Vertical Forest at CCB
The Bosque Vertical do Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB) in Lisbon (Vertical Forest at CCB), designed by Francisco Caldeira Cabral, is an innovative vertical garden inaugurated in 2020. Spanning two 17-meter-high walls with 7,524 plant pots, it enhances urban biodiversity by attracting birds and insects (Ref 3). This project offers recreational and aesthetic benefits, making the entrance of the cultural centre into a green space (Ref 4).
The garden helps reduce air pollution by absorbing pollutants and producing oxygen. It uses a drop-by-drop irrigation system made from recycled PVC, ensuring efficient water usage and retention (Ref 1). Furthermore, the garden improves air quality, aims to mitigate urban heat island effects, and conserves water (Ref 2, Ref 5).
The garden helps reduce air pollution by absorbing pollutants and producing oxygen. It uses a drop-by-drop irrigation system made from recycled PVC, ensuring efficient water usage and retention (Ref 1). Furthermore, the garden improves air quality, aims to mitigate urban heat island effects, and conserves water (Ref 2, Ref 5).
Meama Coffee Factory Green Roof
The Meama Coffee Factory incorporates ecological elements and functionality with architectural design to create a visually striking building. By doing so, the developers respond to requirements set by the city of Tbilisi for a factory that blends into the peri-urban landscape while avoiding the typical industrial appearance. This requirement corresponds to the architect's values of creating a sustainable and durable structure, implemented through multiple measures (Ref. 1,2). Firstly, a 3,680 square meter green roof has been installed, fully covered with local wild grasses and plants (Ref. 1). This green roof serves multiple purposes: it acts as a thermal barrier, reducing the need for additional roof insulation, mitigates noise pollution from the nearby airport and serves as a recreational and meeting area for visitors and employees (Ref. 1,2,3,4). The factory area also features a pine forest to its backside as well as multiple inside atriums covered in greenery (Ref. 2,3).
Lastly, building materials and installation methods have been selected to ensure the durability of the project, such as roofing membranes that withstand root penetration as well as reinforced concrete structures that are waterproofed and protected against corrosion (Ref. 4&5)
Lastly, building materials and installation methods have been selected to ensure the durability of the project, such as roofing membranes that withstand root penetration as well as reinforced concrete structures that are waterproofed and protected against corrosion (Ref. 4&5)
JIWA Community Garden
The Project 'JIWA Community Garden' is a place to gather, garden, and learn and is located in Canggu, closer to Denpasar City in Bali (1,2,3). The project was founded in 2020 by three friends (citizens) and was developed on about 4500m2 of previously unused land (1,2,3). Jiwa Community Garden has set an example of how unused land can be turned into a fully functional composting facility, productive organic gardens, and a learning center for Permaculture gardening practices, all under one roof (1,2,3). It also welcomes all workawayer/volunteers and other local groups and expats to participate and contribute to activities for community engagement and learning (1,2,3). This project has created a positive impact, and still further plans to develop sub-projects like Permaculture gardening schools and a co-working space cafe open to the public (2,4).
IKEA's biodiverse extensive rooftop garden
IKEA opened its doors in Budapest in 1990. This was the very first store in Hungary. Twelve years later, the store announced that it would install a green roof. The main purpose of the green roof was to compensate the locals for the loss of green space. The green roof was intended to create a biologically active surface that fits in aesthetically into the suburban landscape and provide a home for animals such as pollinators. The green roof, built in 2002, was covered with a Sedum carpet. In 2014, when the original Sedum vegetation died out, the green roof was completely removed. Then, during the autumn 2014 planting, four types of Sedum shoots were seeded. This was followed in the spring of 2015 by the seeding of herbaceous dicots seed mixes, which contained seeds of roughly 50 plant species. The vegetation is regularly monitored by ecologists: in 2021, more than 160 different taxa were recorded, including spontaneously occurring species. The green roof is closed, not accessible to the public, however tours are occasionally organized for professionals [3] [6] [8] [9] [10] [11].
