Green roofs and façades plan for elementary schools in Ciudad del Vigía

Thermal comfort is one of the main problems faced by students in the city of El Vigía in the State of Mérida, with average annual temperatures above 28º Celsius and average relative humidity of 85%, the thermal sensation inside the classrooms can become uncomfortable which affects the teaching-learning process. In order to solve the problem, the application of green roofs and facades accompanied by bioclimatic architecture techniques such as cross ventilation is proposed to improve the environmental conditions of the classrooms. The objective is to include the educational community and municipal agencies in the planning and implementation of strategies to achieve thermal comfort through the use of vegetation as a mitigating measure. The proposal originates from the Faculty of Architecture and Design of the Universidad de los Andes.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Knowledge, communication and innovation instruments›Knowledge and/or innovation

Challenges addressed

Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Heat stress and heat island effect
Social equity
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

application of green roofs and facades accompanied by bioclimatic architectural techniques such as cross ventilation to improve environmental conditions in classrooms.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

External building greens

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Governance

Non-governmental actor(s)

Initiating body:

Researchers, university

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The green roofs and facades plan is a strategy for the mitigation and adaptation of the thermal effects in the city that is generated from a research project of the Universidad de los Andes, as an option to artificial air conditioning solutions that are currently not very viable in the area initially due to the existing building typology and the environmental and economic implications that this would generate. In addition, there is an energy crisis that does not guarantee a constant electricity supply, so artificial air conditioning would be discarded, and the most viable, economical and environmentally friendly option would be the SbN such as green roofs and facades. It is estimated that these techniques will be implemented in a pilot school in order to share the results obtained with the actors participating in the proposal so that they can be incorporated into the mitigating and adaptive strategies for the use of vegetation in the design of educational buildings.

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Details about the implementation:

The implementation of the strategy requires close integration and collaboration between the municipal administration, the ministry of education, the council of parents and representatives, civil society and the surrounding communities. To this end, community participation tools will be used to present the participatory budget proposal to the local public policy planning committee, the federal government council and the municipality.

How did the government support the instrument?:

Governmental participation will focus on the accompaniment and design of the necessary meetings and encounters before the pertinent instances such as the local public policy planning council, the mayor's office, the parents' council and the educational community.

Financing

Budget:

Less than 50 000 €

Details about instrument financing:

Given the country's current socioeconomic and political situation, we are not considering applying for financing from any national or regional governmental entity.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

Green roofs and facades improve climatic comfort inside the building, directly impacting the concentration and better performance of students in their school work. Green roofs help mitigate the effects of rising temperatures in the city, and are highly efficient devices for reducing urban heat islands. Runoff control and rain retention are improved by the presence of green roofs, so that rainwater can be used to supply some of the school's water needs.

Success factors and lessons learned:

Native vegetation from the area should be selected for green roofs and facades to ensure their survival and resistance to the effects of the climate. It can be seen that for both workers and students of the educational institutions, green roofs and facades have a positive impact on their behavior and on the levels of thermal comfort within the spaces, since it is more pleasant to spend time in them and improves the perception and appreciation of the educational spaces. Improvements are noted in the acoustic insulation indexes, which favors the daily teaching tasks in the school. In addition, maintenance costs are not excessive and can be covered by school stakeholders. Green roofs and facades improve the urban image and include a novel element in an area where this type of climate mitigation solution has not been applied until now. Green roofs and facades are an opportunity to teach and encourage children about sustainability criteria and nature-based solutions as tools for environmental conservation and care.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

Contreras, W(2019). Perspectives of sustainability entrepreneurship, in the development process with prospective vision of the city of El Vigía and the south of Lake Merideño. Academy of Merida. Mérida. Venezuela. Local Urban Development Plan (PDUL) 2021-2041- Alberto Adriani Municipality. Mérida. Mérida. Venezuela.

Photos

https://satellites.pro/