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Rooftop Green Scheme Scoops Air Quality Award
April 2007
While the on-going regeneration of Sheffield’s landscape continues, an organisation helping to transform building design around the city is the latest recipient of a Care4Air Award.
- Wendy Bussey & Mark Daly
- University of Sheffield's Green Roof
Sheffield’s Green Roof Forum is helping to change Sheffield’s rooftops into viable habitats for plants and wildlife, as well as offering businesses and residents more environmentally friendly premises.
Green roofs have many advantages over ‘standard roofs’, including helping to keep buildings cool in summer, filtering dust and air pollution, reducing rainwater run-off and providing wildlife habitats. They can also extend the life of a roof compared to a traditional design, and provide developers with a more cost effective and sustainable option for their buildings.
Several rooftops in the city already have green roofs installed, including, the Cathedral, West One, Norfolk Community Primary School, The Cube and the University of Sheffield’s Humanities Research Institute.
Mark Daly, spokesperson for Care4Air said: “It is great news for South Yorkshire that the region is at the forefront in providing green roof solutions. Research has shown that as well as being better for the environment and helping to improve air quality, green buildings can often earn higher rents and prices, attract tenants and buyers more quickly, and cost less to operate and maintain.”
The Green Roof Forum hopes to establish South Yorkshire as a leader in Green Roof technology in the UK. Forum members include Sheffield City Council, Groundwork Sheffield and the University of Sheffield. Recently, the Forum secured European investment to establish The Green Roof Centre; a research & demonstration hub providing training and advice to construction professionals.
Wendy Bussey, spokesperson for the Green Roof Forum, said: “We are delighted that our efforts are being recognised with a Care4air Award. With limited space to build across Sheffield, there is no better place to make our city even ‘greener’, than the roofs under which we live and work.”
Care4Air Awards are given out by the Care4Air campaign, a partnership between all four local councils in South Yorkshire and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive. The campaign aims to encourage organisations, service providers, and individuals, to take measures to improve local air quality.