting international cooperation was emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few decades, new urban areas and city development projects are being created throughout Southeast Asia to accommodate the rapidly urbanizing population. As a result, urban heat flow, heat-absorbing construction materials, and reduced vegetation coverage have a significant impact on the microclimate of cities, building performance, and the quality of urban living. Therefore, it is critical to consider and implement strategies to improve the thermal conditions in urban areas. This study investigates the potential of indoor and ambient temperature reduction in tropical climatic conditions under an extensive green roof system. The palm oil clinker was used as a drainage layer with different depths of 60 mm, 70 mm and 80 mm. The temperature sensor was placed inside the wooden cubicle to monitor the indoor temperature. Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) was used as a vegetative layer and the ambient temperature was measured in between the plant. The results showed that the indoor temperature of the green roof has a reduction of 1°C to 2°C as compared to the bare roof from 10.00 AM until 4.00 PM. Meanwhile, the ambient temperature of the green roof has an average reduction of 3°C to 4°C from 10.00 AM until 4.00 PM. The reduction in the indoor temperature of the green roof has reflected the indoor heat gain and thus reduced the energy consumption to cool the building. In addition, the extensive green roof has the potential to reduce the temperature due to the effect of urban heat islands (UHI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studied 6 public buildings with the roof gardens of various sizes and arranged at different heights. It provides arguments for the relevance of the research and its topicality in the current context. Modern methods and technologies for arranging "green" roofs, with their key characteristics, have been provided. The analysis focused on the green roofs of libraries as public buildings since they have long been centers of ethical and aesthetic education for various social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green roof is an example of increasing the water retention in the urban areas and reduction of urban heat islands. The impact of green roofs and its influence on the thermal resistance or its change during the winter is often not taken into account in the contrary to the summer benefits. The surface of a highly insulated flat roof is overcooled during the night by the long wave sky radiation. This radiative cooling increases the thermal losses. This is reduced by the existence of additional green roof layers. Also, these green roof composition layers have their thermal resistance, which is usually not included within the calculation of thermal resistance using the EN ISO 6946. The thermal conductance of these layers is influenced by the water content, which is mostly higher than design values and hard to obtain. Also, the presence of snow in various forms on the roof can increase the resistance. In this paper, temperature courses during the winter season of the green roof, flat roof with gravel and the regular flat roof, based on the experimental measurement are analyzed. In this case, the use of green roof kept the temperature of the membrane almost constant near 0 °C during winter without correlation to the outdoor air temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings are one of the significant sources of energy consumption triggering the threat of greenhouse and climate changes. In a building, a green roof offers significant perks of energy reductions through heat loss. Past studies have focused on modern methods of roof designing to overcome sustainability issues; however, the path of existing buildings is still unpaved. This paper aims to analyse influential criteria for the decision-making for retrofitting an existing building with green roof initiatives. For this purpose, a survey instrument with 36 measurement items was designed and distributed to Architects. Factor analysis and reliability analysis were used to analyse the data in SPSS software. Criteria affecting retrofitting an existing building with a green roof were discussed and classified into economic, site, and design criteria. The analysis results indicated that the highest priority is given to Site criteria for retrofitting with a green roof. The Site criteria attained the highest Factor Score (FS) values of 0.687, followed by Design criteria with FS of 0.623, and Economic criteria with the least FS value of 0.570. The development of criteria in this study is valuable for the decision-makers while retrofitting an existing building to improve the current energy performance and design more conducive structures. The criteria developed allow dealing with an informative approach and influence the target effective in achieving sustainability in an existing building to ease the process of retrofitting assessment by looking into the consequences, uncertainties, and possible outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes construction-technological processes during the reconstruction of green roofs on a multifunctional building in Brno. The reason for the reconstruction was the insufficient thickness of the substrate and the absence of a hydroaccumulation layer that would ensure better growth of vegetation. First, the original layers of substrate and vegetation were removed and the existing geotextiles and waterproofing were inspected. Subsequently, a pre-designed new roof composition with a hydroaccumulation layer and a larger layer of substrate for better vegetation growth was installed on the roof. During the reconstruction process, a time-lapse camera was located on the roof, recording the time spent by workers removing the original material, transporting new materials to the roof, and the time of subsequent storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the late 2000s, skyrise greenery has become one of the key elements in the design of urban spaces in Singapore. Due to limitations related to land development and expected population growth in the next several decades, the intensification of land use has increased through the development of tall buildings at high density. As a result, this led to an intensification of competition for the area originally intended for greenery and infrastructure development. Taking into account the limitations of the land available for greening, the logical solution was to introduce greenery in the form of green roofs, terraces, and vertical vegetation. Singapore has favourable conditions for the use of this type of vegetation due to its climate and the significant number of tall buildings. Currently, there are more than 70 hectares of green roofs, which vary in terms of size, height above the ground and planting patterns. In this paper, the authors present Singapore's representative high-rise buildings with garden roofs and sky terrace systems by analysing the structure, function and urban location of these buildings. The selected buildings are not only Singapore's showcase, but also a model in world architecture for tall buildings with advanced greenery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of completing the original housing estates in Bratislava is also connected with the urbanization of their main nodes. The urban structure in the Bratislava residential district of Ružinov lacks high-quality urban structuring, the vitality of its main Ružinov axis and the hierarchy of main and secondary nodes. From the junction of the market on Miletičova Street out of the city, there is no legible street line of pedestrians with a ground floor, there are traffic lines with sidewalks, there is no ground floor, there are no more significant squares. The chaotic pole of the current main market town of the city "Miletička Market" is popularly popular, but at the same time it is an unattractive gateway from the east end to the city center. It is a locality with a natural character and manifestations of the periphery. There is a lack of interconnection and functional vitality of pedestrian movement. The transformation of this area on the Ružinov city axis means the strengthening of urban, compositional and ecological principles. The aim of the research was to verify the transformation of an important city hub - Miletičova marketplace on the route Záhradnícka street - Ružinovská. The case studies focused on variant modeling of this locality and the formation of a multifunctional public space. The preservation of the genius loci at the Miletičova market is decided by the