Exploring the possibilities of air purification in urban environments using green roofing

Abstract

According to European Commission studies, poor quality air causes the premature death of more people than the road accidents each year. Fine particulate matter (PM10) is mainly a result of human activities - transport, industry and domestic heating and causes respiratory problems, asthma, lung cancer and premature death. At present in Bulgaria, sources of pollution are mainly old cars and solid fuel stoves used for domestic heating. The environmental situation can be improved by building more green areas. In cities it is difficult to separate areas where green areas are to be built. This problem can be solved by using the roofs of buildings. Many plant species are resistant to pollutants and have the property of purifying the air from them. Properly designed roof gardens and the appropriate choice of plant species could significantly improve urban conditions. The purpose of this article is to explore the possibilities for purification and improvement of air quality in urban zones using roofing landscaping. A study of literature on this problem has been made and presented in the paper. Also how to solve the problem with PM air pollution using green roofs in Bulgaria was commented. In the paper we estimate two simulations done by the software PLUME for annual average dust concentrations before and after construction of green roofs in the Industrial zone of the city of Ruse, Bulgaria. The maximum annual average concentration of dust after the building of green roofs is more than two times less than the one without green roofs.