1. Contributions to the design of rainwater harvesting systems in buildings with green roofs in a Mediterranean climate
- Author
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Carla Pimentel-Rodrigues, Cristina M. Monteiro, Armando Silva-Afonso, Cristina S. C. Calheiros, Paula M. L. Castro, and Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
- Subjects
Mediterranean climate ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Environmental Engineering ,Satureja montana ,Climate ,Rain ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,Stormwater ,Climate change ,02 engineering and technology ,stormwater management ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Rainwater harvesting ,Water scarcity ,Thymus caespititius ,Water Quality ,runoff coefficient ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Water Science and Technology ,Flood myth ,Construction Materials ,Mediterranean Region ,Environmental engineering ,020801 environmental engineering ,Thymus pseudolanuginosus ,Facility Design and Construction ,Environmental science ,water runoff ,Water quality ,Surface runoff ,Water Pollutants, Chemical - Abstract
Green roofs (GRs) are becoming a trend in urban areas, favouring thermal performance of buildings, promoting removal of atmospheric pollutants, and acting as possible water collection spots. Rainwater harvesting systems in buildings can also contribute to the management of stormwater runoff reducing flood peaks. These technologies should be enhanced in Mediterranean countries where water scarcity is increasing and the occurrence of extreme events is becoming very significant, as a result of climate change. An extensive pilot GR with three aromatic plant species, Satureja Montana, Thymus caespititius and Thymus pseudolanuginosus, designed to study several parameters affecting rainwater runoff, has been in operation for 12 months. Physico-chemical analyses of roof water runoff (turbidity, pH, conductivity, NH4+, NO3-, PO43-, chemical oxygen demand) have shown that water was of sufficient quality for non-potable uses in buildings, such as toilet flushing. An innovative approach allowed for the development of an expression to predict a 'monthly runoff coefficient' of the GR system. This parameter is essential when planning and designing GRs combined with rainwater harvesting systems in a Mediterranean climate. This study is a contribution to improving the basis for the design of rainwater harvesting systems in buildings with extensive GRs under a Mediterranean climate.
- Published
- 2016