footprint of the former slaughterhouse and the footprint of the chimney. The vision of the marketplace as an architecturally completed, ecological entry point into the city was alternatively solved with the parameters of accessibility by a new tram line, with the addition of bicycle transport, pedestrian permeability and complex road transport with static and logistic transport. The blue-green infrastructure of the courtyard was involved in the system of green roofs of the marketplace and additional playgrounds in the field and on the roofs of buildings. The multifunctional character of the area was verified for indoor and open forms of the market, as well as facilities for gastronomy, boutiques, farming, cultural events, as well as opportunities for the presentation of year-round and seasonal events. In this way, the new market structure transforms the node into a place of meeting, trade, rest and relaxation. It creates from the peripheral market the area of a new marketplace, a green oasis, a social, urban, ecological entrance node to the city centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, green roofs have been used as a control measure for urban stormwater management, as they retain, detain and slowly release rainwater. Green roofs present many economic, social and environmental benefits. After a general overview of the main features of green roofs, the paper focuses on the main outcomes highlighted by selected literature studies on the hydraulic performance of green roofs. The hydraulic efficiency has been specifically assessed through the definition of two parameters of great interest to design the tailwater drainage system: the peak reduction and the volume reduction indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accelerating global environmental, economic and social impacts of climate change are leading to increasingly severe adverse effects on ecosystems. As current research suggests, the loss of green space due to the urbanization process only exacerbates the adverse effects of climate change. As a result, not only does the surface temperature increase, but they also intensify precipitation in both range and duration. Green roofs, promoted as a strategy to adapt to climate change due to their ability to lower air and surface temperatures, thus providing a certain thermal comfort, are becoming an integral part of future urban life. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate possible factors affecting their hydrological performance in order to mitigate urban heat islands, based on the processing and comparison of data from other available case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the operating costs of buildings with different types of roof structures. Firstly, the operating costs of a building with a classic roof cladding made of PVC foils were analyzed. Subsequently, versions with an extensive and intense green roof were simulated. The energy intensity of the building was calculated for all types of roofs and the operating costs were determined according to the energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of green roofs is increasing every year, not only due to their aesthetic benefits but also thanks to the functional advantages they bring to the building and its surroundings. In the design, mostly extensive and intensive green roofs are usually considered. However, in recent years a wetland roof has also started to be applied in some places. Such a roof could present a better variant of classic green roofs. The wetland roof is a multifunctional construction that retains rainwater, creates a cooling effect thanks to evapotranspiration and can also be used as a root water cleaner. The article summarizes information about the wetland roof – its composition, maintenance, advantages, disadvantages and occurrence in the world. Concurrently, it provides an overview of existing research on the roof marsh and its expanding use in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development based on economic, social and technological points of view is especially relevant in the construction industry. In different countries there are environmental standards for assessing objects. In Russia, this standard is called Green Zoom. The article considers the issue of applying sustainable architecture technologies that can be used in the construction of campuses. The technologies used in the design of the building and infrastructure are highlighted. As building technologies, the modular layout of the building, the use of green roofing are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The needs for design environmentally friendly building are getting more attention recently and the green roof approach has been proven to be effective in controlling the flash flood due to stormwater runoff and also reducing the demand on the municipal sewer system especially in an urban city. Currently, the design of the drainage layer in the green roof system is still based on conventional materials such as expanded clay and natural pozzolanas. However, the drainage layer has the potential to be replaced with waste materials such as palm oil clinker (POC). This study explores the potential use of POC as a drainage layer to replace conventional materials based on its hydraulic conductivity performance. The specimens consist of a growing medium, filter, drainage layer and were placed in a plastic cylinder. Three different sizes of POC (2 mm-small, 5 mm-medium, and 10 mm-large) were prepared to replace the conventional drainage layer. Then, the specimens were tested for hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, and bulk density test and compared with conventional material (pumice) as the control specimen. The experimental work on green roof trays was also conducted to investigate the water retention capacity. The results indicate that the POC specimens have better performance in draining the excess water as compared to control specimens, especially on the large specimen. In addition, the medium POC specimen has a good water retention capacity which the plant could survive for a long time without the need to water it regularly. Therefore, the POC has a good potential to replace conventional materials for drainage layers in the green roof system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has led to the development of infrastructure and buildings. Building roof surfaces cover most urban areas, causing impervious areas to increase in size, which then leads to environmental issues. The green roof is a stormwater management tool that has been used in developed and developing countries to mitigate environmental problems including improving the hydrological performance of stormwater runoff. This paper aims to examine the green roof concept and the potential use of green roof systems to improve stormwater runoff performance. The review shows that green roofs are potentially capable of reducing the volume of stormwater and the runoff peak flow. When selecting appropriate materials, green roofs should be considered as they represent a viable technology that is sustainable and beneficial for the environment. This paper offers information that can be used as a guideline to choose the appropriate designs and materials to be used in green roof systems. In future, evaluations should be conducted of innovative materials and their use in green roofs to enhance their performance and increase their sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study is to model the Nature-based solution of Green Roofs (GRs) in order to assess their efficiency as a mitigation strategy for UHI effects and extreme summertime temperatures over Attica in Greece. The area of study is a region that encompasses Athens, the largest Metropolitan area of Greece, and the suburbs. The analysis has been performed with the use of an advanced modeling system that consists of the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) and the advanced multilayer urban canopy scheme building energy parameter and building energy model (BEP/BEM). The two modules are fully coupled, forming WRF urban. For a better description of the urban environment and in order to use the full capabilities of the urban canopy scheme, 11 urban classes corresponding to the WUDAPT Local Climate Zones (LCZ) were used instead of the 3 traditional urban classes that the default version uses. Sensitivity tests for a major heatwave that affected the area of study have been performed in order to evaluate the impact of GRs on the UHI structure. Results indicate that the modification of the roof energy budget decreased the maximum temperature during heatwaves