1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Sheffield
Region
Europe
Short description of the intervention
The University of Sheffield has embraced green roof technology for its benefits to the built environment, and to support Sheffield City Council vision of Sheffield as the UK’s green roof capital. Most buildings the University feature intentionally vegetated green roofs and some existing buildings with suitable structures have been retrofitted with green roofs (ref 1). The first instrumented test plot for the green roof was installed on the Mappin Building roof. In 2009, Jessop West building and the Robert Hadfield – Green Roof Centre Demonstration Site are studied for replicating the model (ref 4).
Address

Mappin St.
Sheffield
S1 3JD
United Kingdom

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
Total area
745.00m²
NBS area
400.97m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Building
Website of the intervention
http://www.greenroofresearch.co.uk/hydro/hydro_activity_1.html
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2006
End date of the intervention
2006
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
In 2006 first instrumented test plot, was located on the Mappin Building roof, University of Sheffield. The test bed has subsequently been duplicated 10 times in 2009 as part of a Green Roof Demonstration project on the roof of the Hadfield Building. It was replicated to monitor the performance of a full-scale green roof on the University’s Jessops West Building. (ref 4)
Goals of the intervention
The main objective of establishing the green roof was to quantify and develop models to predict the runoff arising from green roofs in response to a range of design and routine rainfall events. The ultimate goal is to develop a generic modelling tool, which predicts runoff directly from rainfall inputs and selected key physical configuration parameters. This research has used a range of instrumented test plots, full-scale roofs and laboratory experiments (ref 4).
Quantitative targets
Establishment of 2 test roofs (ref 4)
Monitoring indicators defined
Testing was carried out in labs, using rainfall simulators and on two test roofs to measure :
water transport within the system build-up (ref 4).
the evapotranspiration performance. (ref 4)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Water management (SDG 6)
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Environmental quality
Air quality improvement
Implementation activities
The two green roofs are under study by researchers and students at the University of Sheffield and an online monitoring tool is in place, which is publicly accessible data. (ref 4)
Type of NBS project
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Green roofs
Type of Green Roof
Intensive Green Roof: depth 7 - 24+ inches; plants: Perennials, Lawn, Putting green, Shrubs and Trees, rooftop farming; High maintenance and costs
Vegetation Type
Grass
Amenities offered by the NBS
Educational and research amenities (nature protection centre, monitoring stations)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Air quality regulation
Flood regulation
Aesthetic appreciation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Researchers/University
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Researchers, university
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
University of Sheffield has embraced green roof technology for its benefits to the built environment (ref 1)
Key actors - initiating organization
Researchers/university
Land owners
Educational actor (schools or universities)
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Researchers/university
Land owners
Educational actor (schools or universities)
Please specify other land owner
The University of Sheffield ( Public university/ research institute).
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Unknown
Please specify other landowner
The University of Sheffield ( Public university/ research institute).
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
The project obtained European funding [Objective 1, Measures 33 (sustainable building)] to establish local demonstration green roofs and the first UK-based green roof research centre (REF 2)
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
The Green Roof Centre responsible for the intervention operates with partners nationally to demonstrate the potential of green roof uptake in the UK which is the UK green roof code
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
Supports Sheffield City Council vision of Sheffield as the UK’s green roof capital (reference 1)
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
City Council vision of Sheffield as the UK’s green roof capital (ref 1)
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific green space strategy or plan
Urban redevelopment plan
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The Green Roof Centre - founded by the University of Sheffield, Groundwork Sheffield and the 4 surrounding local authorities (Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham). (ref 3)
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The University of Sheffield, Sheffield City Council and Groundwork Sheffield obtained European funding [Objective 1, Measures 33 (sustainable building)] to establish local demonstration green roofs and the first UK-based green roof research centre (REF 2)
Co-finance for NBS
No
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Co-governance arrangement
A fund / grant
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
46,000
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
The University of Sheffield, Sheffield City Council and Groundwork Sheffield obtained European funding [Objective 1, Measures 33 (sustainable building)] to establish local demonstration green roofs and the first UK-based green roof research centre (REF 2)
Source(s) of funding
EU funds
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Green education model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Technological
Product innovation
Please specify technological innovation
1. Green Roof Centre Demonstration Site and research beds at The Sir Robert Hadfield building. (ref 1)
2. green roof cover at Jessop West (ref 1)
3. The green roof is a turf lawn with benches and ‘fresh air harvesters’ at Humanities Research Institute (ref 1)
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Reduced emissions
Enhanced carbon sequestration
Environmental quality
Improved air quality
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Description of environmental benefits
The project is expected to produce the following impacts: Reduce the pollution in the air, water storage and harvesting, climate mitigation. (ref 4)
Based on the average volume retention of 34%, it may be inferred that the green roof could reduce annual runoff in many parts of the United Kingdom by 300 mm when compared with a conventional roof. (ref 4)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Description of social and cultural benefits
The main objective of the green roof research is to quantify – and develop models to predict – the runoff arising from green roofs in response to a range of design and routine rainfall events. The ultimate goal is to develop a generic modelling tool, which predicts runoff directly from rainfall inputs and selected key physical configuration parameters (ref 4).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Indicators
Unknown
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change mitigation
Water management (SDG 6)
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Environmental quality
Air quality improvement
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Regulation of built environment
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Improving physical health
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of July 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.
http://greenroof.shef.ac.uk/
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
https://sites.google.com/a/sheffield.ac.uk/green-roof-research/
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Hydrological Performance Monitoring (ref 4)
Link to the output of assessments
https://sites.google.com/a/sheffield.ac.uk/green-roof-research/
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Sheffield university website information
Green Roof Centre project description
Green Roof Centre research description
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Stovin, V 2010, 'The potential of green roofs to manage Urban Stormwater', Water & Environment Journal (441.69 KB) 441.69 KB
List of references
Sheffield.ac.uk. 2012. The Green Roof Centre | Landscape | The University Of Sheffield. [online] Available at: <https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/landscape/phd-research/researchknowledge/greenroof/uos_buildings> [Accessed 19 August 2020].
2. Stovin, V. (2010). The potential of green roofs to manage Urban Stormwater. Water & Environment Journal, 24, 3, pp. 192-199.
3. Greenroofs.com. 2013. Sheffield University Humanities Building - Greenroofs.Com. [online] Available at: <http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=764> [Accessed 19 August 2020].
4. Greenroofresearch.co.uk. 2016. Green Roof Research At The University Of Sheffield. [online] Available at: <http://www.greenroofresearch.co.uk/hydro/hydro_activity_1.html> [Accessed 19 August 2020].
Comments and notes
Comments
6. Assessment/ Monitoring tool : as mentioned in section 2 the aim of the research is to develop a generic modelling tool, which predicts runoff directly from rainfall inputs and selected key physical configuration parameters. however a link to the same was not found. However there is a selection Yes for the same but no link. please see reference 4.
Pictures of the NBS
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/hafield_green_roof.jpg