I took a walk around the campus yesterday. Most people dread walking around the campus, especially when it gets hot, but I had a mission. ‘
With a map in hand – courtesy of the M.D. Anderson Library – I took note of how many buildings appeared, from the ground level, to be flat enough to provide an easy foundation for a green roof, a roof that is covered by plants. ‘
Across the University of Houston campus there are 41 buildings that, at the very least, appear ready to be turned into eco-friendly and financially-sensible green roofs. Buildings with roofs that could turn green include the Ezekiel W. Cullen Building, Agnes Arnold Hall, McElhinney Hall and Science and Research 1.’
If we could turn these 41 flat roofs into green roofs, about two-thirds of the entire campus would have green roofs. With a little more work, a few others could also be adapted.’
The buildings that would not be easy to transform are largely bunched in the southwest corner of the campus. This means there are large sections of the campus that could be bunched together as a ‘green zone’.
In these green zones, people could expect to find several very important benefits. ‘
Numerous ecological benefits present themselves with green roofs, but there are also several reasons why students and faculty alike would enjoy having these green roofs.
Having a green roof is simply prettier than walking by and seeing tar or gravel or nothing at all. Being able to surround yourself with beauty is one of the reasons why the University has gone through so much trouble keeping the grounds in such good shape.
An article on urban-built environments published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health links stable mental health with a beautiful and natural environment. And UH students could use a better mental health – especially around finals.
We all know it gets blazing hot in Houston during the summer, and there is a lot of walking from class to class in the blazing heat. ‘
Obviously a green roof will not stop Houston from being hot, but it might be slightly cooler. ‘
Scientists use the term ‘urban heat island effect’ to describe the increased heat in an urban area over an area that does not have as many buildings or as much concrete. With many of the buildings targeted for green roofs being close to one another, there is a possibility it may be slightly cooler walking around in the area.
If there were more green roofs on campus, it would be good news for students who have to sit next to the guy who stinks because he has been walking around outside for too long.
Another benefit of the green roofs would be the reduced amount of water flowing off of the buildings and into the walkways during rainstorms. This will reduce the number of times you have to jump over a massive puddle or slop through the rivers that run rampant when we get a heavy rain. It may also reduce the impact of the University on the city drainage system and help mitigate some of the area flooding outside the campus.
This can also be an excellent way for the University to save some money by reducing their cooling cost during all of the warm months, which is everything except for December and January.
By creating green roofs, buildings are protected from the heat of the sun and require less energy to cool. ‘
The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, one of the top schools of architecture in the U.S., has been developing greendesign programs at UH. The college added a LEED certification program to focus on environmentally friendly systems throughout a building. It also addresses more green architecture as part of design, instead of just refitting existing ideas.
The University could also reap financial benefits through proper use of green roofs, which would hopefully be passed down to the students in the form of more affordable tuition.
UH President Renu Khator came to the University to make a difference for the students, faculty and the city. With one strong initiative to green the roofs of UH, she could set a precedent that could change schools all across the country and the world. Given the green architecture push and the preeminence of our own College of Architecture, green roofs are a great way for UH to lead the pack.’