and altered the spatio-temporal pattern of the effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is the vital source of life. Although the human race has made significant developments in many aspects of life, the very basic need of fresh drinking water has not been ensured to over one billion people globally. In recent years, water reuse, conservation and recycling are being promoted to meet the growing water demand, and in this regard, rainwater harvesting (RWH) has received significant attention. This paper presents an overview of research on RWH systems through a bibliometric analysis and summarizing research undertaken by the Water Engineering Group of Western Sydney University, Australia. The results of the bibliometric analysis show that the number of publications on RWH has been increasing significantly with time. It has been found that the USA, China, India, Australia and South Africa have published the highest number of articles on RWH. Rahman A (Australia, first author of this article) has the highest number of articles (34), followed by Ghisi E (Brazil) and Han M (South Korea) (26 articles) and by Butler D (UK) (25 articles). In RWH research, Rahman A (Australia) has received the highest citations (880), followed by Ward S (UK) (699) and Butler D (UK) (687). The Water Engineering Group in Western Sydney University (Australia) has developed a RWH Filtration Unit (RWH-FU) recently to produce drinking water at household level (at a capacity of 348±20 L per day). The economic payback time for the new RWH-FU is eight years, with a water production cost of about AU$ 0.07/L. This RWH-FU is expected to be widely adopted in rural areas globally. Furthermore, this research group has shown that RWH can significantly increase agricultural yields from household gardens (in Sydney, a 3 kL tank connected to a 200 m2 roof catchment can increase agricultural yields from 66 to 143 kg). RWH has been making a positive contribution to meet water related sustainable development goals, in particular Goal 2: Zero hunger; Goal 3: Good health and well-being, and Goal 6. Clean water and sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study on the responses of plants from three functional groups: grasses, forbs, and legumes, deriving from a coal mining waste heap, to changes in environmental stress factors. The aim of this work is to identify plant responses to environmental stress resulting from the transfer of plants from the waste heap to the waste substrate and an extensive green roof with a thickness of 15 cm. After one year of growth, selected functional traits were analysed: including height, specific leaf area (SLA), and chlorophyll a content. The research aimed to understand the potential use of plants from the mine spoil heap - novel ecosystem, in creating green roofs by integrating them into the city's green infrastructure. The results showed that representatives of all studied plant groups responded to transplantation by changing their chlorophyll a content. Legumes additionally showed a change in SLA values. Therefore, grasses, when introduced to substrates with limited thickness compared to the waste heap substrate, exhibited the highest level of activation of processes that enhance green roof colonization by increasing chlorophyll a content, leading to growth. This intensification of photosynthetic processes serves as the basis and outcome of enhancing the colonization process of green roofs. The article concludes that plants growing on post-mining waste heaps show adaptations to the conditions of urban infrastructure and green roofs can constitute new ecosystems in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green infrastructure in urban environments of world's large cities is becoming an important factor in adapting to climate change e.g., in the form of green walls or green roofs. However, it is important to note that positive effect in the urban climate can be achieved also by the application and combination of multiple green infrastructure elements. Finding suitable strategies to plant greenery in very dense urban areas is not only a problem of today, but also a challenge for the future sustainable cities and their resilience to the climate changes. The implementation of green walls to the urban green infrastructure brings not only benefits but also a number of potential challenges that are not always taken into account in advance. The article presents the rationalization scheme for stakeholders that can affect their decision-making in a suitable way. The development of the rationalization scheme was preceded by its validation in previous research and through application in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consideration of the placement of underground building becomes necessary to overcome the limitations of land in urban areas. To create a green area in the underground area, the concept of a green roof can be applied on the roof of a building. Green roofs provide a number of additional environmental benefits, including absorbing air pollutants, and increasing roof longevity. The garden ambience could extend from the ground to the elevated level of terraces and roof tops. This research is needed to analyze the economic aspect to move electrical facility underground, which makes the planner must pay attention to several other factors besides the construction cost, including the provision of green space, work comfort with thermal, audial and visual comfort indicators and safety factor. Quantitative methods are used to analyze all research variables, namely the provision of green open space, and investment feasibility. From an economic perspective, Underground GIS cannot be implemented in all land conditions because the investment costs are greater than the generated income. Therefore, a comprehensive approach is needed to achieve sustainability of underground construction. This approach should be implemented to achieve the sustainable urban space, as the 11th goals of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern architecture style has driven growth in Indonesia's property sector in recent years and has become one of the largest energy-consuming sectors. The flat roof is largely associated with modern style. Both, modern architecture and modern lifestyles like using advanced residential appliances in the urban area become one factor in increased energy consumption in Indonesia. Energy management for the residential building requires for future prediction usage of different appliances in residential buildings. Three different roof designs are represented the current modern residential buildings in Indonesia. This research aims to identify residential roof shapes and appliances to minimize energy consumption. Simulation analysis by eQUEST reveals that roof design has a substantial impact on minimizing energy consumption. Findings from this study indicate that roof shape does not significantly reduce electricity consumption in three different urban cities in Indonesia: Batam, Semarang, and Jakarta. The simulation results show that energy savings can be achieved from energy management appliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On a plot that was not once, but twice a famous historic restaurant, currently stands a flat, neglected surface unworthy of its former glory days. Cafes and restaurants have always been the essence of social life. Sarajevo has a long history of cafes, dating from the XVI century, the ottoman era. This particular one that will be the subject of research was built with Hotels and Baths in Ilidfa (Sarajevo west entrance), with waters springs and natural sulphuric baths, it became a popular and fashionable place from the XIX century. The restaurant that was built was "Cur Restauration", a hedonistic paradise that complemented the entire area, as a popular tourist destination, mostly for the elite. This restaurant and hotel complex was the place for the Habsburg royals – King Franz I stayed there in 1910, as Bosnia and Herzegovina was a part of the Monarchy. That was the place where the Archduke and successor to throne Franz Ferdinand stayed with his wife Sophia the night before their assassination in Sarajevo that triggered the First world war. The object itself was a romanticized combination of local and alpine region architectural style with elaborate and delicate wooden carvings and details. The structure was classical masonry with wood trusses that were also laced with intricate wood carvings as a part of its architectural expression. In 1966 a new modernist style Restaurant "Kristal" was built on the same spot. Its architecture was an ode to purist modernism, post