The Health Benefits of Urban Green Roof
analytical Essay
889 words
In this paper, I consider an effect of green roofs – its mental and spiritual impact on health of residents living in urbanized area.
It is well known that natural open spaces and well-designed greenspaces provide a locus for recreation, social interaction and community action and are highlighted as having a particularly positive influence on health and well-being. Given that urban green spaces are now widely recognized as major contributors both to the quality of the environment, and to human health and well-being, an important question is whether this will move them closer to, or further from, the goal of mental and spiritual health on urban residents. Aside from psychological health benefits, the effect of environmental benefits of urban green space such as reducing the energy required for the building maintenance, increasing sound insulation, fire resistance, increasing in the life span of the roof, providing small-scale green open spaces, wildlife habitat, improving air quality, reducing urban heat island (UHI) effects, and improving storm water attenuation (Syumi and Hamidah, 2012). In addition to the physical benefits on green open spaces, research has also conducted on the physiological manifestations of stress and restoration (Ulrich and Parsons 1992; Ulrich Dimberg, and Driver, 1991). For example, one study used physiological measures to find the correlation between stress-reducing effects of nature scenes in a health-care setting.
This paper first reviews the health benefits of urban green roof and factors determining sustainable development, and then reports a study quantifying the relative influence of mental and spiritual factors on green roof. The theory builds on the basic framework of the environmental psych...
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Syumi Rafida Abdul Rahman. (2012). Green roofs as urban antidote: A review on aesthetic, environmental, economic and social benefits. Department of Landscape Architecture. UTM.
Gilles Duranton and Diego Puga. (2013). The Growth of Cities. CEMFI Working Paper No.1308.
Kristin L/ Getter and D. Bradley Rowe. (2006). The Role of Extensive Green Roofs in Sustainable Development. HortScience. 41(5):1276-1285.
Ulrich, R. S., Dimberg, V. and Driver, B. L. (1991). 'Psychophysiological indicators of leisure benefits', in Driver, B. L., Brown, P. J. and Peterson, G. L. (eds) Benefits of Leisure. State College, PA, Ventura.
Ulrich, R. S. and Parsons, R. (1992). 'Influences of passive experiences with plants on individual well-being and health', in Relf, D. (ed) The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-being and Social Development. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon pp. 93 - 105.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that urbanized areas are growing rapidly every day in the midst of fast development and arrangement. the benefits of viewing nature go beyond aesthetic enjoyment to enhanced emotional well-being.
- Summarizes the contributions of green roofs that accompanied signing a new environmental movement.
- Explains that green roofs as urban antidote: a review on aesthetic, environmental, economic and social benefits.
- Analyzes the mental and spiritual impact of green roofs on health of residents living in urbanized areas.
- Explains that ulrich, r. s., dimberg, v. and driver, b. l. (eds) benefits of leisure. state college, pa, ventura.
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- Explains how le corbusier's ideas about architecture were the catalyst of an architectural revolution.
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In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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- Argues that sustainable cities are more difficult to achieve than green buildings and environmentally friendly cars. timothy beatley's book green urbanism: learning from european cities states that eight overarching systems must work together to make a city sustainable.
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In this essay, the author
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2264 wordsRead More - Importance Of Landscape Essayanalytical essayIf there are more people, more, density, and a good mixture of uses, it will be a safer city... You cannot find a single city that does not wish to make the city center more vibrant or livelier.” This quote from Jan Gehl, the principal of Gehl Architects, illustrates the importance of having a sustainable city. The Central Park project has showcased to the world on how the landscape we design or occupy, can affect our daily activities and surrounding neighborhood. It sets an example of how design must be appreciated as a crucial factor in sustainability and emphasized on the fact the connection of people and nature should not be ignored. All in all, landscape architects are the ones to determine the physical characteristics of the public realm environment, to decide whether a city is attractive to people and whether people will choose to live in the city in the long
In this essay, the author
- Explains how olmsted and vaux's "greensward" plan was designed to provide city-dwellers with the much-needed respite from noise, bustle, and strain.
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- Explains the high line project by james corner, the new york-based landscape architect, and the beijiqia technology business district by martha schwartz.
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- Analyzes how martha schwartz incorporated environmental elements to deal with the air and water population problem of beijing. the central park project illustrates the importance of having a sustainable city.
