Assessment of Sustainable Eco-Friendly Green Building Structures and Its Promotion in Kampala

ABSTRACT The construction industry consumes about forty percent of the world’s energy. The high increasing rate of construction activities has led to exploitation of most of the natural resources. These activities have led to massive deforestation and clearing of green cover for settlement and infrastructure development in Kampala. The repercussions of these activities are catastrophic such as poor air quality, urban heat island effect, toxic gas emission, increased cooling costs, which later affect people’s health. The study mainly aims at introducing and making aware to the public a technology that can be used to eliminate most if not all the environmental problems listed above. The green roof technology has been in use since the ancient days such as the Babylonian gardens. The green roof technology is currently being used and promoted in most developed countries such as; Germany, USA, Switzerland and Australia as a key component to sustainable development. The main objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of adopting the green roof technology our building in Kampala capital city. Specifically carrying out literature review on major benefits of a green roof, to assess its cost analysis and carrying out a market research for green roof materials. The results of the study were; the green roof has quite a number of benefits such as storm water management, habitat for wild life, noise attenuation, improved air quality, reduction in greenhouse gases. The initial cost of installing a green roof was found to be more expensive than the conventional roof. However, the benefits of the green roof were found to outweigh the initial costs of installation in the long run.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION...................................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL............................................................................................................................ ii

DEDICATION........................................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...................................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ v

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... vii

LIST OF ACRONYMS........................................................................................................ viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUTION .............................................................................................. 1

1.1 BACKGROUND............................................................................................................... 1

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ............................................................................................... 2

1.3 JUSTIFICATION .............................................................................................................. 2

1.4 OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................................... 3

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY .......................................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................. 4

2.1 GREEN ROOF DEFINITION...................................................................................... 4

2.2 HISTORY OF GREEN ROOF TECHNOLOGY ........................................................ 4

2.3 THE MODERN GREEN ROOF .................................................................................. 5

2.4 GREEN ROOF POLICY AS A SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE................................... 6

2.5 DEFINITION OF SOME TERMS............................................................................... 6

2.5.1 Green Roof ..................................................................................................................... 6

2.5.2 Green Roof Types........................................................................................................... 7

2.5.2.1 Extensive Greening...................................................................................................... 7

2.5.2.2 Simple Intensive Greening .......................................................................................... 7

2.5.2.3 Intensive Greening....................................................................................................... 8

2.5.2.4 Modular Vegetated Roofs............................................................................................ 8

2.6 PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF A GREEN ROOF .................................................. 9

2.6.1 Vegetation....................................................................................................................... 9

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2.7 VEGETATED ROOF SYSTEM COMPONENTS.................................................... 11

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY......................................................................................... 13

3.1 EVALUATION OF GREEN ROOF BENEFITS ........................................................... 13

3.2 COST ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................... 13

3.3 MARKET SEARCH .................................................................................................. 13

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 15

4.1 MARKET ................................................................................................................... 15

4.2 COST ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................... 16

4.2.1 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN ROOFS....................................... 16

4.2.2 DETAILED COST ESTIMATES AND VARIABLES ............................................... 16

4.2.3 Maintenance.................................................................................................................. 18

4.3 BENEFITS OF GREEN ROOFS .............................................................................. 19

4.3.1 Storm water management ............................................................................................. 19

4.3.2 Improving the roof membrane longevity...................................................................... 21

4.3.3 Urban heat Island Effect............................................................................................... 21

4.3.4 Energy reduction........................................................................................................... 22

4.3.5 Reduction of greenhouse gas emission......................................................................... 22

4.3.6 Improved air quality ..................................................................................................... 22

4.3.7 Urban habitat values..................................................................................................... 22

4.3.8 Noise attenuation .......................................................................................................... 23

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS........................................... 24

5.1 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 24

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................ 24

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 25

APPENDIX 1: RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRES.............................................................. 29