and beam structural system with large glass-pane windows and cantilevered roof that hovered over a large area, complemented with outdoor terrace, space that floated between interior and exterior. This was an iconic place, from a social and architectural point of view. This structure was destroyed during the war in 1992, and currently it stands empty. This emptiness is an indication that our society at the moment is not able to absorb or evaluate its meaning and importance. We cannot allow a place that was full of life and piece of history be just a faded memory, final layer to be destruction or oblivion. If the site is discussed among professionals and politicians most prefer a facsimile reconstruction of the first restaurant, since the hotel complex still exists. But this approach is simplification and even perhaps a form of decor. This paper will explore how can we articulate this place, is it possible to embody its layers of memory through architectural means? This is a place where memory, heritage and contemporary architecture meet. The answers will be in continuity through function, inclusion, recognition of past, but mostly in creating a structure that will carry the distinction and poetic, seductive features (sometimes overly romanticized notion) of its predecessors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of solar radiation analysis, the solar study provides results to assist in tracking solar energy throughout the building's design. In this analysis, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is used to evaluate appropriate locations for installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels at Block A UTHM Campus Pagoh building. These instruments are used to measure and quantify the solar potential of this building accurately. The method demonstrates the largest area of building roofs capable of achieving total solar energy insolation. With different surface areas of the roof, PV solar panels can be determined based on cumulative insolation in every part of the roofs of the case study. With the highest cumulative insolation (CI) of 520 kWh and 0.15 kWh/m2 achieved for Part A, the results help determine PV solar panel installation and propose an accurate simulation input for solar analysis of the case study. This study shows solar analysis using BIM helps determine a proper PV solar panel installation location and enables accurate and efficient simulation input for solar analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high cost of electricity, interruptions in the power supplied and frequent use of a fossil-powered generator in the College of Engineering, Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), there is an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and this affects the immediate surroundings as well as the environment at large. There is a need to consider alternative means of economic, reliable and sustainable power supply. This can be achieved by modelling and simulating a solar PV system off the rooftops of the College of Engineering ABUAD. Google Earth Tool and Revit software were used to determine the total roof surface area and the useful roof surface area of the rooftops. HOMER Pro was used to model and simulate the solar PV system. The total roof surface area was 7389.161m2, 5210.34m2 was useful for the installation of 300W solar PV panels. The optimal configuration obtained from the solar PV simulation produced 821,080kWh/year which supplied 100% of the 697,150kWh demanded per year and 12% excess energy. It also reduced the cost of electricity by over 45% from N57.14 to N31.26. Utilization of the rooftop spaces was proven to provide access to a cost-saving, clean and sustainable energy supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar power generation is most clean form of generation among all type of generation. Hence is gaining the first choice of the electricity generating authority all over the world. Still, it is under research and development stage. Solar cell has very low efficiency and due to above facts, these efficiency decreases which ultimately effects the power generation. Mono crystalline solar panels are made up of pure crystal silicon in which there are more mobility for electrons to move hence the efficiency of such panels are more as compared to poly crystalline panels. Moreover, the dimensions area for these panels is near about same. In this paper effect of pollution and incidence angle of solar panels along with temperature and fill factor on roof top systems by using mono crystalline panels are discussed. The panel has significantly reduction in cost since the year 2021. While calculating the power generation of solar roof top power plant, there are some points are to be considered. a) Total energy required or utilizes by load, b) Power Backup required for how many numbers of hours, c) Future expansion of load in coming few years. According to that technical analysis are done. While installing solar roof top system these points are also consider, p) Incident Angle, q) Pollution level of the area in last 5 to 10 year and other point like future expansion of load in coming next 20-year, Available space for roof top, Total shadow free area, Type of roof available at premise, longitude and latitude location of premises, Total sunny days available in that location, Air density and air pollution, Optimum temperature of location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the issues of monitoring of the technical condition of the loadbearing building construction in buildings with a high occupancy. It is noted that the use of automated monitoring systems significantly increases the operational safety of buildings with large-span roof structures. Experimental studies of the software developed by the authors during testing of a semi-realistic model of the steel frame of a building are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimized design of the static-CPV was simplified by the reduction of variables considering geometrical symmetry. The previous works assumed 4-folded symmetry (grid arrangement) for horizontal installation (car-roof) where accumulated solar irradiance is axially symmetrical. Optimizing the lens shape under asymmetrical irradiance distribution may lead to a different story. Moreover, the lens profile optimization depends on the angular distribution of rays and varies by the mode of installations. In this study, the design method of the static LCPV was expanded to the arbitrary angular distribution of the solar ray so that the application of the static LCPV was searched for new applications. At first angular distributions of the annual solar beam were calculated using the METPV-11 database and its 840 sites, including VIPV application, BIPV (vertical) weighted average in 8 orientations, and horizontal single-axis west-east tracking. The lens profile in each condition was optimized, allowing geometrical asymmetry. Despite the optimization, the annual optical efficiency decreased by the concentration ratio. Its trend was almost the same among different modes of installations. The annual efficiency was further dropped by the more expansive and off-centered solar beam distribution. However, the difference was relatively small after optimization according to each distribution pattern of the solar beam, despite the substantial variation of the lens profiles. The relationship "the more concentration, the less energy yield" was unchanged among installations. The peak annual yield depending on the concentration ratios was almost the same among different modes of installations. Thus, the optimum concentration ratios were nearly the same among installations. More concentration saves the cell cost, but this advantage may be seen in the system using expensive solar cells (more than 70% of the system cost), regardless of the mode of installations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented work deals with assessing the influence of a green roof on the temperature course in individual rooms of a timber structure by the so-called dynamic numerical modelling method, which is based on the principle of non- stationary differential Schmidt method. Climatic data from the meteorological station at Brno-Tuřany Airport were used as boundary conditions for the calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The awareness and attitudes of stakeholders are crucial for the development of green roofs and green walls. The aim of this article is to analyze the awareness, opinions and attitude of respondents from Sofia, Bulgaria regarding green roofs and green walls, as well as the willingness to pay (WTP) for these types