Green Roof of Banyuwangi International Airport
Banyuwangi International Airport in East Java is the first green airport in Indonesia and was recognized with an award from the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) in 2021-22, the world's oldest and most prestigious architecture awards (1,2,3,4). This project was designed and implemented by Architect Andra Matin in 2018 as a corporate social responsibility project for the Banyuwangi Regional Government, Java, Indonesia (1,2,4). The project building was extensively inspired by the houses of the local Osing tribe (1,2). The project aimed to embody a highly efficient passive design, with its remarking green roof feature of a total area of 4765m2 that is planted with grass and routinely maintained (1,2,3,5,6). The green roofs act like a sponge for heat, light and water and conserve energy by maintaining a constant temperature inside the building, and as a result, the airport does not require air conditioning in the main area (5). The green roof of the airport improves air quality as it captures airborne pollutants and atmospheric deposition, and the plants on green roofs also filter noxious gases (5). The eco-friendly airport terminal construction utilizes 'Fast Flow Siphonic System', especially for conventional roof drainage (5). The regional government declared a 10 km radius 'No Development Zone' around the project, protecting the existing paddy fields and villages, which is an exceptional move given the general tendency to exploit land around airports commercially (1,2). The current airport site caters to around 300,000 passengers annually and allows for future expansion to accommodate up to 3 million passengers without encroaching on the No Development Zone (2).
Biophilic Green Roof at Prestige University
A low-rise building located within Prestige University's existing 32-acre campus in Indore will feature an entirely walkable, stepped green roof. The green roof is planned to be punctuated with courtyards for temperature regulation and accessible to its users (university staff, students and other visitors etc.) from the ground level (1,2). It is designed and implemented by 'Sanjay Puri Architects', Architecture Consultancy based in Mumbai (1,2,6). This building is planned to be used for administration offices, an auditorium, lecture halls, and a library and cafeteria (1,2,3). The green roof mainly serves as a space for recreational activities for the users. The terraces will also include different-sized open-air sections, providing the building's interior with natural ventilation (2,4,5). This project truly blends with the traditional Indian Architecture approach in an innovative and modern way (4,5) and targets problems related to central India's oppressive heat (1,2,4).
Despite the initial target completion date of June 2022 (9), the construction phase of the project has not yet been finalized. The responsible architecture firm anticipates the completion date within the forthcoming months. This information was disclosed in January 2023 (10).
Despite the initial target completion date of June 2022 (9), the construction phase of the project has not yet been finalized. The responsible architecture firm anticipates the completion date within the forthcoming months. This information was disclosed in January 2023 (10).
Urban Farming Practices in South Jakarta
In 2017, the city of Jakarta initiated a peri-urban farming program under its Urban Agriculture Program that aimed to achieve sustainable agricultural production, rural economic sustainability and long-term environmental sustainability (1,4).
South Jakarta is one of the five administrative units that form Jakarta is a prosperous city with more than 2.2 mils. inhabitants. Industrial production as well as urbanization developed quickly in the city, leading to a steep increase in population. Meanwhile, the city experiences a reduction in agricultural land converted into settlements and industrial land, as well as soil deterioration. The city needs agricultural land for production and to establish food security. Furthermore, it needs to improve air pollution as well as oxygen provisioning. As such a solution had to be found (1).
To implement the program a total of 12 communities in the South Kebayoran Lama subdistrict of South Jakarta participated in implementing and operating urban farms. One of these communities has been the Kebayoran Lama Selatan Urban Village managed by Seruni Indah Farmers Group (Kelompok Tani Seruni Indah) which is a very successful example of sustainable organic urban farming supporting more than 3500 residents. The engagement consisted in using vacant and private yard land for horticultural crops (vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants), spices, medicines, herbs etc. through hydroponic and conventional practices that could benefit the community and the general public. 15 gardens have been implemented with funding provided by the Indonesian government (3, 7).