1749 wordsRead More - Environmental Issues and the Importance of Connecting With Natureopinionated essayBeyond any doubt, studies now confirm that due to the stress that is flowing out of our disconnected "bleeding roots", complex personal, environmental and social problems are created. As humans we have been inclined to look outside of ourselves -- at the polluted lakes and brown clouds that floats over our cities -- and regard those impacts as the problem. Wann in his book Bil-Logic explains that we only recently have shifted our attention to see the environmental crisis in a more holistic way: "Pollution is a collection of symptoms of poor products and processes that do not fit natural systems" (Bio-Logic 1). Studies have shown that "Americans spend less than one day per lifetime in tune with nature" (Reconnecting 17). We are born and raised indoors, artificially secluded from the natural world. The indoors then discipline our thoughts and feelings. "Our separation from the pulse of snow, wind, rain, temperature, clouds and sunlight robs us of their life values" (How 17). We form our habits from our contact with our indoor surroundings, such as the school, house, or even the office, not from wonders that nature offers. Research at the University of Global Education in Washington shows that new methods and materials that aid in connecting with nature rebind our natural roots wi...
In this essay, the author
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- Opines that humans are still evolving, separated from the realities learned in biology, and that violence and hatred are growing in the industrial society.
- Opines that we should adopt new ways to co-create with nature and uphold responsible relationships. overly heavy technologies never get off the ground and make a feathery mess.
- Analyzes how cohen's book reconnecting with nature explains how humans and nature communicate through words and through tension-relaxation feelings, such as hunger, thirst, and breathing.
- Explains how wann suggests incorporating environmental knowledge into the things we design and use, a better balance will be established.
- Explains that biology has constraints such as gravity, friction, thermodynamics, microbiological capabilities, genetic information, and life span.
- Explains that the book 50 simple things your business can do to save the earth has useful ideas on how the average person could help the environment.
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- Explains how project natureconnect, with the help of michael j. cohen, has designed activities to help people see the secrets of nature. the secrets-of-nature trail and game reminds everyone that the unspoiled nature and the clean fresh air that we inhale is a gift to us from nature
- Explains that air is the gift of life and our breathing is a spiritual relationship with the planet. respiration or breathing originally meant "re-spiriting."
- Explains that polls have shown a rapid increase in public concern about environmental issues. two hundred new national and regional associations for environmental concerns were established.
- Explains that the conservation movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was responsible for the destruction caused by uncontrolled industrial exploitation of natural resources.
- Explains that the present environmental movement had an explosive beginning. theodore goldfarb mentions silent spring, a book by rachel carson that "ignited the imaginations of nature lovers."
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- Cites cohen, michael j., goldfarb, theodore d. and wann, david. how nature works: regenerating kinship with planet earth.
2335 wordsRead More - Sustainable Cities Essayopinionated essayA city has to be beautiful, though the definition of “beauty” is so vague. The beauty can be physical, such as enjoyable parks, streetscapes, architectural facades, the sky fragment through freeways and trees; or it can be the beauty of livelihood, people, and history. As landscape architects, we are creating beautiful things or turning the unpleasant memorial.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that it's not appropriate to say "sustainable x" because they are only sub-systems which exchange energy and materials within a larger overall system.
- Explains that cities should be self-organized otherwise no techniques or agency could control everything in cities. smart cities are like smart people, who keep learning from failures and adapt themselves to the new environment.
- Explains that a city has to be beautiful, though the definition of "beauty" is so vague. the beauty can be physical, such as enjoyable parks, streetscapes, architectural facades or the beauty of livelihood, people, and history.
- Explains that disassembled factors describe the properties of sustainable cities of a certain stage. if we reconsider these in the flows of time, we could redefine the fatal aspects of the growing unsteady system.
- Argues that a sustainable city must be perceptive to what will happen in the future and prepare for crisis in advance.
- Opines that landscape urbanism fanatics have discovered lots of opportunities that can be explored by landscape approaches.
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In this essay, the author
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- Argues that the need for environmentally responsible housing must be established with consumers before more environmentally-friendly houses are demanded in the market.
- Explains that environmentally responsible residential housing conserves natural resources such as water, air, land, wood, fossil fuels, and other building materials.
- Illustrates the use of grey water for outdoor water needs and rain collection for usable indoor water. environmental homes can also include water conserving appliances like toilets.
- Argues that more environmentally responsible residential development ensures a sustainable future by reducing pollution, conserving natural resources, and planning for the future.
- Explains that environmentally responsible residential development reduces air pollution and water pollution. the "space age" home in flagstaff uses roof collectors, grey water and compost toilets to reduce land contamination.
- Argues that society should provide incentives to promote environmentally responsible residential housing. they state that the limited number of incentives now offered by federal and state governments are not promoted to their full potential.
- Cites arizona state, arizona solar energy research commission, and arizona department of revenue's tax form and tax information system.
- Cites griffin, c. w., jr. and loeb, penny. the environment comes home: arizona public service environmental showcase home.
2485 wordsRead More