of green infrastructure. A direct consumer survey was conducted, containing 17 questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents, awareness/opinions about green roofs and green walls and WTP. A total of 100 respondents participated in the survey. The most well-known benefit was the air purification, selected by 73% of the respondents. The biggest concern was the maintenance cost, selected by 65%. The increase in biodiversity was perceived more as harm than benefit and 58% were concerned about a possible invasion of spiders, insects and birds. Most of the respondents (93%) consider it necessary to build green roofs and green walls. Depending on the type of greening, between 73% and 78% of the respondents would pay more to live in a building with a green roof or green walls. There was no correlation between the sociodemographic characteristics and WTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to engineer an increase in productivity in the Batik Home Industry. a batik home industry, which is administratively one of the villages within the Munggon area/village. Munggon village is included in Sendangtirto Village, Berbah District, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. The background of this research is the atmosphere in the work environment that is less comfortable. This is due to the temperature of the work area which is higher than normal so that the air feels hotter. Lack of green open space (RTH) in the work area and roof of the work area made of galvalume so that the temperature in the work environment becomes hotter. Dinda Hayu Batik is a home industry in batik making, which was founded and led by Ms. Riyo Ety. A large number of orders for these batik products makes Dinda Hayu Batik have to do even more challenging work. This of course, must be supported by the performance of the leadership and employees. To create better performance a comfortable working environment should be created. A work area uses a residence so that every part of the house becomes full of work equipment and goods. This condition makes the circulation of fresh air not smooth the air temperature in the work area becomes rather hot. This condition is coupled with the roof of the work area at the front made of galvalume, so this condition makes the workers feel the heat and reduce comfort in working. To increase employee productivity a study is needed to find the cause of the decline in employee productivity. Based on the study, it was found several ways to improve the work productivity of employees, namely by providing counseling to the public, especially leaders and employees of Dinda Hayu Batik, about the importance of environmental management. One legal basis is RI Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Protection dan Management of Life Environmental that working environment conditions must be made comfortable so that they can support the performance of Dinda Hayu Batik employees in order to be able to produce optimally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high demand of cooling energy for thermal comfort recently causing the problem of thermal comfort in a building. The use of a passive design strategy can be considered to be used in the building to achieve the desired temperature and prevent the use of electrical equipment. The objective of this study is to find the effectiveness of using green roof as an option of passive design strategy in residential buildings. This study used building simulation tool as virtual experimental method. Several alternatives' models were identified in this research. The result of this study found that the use of intensive green roof resulted in the best performance. The decrease in cooling energy demands up to 21% could be achieved by using Tradescantia spathacea with a thickness of 0.7 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roof plays a predominant role in residential buildings' energy efficiency in hot countries as it receives a significant amount of solar radiation during the summer months. Incorporating phase change material is considered a sustainable solution to improve building energy performance. In this paper, the energy-saving earned from incorporating separate phase change material panel into a composite flat roof is investigated experimentally under hot climatic conditions of Al Amarah city, south of Iraq. Two identical small-scale rooms (with and without phase change material layer) have installed considering composite flat roof and insulated floor and walls. The roofs are composed of Isogam (as a roofing layer), concrete (as the main roof layer) and gypsum board (as a cladding layer). The maximum temperature reduction, average temperature fluctuation reduction, decrement factor and time lag have been calculated and discussed. Results indicated that PCM could efficiently reduce heat transfer through the roof and contribute to building energy- saving. The maximum interior surface temperature is reduced by up to 8.75 °C in the PCM roof. Moreover, an average maximum temperature reduction, average temperature fluctuation reduction, decrement factor and time lag of respectively 10.65%, 7.68 °C, 0.522 and ∼100 min, is obtained from the modified roof compared to the reference roof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of science and technology, the use of rooftop space or roof to create a "rooftop garden"/"rooftop garden" or "green roof" has been trendy and is being encouraged in recent years in modern cities. Currently, the use of roof/terrace garden solutions is considered the optimal solution to adapt to the climate change in HCMC. Although there have been many studies on the topic of rooftop gardens, there has not been a single study giving actual survey data on the benefits that rooftop gardening solutions bring to Ho Chi Minh City. In this study, the author goes into depth analysis of the benefits and technical solutions of building roof gardens in Ho Chi Minh City today to adapt to climate change, through the survey and actual measurement. They are the premise for making recommendations and proposing the proper use of the roof. Research methods are implemented: Field survey method, opinion interview method, document analysis to get all important and valuable information with high reliability, as well as collecting the most accurate documents for the research. Research results show the application of the "roof garden" model in architectural works is necessary because it brings many practical benefits to individuals and communities. With the wish of having a green city in the future for Vietnam, it requires the attention of the government and people in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City is typical cultural historical relics and also an urban heritage of the French colonial period in Vietnam. Together with other coverage elements like the masonry wall and the stained glass window, the roof structure plays a primary role of protection building against the weather. The objective of this article is to report our survey works done in April 2016, in view of authenticity in preservation work. Methods used include site-survey on roof-tiling materials and roof- tile production named 'Marseillaise Acier' produced by Acier upon Marseilles typology, where two types of tiles found: (1) Maltese Cross, Arnaud Etienne et Cie, Marseille St. Henri, France; and (2) Bee, Guichard Carvin et Cie, Marseille St. Andre, France. As time went by, other two types of tiles were found to be used, named 'Wang Tai' and 'Tuileries de L'Indochine'. Due to the demand of roof-tiling replacement, resulted in changes to the roof structure load bearing, analysis options on weight and load bearing variables were considered and compared for possible solutions with new tiles impored from Monier-France tile producer due to ist heavier weight and large dimension. Research limitation and implications is limited to our real case at the cathedral, in which we proposed to re-collect old but reusable roof-tiles to a particular roof location for the sake of authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green roofs can provide a number of benefits in urban areas, including mitigation of heat islands, reduction of urban air pollution, CO2 sequestration, noise reduction, water retention, absorption of pollutants in rainwater runoff, acid rain buffering, etc. The aim of the study is to map the land cover and assess some of the potential benefits of retrofitting green roofs in a residential area in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The survey covers Yuzhen (South) Quarter, with an area of 31.33 ha. According to the General Development Plan