South Jakarta is one of the five administrative units that form Jakarta is a prosperous city with more than 2.2 mils. inhabitants. Industrial production as well as urbanization developed quickly in the city, leading to a steep increase in population. Meanwhile, the city experiences a reduction in agricultural land converted into settlements and industrial land, as well as soil deterioration. The city needs agricultural land for production and to establish food security. Furthermore, it needs to improve air pollution as well as oxygen provisioning. As such a solution had to be found (1).
To implement the program a total of 12 communities in the South Kebayoran Lama subdistrict of South Jakarta participated in implementing and operating urban farms. One of these communities has been the Kebayoran Lama Selatan Urban Village managed by Seruni Indah Farmers Group (Kelompok Tani Seruni Indah) which is a very successful example of sustainable organic urban farming supporting more than 3500 residents. The engagement consisted in using vacant and private yard land for horticultural crops (vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants), spices, medicines, herbs etc. through hydroponic and conventional practices that could benefit the community and the general public. 15 gardens have been implemented with funding provided by the Indonesian government (3, 7).
Constructed wetland for Balili River
Balili River, situated in the province of Benguet, is among the many urban rivers in the Philippines that suffer from severe pollution due to various human activities. Indiscriminate dumping of waste in almost all of its 23 tributaries is a significant contributor to the pollution. Despite this, the river remains a critical source of irrigation for farmers in La Trinidad who primarily grow strawberry and salad crops in the valley. However, the use of contaminated water from the river poses a direct threat to the food safety of consumers of these crops. Moreover, during the summer, the black water of the Balili River is a constant eyesore in the community. To address these environmental concerns, a pilot study was conducted aimed at exploring treatment options for the polluted water in Balili River. The study focused on assessing the use of local plants to restore biodiversity, conserve wildlife habitats, and test the phytoremediation potential of local macrophytes. The pilot area was established within the Organic Farm of Benguet State University near the main stream of the Balili river. The study set up two types of constructed wetlands (CW), a surface flow CW for floating plants and a horizontal subsurface flow CW for emergent plants. The results of the pilot study suggest that constructed wetlands could be an effective solution for cleaning up the Balili River. The implementation of constructed wetlands in Balili River can not only improve the water quality but also benefit the local community and ecosystem. [1,2]
Community Garden at Kasturba Nagar
The Community Garden Project was proposed in 2018 by Samyuktha Kannan (a resident of Chennai City) to the Resident Welfare Association (RWA), which is a non-governmental organization (NGO) of Kasturba Nagar (1,2,3). The RWA uses the community hall of a public park of Kasturba Nagar to host meetings and community events, but the area was surrounded by open dry land and an unmanaged field (1,2). This open area surrounding the community hall was then assigned to develop a community garden of 1500 square feet (1,2,3). This project aimed to serve as a shared garden place to bring along residents of all age groups to enjoy gardening and simultaneously create opportunities to learn and share knowledge through social engagement and reconnect with nature (1,2). Although implemented and completed in 2019, the project still continues to contribute towards sustainability through further development and introduction of eco-friendly elements and activities, as well as the involvement of various stakeholders for support (3,4).
Green dormitory of the Vietnam National University
To improve the ecological and living environment for the residents, Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) inaugurated a project, "For a Green Dormitory" in September, 2022. The project is a tree planting activity sponsored by the program "One million urban green trees" (MTIC) by Green Viet Water Biodiversity Conservation Center (GreenViet), through the Conservation Fund project. The aim of the green dormitory project was to promote the planting of different species of trees to improve the ecological and living environment for more than 40,000 students staying at the centre. More than 1000 trees such as Pink trumpet, Black Star, Oil, and Camphor have been planted at planned points at the dormitory (1). The initial goal was to plant a total of 5,250 trees from September 2022 to March 2023 and included a series of greening activities of mass organizations at the dormitory campus of the Vietnam National University. So far, more than 1000 students, 200 lecturers, the dormitory manager of VNU-HCM and more than 50 members of Dang Gia Trang Manufacturing, Trading and Service Co., Ltd, participated in the project (1). In addition to this, the project also initiated an exchange program through which plastic waste was exchanged to receive green trees, encouraging awareness among officials, employees and boarding students (2).

