Queensland's high rises to grow their own cooling system

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
30/11/2009
Queensland's high rises to grow their own cooling system

Queensland could soon be trialling vertical gardens and grass or garden roofs in an effort to make our cities greener and cooler.

The Queensland Government has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with the Singapore National Parks Board that could soon see local scientists growing vegetation on high rise buildings to reduce heat and improve air quality.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said our buildings could look a whole lot different in the future.

"The MOU we've just signed will open the door to a range of joint projects and knowledge sharing about urban greening," the Minister said.

"We want to benefit from Singapore's experience with skyrise greenery such as green roofs and green walls.

"The international experience is that these initiatives can significantly reduce the quantity of air conditioning required to achieve the same cooling levels.

"We want to quantify what those benefits could be in Queensland conditions.

"So we are looking for research partners at the moment to get some city trials underway.

"We'll look at the actual temperature reduction, the cost of installation and maintenance, and the possible energy savings.

"Singapore has taken the best and most innovative ideas from around the world to make their 'city in a garden' vision a reality.

"They take this green approach to urban planning very seriously. For example, the land area taken up by a building must have an equivalent area in green space, whether on the roof top or the wall.

"So, like many other dense cities around the world, they have started creating a three-dimensional garden for their urban landscape.

"Their urban greenery projects are world class and are being delivered on an unprecedented scale.

"There is growing interest in Australia in green roofs and walls because of increased awareness of global warming, increasing population density and the need to reduce power consumption.

"QPIF horticulture scientists already have an excellent understanding of what works best in the tropics and subtropics and they will be working closely with their Singaporean counterparts to put these ideas into practice in Queensland."

QPIF researcher Shane Holborn said he hoped the signing of the MOU would kickstart QPIF research projects into innovative urban gardening such as skyrise greenery and green roofs.

"New technology has seen the development of state of the art structures to hold growing vegetation in position on sloping roofs and vertically on walls," Shane said.

"And while there has been considerable international research into the magnitude of the cooling effect afforded by green life, quantifying these effects in the Australian climate has received little formal research attention.

"Some studies have shown roof top gardens can reduce surface temperature by 10-20C.

"We are specifically interested in reducing the 'urban heat island effect' and reducing some of the negative effects associated with climate change.

"The research team has also been testing a number of products including soil moisture retention minerals.

"This will help green roof developers have the right growing media mix for our hot summers and subtropical conditions."

Permanent Link: Queensland's high rises to grow their own cooling system
Publish Date: 30 Nov 09