of Plovdiv, 73% of Yuzhen Quarter is a residential area with required greening between 20 and 60%. Only 2% of it is designated as a green area for public use. A detailed mapping in GIS environment, based on available satellite images showed that impervious surfaces cover 61%. Green areas cover about 28% and are mainly grass communities of ruderal and synanthropic species on highly compacted soils. Trees are mainly planted along the streets and between buildings. Flat roofs currently cover 15% of the studied area (25% of the impervious surface). The assessment of the possible effects of retrofitting of all flat roofs in Yuzhen Quarter, Plovdiv, showed a significant potential to mitigate some of the major adverse effects of urbanization. If the roofs are greened, for example, with F. rubra, 11% of the PM10 in the area can be removed. Sequestration and energy savings will reduce the CO2 by 205 242 kg/year. Other benefits, like a decrease in the summer temperatures, rainwater retention, noise reduction, etc. can also be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Referring to many scientific studies, we all know that the general health of the planet Earth keeps getting worse. This fact forces conscious people to take action to fight directly against negative climate change or to promote ecological ideas among others. Many important changes in the world have been pushed through by a large group of people. This implies that a conscious society will run households in environmentally friendly manner and work together to bring about change at the political level. This paper introduces the design, construction and programming of the prototype of the mobile robot, which will be able to clean up urban green areas in the future. For the best possible result, the entire trucked suspension was designed from scratch and then fabricated with rapid prototyping. The working prototype of the robot acts as a proof of concept and has basic functionality. A very significant inspiration for this project is the “Wall-e” movie (Disney, Pixar), which tells a story about an adorable cleaning mobile robot. The problem of rubbish on the streets, in the film as in our reality, is just the tip of the iceberg, but it is visible in every corner of the world, here and now. A cleaning robot can turn out to be an ideal platform for the exchange of information between environmentalists and the common man. Before 3D printing procedure, an accurate Computer Aided Design (CAD) model of the robot has been designed as well as electronic and standardized elements have been selected. After the assembly operations, the result was a functioning prototype visually referring to the movie hero Wall-e. This took a first step in a larger cleaning robot project – Wall-e 2.0. The prototype has simple input and output devices that make it easier for users to program and implement new functionalities. The whole thing is controlled by the popular Arduino Uno microcontroller. The current program of the robot bases on a primitive state machine with the possibility of remote control or automatic driving. In conclusion, a plan for further development has been outlined as an important part of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipalities can take various measures to prevent damage from extreme rainfall events like increasing the dimension of the combined sewer system, separate them into foul and storm sewer systems, increase the infiltration capacity of the subsoil by reducing the (poorly permeable) paved surface, increase the infiltration surface in (underground) facilities or increase the permeability of the paving, install green / blue roofs to ensure delayed drainage and evaporation of water to the atmosphere or by building storage tanks / rain barrel for collecting rainwater that can be reused later. To identify which one is most efficient the extreme rainfall with an intensity of 94mm in 70 minutes has been simulated. This showed that substantial measures are required on site to prevent rainwater nuisance in public areas during extreme showers. In existing situations with low building levels, it is important to realize water storage in low areas in the site or underground. Measures such as a simple green roof and the reduction of paved garden area are the least effective. Most effective seems to be the construction of infiltration boxes underground. It also appears that an emergency overflow to the public area can be important, partly with a view to damage and liability. For dimensioning measures on your own site without overflow, it is wise to take very extreme rainfalls into account. The criterion for a facility on site is that it can handle a local extreme downpour without nuisance in the home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public and green areas are a matter of interest for the Republic of Croatia and local government and are in general use. Informational systems of green areas are a result of politics which reckon on the concept of sustainable development. They are the tools for efficient managing, sustaining and planning of green areas. Active participation of the citizens in updating and reporting damages on public green areas is also one of the ideas of these systems. The task of the project,,Green Information Systems in the city of Knin“ was to collect spatial and attributive data on public green areas and their belonging objects. Informational system of green areas contains a list and description of trees, lawns, shrubs, trails, hedges, flower gardens, urban equipment and playgrounds in the city. Data was collected using measuring tape. Collected data was stored in a database, which was used to create a geoinformational system in the software QGIS. The purpose of implemented information system is to record vegetation to facilitate planning and management of green areas, then determine the state in which the green areas are located and the intervention that is needed to improve this condition. The ultimate goal is to improve living conditions in a populated place. The project was successfully developed, allowing users to create data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Installation of green roofs in bus stops can minimize the negative impact of urban development. Green roofs are normally used to manage stormwater runoff, heat transfer, and enhance aesthetics. However, the standardized design guidelines for green roofs installed on bus stops are currently not available in Malaysia. The green roof designs produced in Malaysia are largely based on the design guidelines from other countries. It was found that some green roof design elements were not suitable to be used in this country since the green roof technology adoption is still in the early stages. Moving forward, further understanding of the green roof technology needs to be attained, and there is a need to adapt the green roof design standards exist in other countries to the Malaysian environment. The purpose of this paper is to review the available green roof design standards, and to highlight the advantages and challenges of installing green roofs in bus stops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium alloys and its composites are the most important engineering materials, which have been broadly utilized in Automobile and Aviation industries due to its properties like low density and good structural rigidity. Graphene is having the allotropes of carbon which are used as filler and perfect reinforcement for traditional materials used for structural applications.. This research is carried out to analyse the Al 6061 matrix micro composites with different reinforcement content of Graphene (0.25, 0.50, 0.80 weight %). The Ball M illing process is carried out to achieve uniform dispersion of the graphene and the mixtures were prepared by powder metallurgy (PM). The prepared compacts are sintered by using the box furnace and microwave sintering. Hardness and green density are investigated for different types of sintering and Graphene weight fraction. Experimental results will give the dimension for the preparation of Al – Graphene composites considering the hardness and green density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The condensation risk of the top envelope of low sloped roofs with air ventilated cavity has an important factor in the designing phase of these building structures. The significance of sky radiation plays an important role in the radiation heat exchange specifically during night-time (winter and transient periods) with regard to heat loss and condensation risk at the top roof envelopes. Basically, the design principles and current development