Study #16

Figure: Ecosystem Service Needs and Optimized Green Roof Strategy for Barcelona.

What can we learn from science? - green roof mapping for city planners

In Barcelona, Spain, researchers led by Johannes Langemeyer and colleagues conducted a city-wide study published in 2020 to answer a big urban question: Where should green roofs be built to make the most impact? and What kind of green roofs deliver the greatest benefit?

Using a spatial decision model that combined 15 ecosystem service indicators (like thermal regulation, habitat support, runoff control, and recreation) with expert priorities, scientists mapped where green infrastructure was most needed across the city’s neighborhoods.

What they found:

• Dense residential and industrial southern areas showed the highest demand for green roof ecosystem services.
• When comparing design options, naturalized green roofs (those mimicking natural plant communities) provided the greatest ecosystem benefits across 87.5% of rooftops analyzed.
• Only central areas with special use cases leaned toward more intensive designs.

This research gives planners a practical, data-driven map for building greener cities.

Langemeyer, J., Wedgwood, D., McPhearson, T., Baró, F., Madsen, A. L., & Barton, D. N. (2020). Creating urban green infrastructure where it is needed – A spatial ecosystem service-based decision analysis of green roofs in Barcelona. Science of The Total Environment, 707, 135487.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135487