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Green Roof Safety: A Tale of Three Cities

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Construction Safety Informatics

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Abstract

Green roofs have immense benefits in large cities. They substantially lower the temperature of urban cities which is increased due to high-rise buildings; they reduce the problem of the heat island effect. Therefore, many urban planners and environmentalists advocate the construction of green roofs on the tops of buildings. The green roof collapses in Hong Kong, Illinois and Latvia remind us of the importance of proper planning and management in green roof construction. Green roofs are usually associated with heavy soil layer, and rainfalls and snowfalls increase the weight of the substances on the green roof; this is what has led to their collapse. In this chapter, we review the structure, safety and sustainability benefits of green roofs. Three case studies from Hong Kong, Illinois and Latvia are included for illustration purpose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics and Finance, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China

    Rita Yi Man Li

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  1. Rita Yi Man Li
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Correspondence to Rita Yi Man Li .

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Li, R.Y.M. (2019). Green Roof Safety: A Tale of Three Cities. In: Construction Safety Informatics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5761-9_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5761-9_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-5760-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-5761-9

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