of standard requirements have limited and simplified implementation of this phenomenon. The importance of a relevant design of these types of roofs are being addressed as highly important issue in the building application to predict its reliable hygrothermal performance. In this context, the paper presents results of numerical study, where thy sky radiation effect is carefully taken into account. It provides a numerical analysis on the minimalization of the condensation risk at the top envelope of low sloped roofs with naturally ventilated air cavity. Based on this, a performance prediction of thermal properties degree and its influence due to condensation risk occurrence is obtained, where real climate data for location of Brno, Czechia, is specifically employed. The results demonstrate hour's quantity of condensation risk occurrence in terms of thermal resistance correlation for data obtained through the whole climatic year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of roof orientation on the indoor thermal environment. This study conducted field measurement on the test houses built for the experiment. EnergyPlus software was used to simulate different configurations of four roof orientations (i.e., North-South, East-West, East, and West) of test houses located in Bandung. The measured data from the field measurement were compared with the simulation result, to validate the simulation tool. Field measurement and simulation for the different roof orientations of test houses were conducted in the dry season (August 2018). Evaluation of thermal comfort of simulation and field measurement result was carried out by using Indonesia National Standard (SNI) [6310-2011] and Adaptive Thermal Comfort Equation (ATCE), which was developed for the use in hot-humid climatic regions. The result shows that based on field measurement, the east roof orientation has the highest thermal comfort level in terms of SNI and ATCE. The simulation result shows the north-south roof orientation has the highest thermal comfort level in terms of SNI and ATCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia has abundant natural resources spread throughout the islands. The utilization of these natural potentials has not been fully played and developed to meet daily needs such as for cooking. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of leaf litter as a domestic source of energy for cooking. In particular, a set of laboratory scaled experiment was conducted by using leaf litter of the species Artocarpus champaden, L., Nephelium lappaceum, L., and Mangifera indica, L. In Indonesia these species are known as Cempedak, Rambutan, and Mangga trees which produce fallen leaf throughout the years. A way of reducing the leaf litter problems by local people is by collecting it from the garden and roof, then burn it to reduce the volume. The experimental work was carried out through some steps. The leaf litter was transformed to biomass briquettes fuel in order to increase energy content for combustion by adding Canola Oil and Starch as a binder. The briquettes were produced manually with minimum mechanical works. Thermal analysis, including calorific value, proximate and ultimate analysis, was performed by standard method and equipment. The experiment was carried out by using a biomass stove with a fuel chamber volume of approximately 660 cm3. A fan was attached to the stove to supply an updraft forced vortex flow of air. Water Boiling Test method was performed to measure the burning characteristic and stove efficiency. It was found that the briquettes (100 grams) from all leaf type tested can boil the water of 1000 ml within 7 minutes. In general, the burning performance of the briquettes were related to proximate and ultimate analysis of the samples. Nevertheless, by comparing the performance using Water Boiling Test suggested that the discrepancies of the performance using different types of leaf litter were not significant. This work showed that leaf litter has the potential as a reliable energy source for cooking in household at rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater harvesting is the local collection of rainwater and its storage using various technologies, with the aim of using it to meet water needs in human activities. The factors that affect the quality of rainwater runoff in the rainwater harvesting system are the rainwater harvesting components and external factors, such as climatological conditions that include the intensity of rainfall and dry days. This study aims to analyze the quality of rainwater runoff from various types of roof, the influencing factors, and the potential utilization of rainwater runoff in residential– industrial areas. Three types of full-scale roofs—asbestos, clay tile, and galvanized zinc—were observed. Rainwater runoff was sampled from each type of roof using a composite method. The Mann–Whitney test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient were used to determine the significance of the factors that influenced the quality of the rainwater runoff and the relationships of each factor to the quality of rainwater runoff, respectively. The results revealed that internal factors, such as type of roofing material and slope of the roof, have a significant influence on the quality of rainwater runoff, while a high intensity of rainfall and long dry periods, as external factors, caused higher concentrations of contaminants in rainwater runoff. Though some parameters of rainwater runoff met quality standards, it is recommended that a simple water treatment unit be installed to ensure clean water for sanitation needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays solutions of green roofs appeal as a smart way of adding green infrastructure to a crowded city since they can be included on new buildings or onto existing buildings, and require little space at ground level. Benefits of a green roof are multiple such as: i) stormwater retention to reduce peak flow and runoff; ii) water quality enhancement for water utilization; iii) to improve the environmental and reduce energy cost; iv) air cleaning for easy comfort into crowded urban areas; v) noise level reduction; vi) ecological benefits by enhancing the aesthetic of an area; vii) social and economic benefits. We design and build a laboratory scale model of a modular green roof. The main layers of each modulus are water proofing membrane, root barrier membrane, drainage layer, filter layer, vegetation. Modulus 1 has a regular growth medium; modulus 2 has a grown medium with superabsorbent polymer and modulus 3 with volcanic ash. The model will be online monitored via a series of smart sensors like soil humidity and temperature, radiation level (infrared, visible and ultraviolet), air humidity and temperature. The soil and stormwater is characterized by pH, electric conductivity, turbidity, ¹H NMR relaxometry and diffusometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bulgaria, every municipality develops an Ordinance for the construction and protection of the green system, which regulates the public relations associated with planning, construction, sustainable maintenance, conservation, and development of the green system, regardless of the ownership. The local authorities are free to customize the ordinance as long as the goals and framework of the Spatial Development Act [1] are maintained. Only 82 of the 265 municipalities have such Ordinances, including some stipulations regarding green roofs. Most of them set high requirements which do not reflect the actual efficiency of the green roofs and impede their construction in the country. Green roofs with depths under 30 cm are considered green area only in one municipality, with a coefficient 0.3. Water retention is one of the main effects of green roofs in an urban environment. It can be used as a base for the comparison of the effect of roofs with different depths and for the calculation of multiplication coefficients for the regional legislative documents, which will help compensate the smaller efficiency of a certain depth with a bigger area. The aim of this article is to analyze the available data for the efficiency of the green roofs in regards to water retention and propose a reasonable way to include green roofs with smaller depths in the green area of the urban territories. The comparative efficiency of green roofs with different depths at equal rainfall conditions is calculated based on the analysis of the current legislative requirements regarding green roofs and literature data regarding the water retention capacity of green roofs. The analysis confirmed the applicability of the currently stipulated in the legislation coefficients for green roofs with a depth between 30 cm and 60 cm and served as a base for calculation of multiplication coefficients allowing green roofs with depth below 30 cm to be included in the green area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment is a major source of life that must be protected and treated, even though it is exposed to high inequality in different countries. The risk against the nature posed by pollution and global warming have brought about the need of safeguarding the environment in various forms. Today, many international organizations have developed different strategies for protecting the environment. Kosovo as a country in transition, that faces with many factors of environmental pollution. In this situation, the banking system can play an important role in safeguarding the environment, starting from banking services through digital channels, which increase efficiency and effectiveness both on the part of the institutions as well as to customers. Another role bank play in safeguarding the environment is the development of policies and strategies in the providing of credit products in financing projects that impact environmental care through green loans. The modernization and digitalization of the banking system is also advancing in Kosovo, but at slower steps. Banking system is the success stories, based on financial elements, the banking market is increasingly growing, but in this research, we analyze and conclude the orientation of banks, through their mission, vision, policies and financial reports in supporting the activities that have environmental impact, based on digitalization of services and financing with green loans, in order to finance clients who have their own investment plans in environmental care In addition to the research of this problematic, also we treat citizens' opinions as clients and businesses of the banking sector to reach conclusions on how they can influence the safeguarding of the environment through banking services. The data will be processed through SPSS program, from which we will generate and analyze statistical results. This paper is of great importance because it will contribute to fostering the banking system to adapt their policies and strategies in environmental care. It is also directly related to the reduction of banking business costs in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an algorithm that proposes compositions of structures that are in contact with the cooled environment based on the user's priorities. Specifically, the algorithm evaluates the construction of floors, flat, and pitched roofs. The algorithm compiles these structures based on individual technical criteria and their set priorities in combination with the price of materials. Multi-criteria methods such as the Saaty method and the weighted sum method are using to determine the importance of individual criteria. The user selects some criteria that are essential to him and must score them with each other on a scale of 1 to 9. Using this Saaty method, we gain the importance of each criterion. Using this Saaty method, we obtain the importance of individual criteria. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method (AHP), namely the weighted sum method, is used for the conversion of technical measures to the interval between 0 - 1. The main purpose of the algorithm is to find the best structure with the required technical criteria at the lowest possible price. Of course, the user can specify the main criterion other than price. The algorithm can work with up to 7 criteria. The criteria will be price [CZK/m² ], heat transfer coefficient [W/(m² .K)], maximum area load [kN/m² ], specific heat capacity [J/(kg.K)], acoustic attenuation [dB] and the last will be an environmental criterion or Life cycle assessment. There are two sub-criteria, namely the amount of waste in production [kg/FU] and the global warming potential [kg CO2/FU]. The algorithm should use the material data analysis and multi-criteria analysis theories to find the structures with the highest benefit value for the user. If the price is the main priority, then the composition of the structure is designed in the ideal ratio of technical performance versus price. At present, there is no software on the Czech market, analyzing compositions from a financial perspective. The proposed algorithm helps with sustainable construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of innovative ways of realizing build-construction is progressing. The construction industry affects the quality of the environment. On the present, many researches are about out on the quality of the construction process, individual materials, components and their impact on the environment. The construction sector is increasing the use of so-called green components, which are characterized by environmentally friendly properties. Green components also are green walls and water walls. Green walls are vertically arranged plants and other greenery that can be free-standing or attached to the walls. The water walls are an innovative vertical element. The water wall is an interior-intended water decoration, made of acrylic glass (plexi), filled with distilled water. The aim of the article is to compare the way of making and realization of selected types of innovative walls - green walls and water walls from the technological, economic and environmental point of view based on theoretical analysis and synthesis of acquired knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays cities constitute the major source of pollution and energy consumption worldwide: the continuous rise in population and the unstoppable expansion of urban boundaries cause the lack of green and open areas and the spread of built surfaces with low solar reflectance capability. This fact leads to multiple effects, e.g. the increase of anthropogenic heat and pollutant concentration, the reduction of evapotranspiration and therefore the growth of urban heat canyon configurations, which causes the trapping of the solar radiation within the urban environment. As a consequence, urban areas are typically characterised by higher temperatures with respect to the neighbouring rural ones; this phenomenon is known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and it has a strong impact in human health and energy use, mainly related to thermal discomfort and energy consumption increase, especially for cooling in summer. Several UHI mitigation strategies are already widely known, such as green roofs and vegetation, cool roofs, cool pavements and thermochromics materials. Traditional cool materials are characterised by high albedo properties and they have a diffusive behaviour with regard solar reflectance, so they reflect the incoming solar radiation following the Lambert law. For that reason, the application of diffusive cool materials for walls and building facades leads to the formation of multiple reflections due to the urban heat canyon configuration and inter-building phenomena. In this context, retro-reflective (RR) materials could represent an effective solution for the mitigation of UHI phenomenon especially in urban heat canyon configurations, as they reflect the incoming solar radiation mainly towards the incident direction. However, it is difficult to assess benefits provided by RR materials compared to those obtained with the application of diffusive high reflective ones, because RR materials’ global reflectance is usually lower than that of diffusive surfaces. This paper is aimed at assessing a method to compare traditional diffusive and RR coatings: a procedure was proposed to determine a corrective parameter to be applied to RR materials with different global reflectance with respect to diffusive ones; this methodology allows to establish the effective improvements given by the directional reflectivity of an RR surface compared to the related diffusive one. For this purpose, an experimental campaign has been carried out by investigating the solar reflectance of a white diffusive, a beige diffusive and a RR material. Furthermore, also the RR reflection coefficient at backward direction and diffusive material reflection coefficient at normal direction have been measured for different incident angles with respect to the perpendicular direction. Finally, a corrective parameter has been calculated, in order to better compare the UHI mitigation potential of RR materials with respect to diffusive coatings, especially related to the major energy dissipation beyond the urban heat canyon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]