PROJECTS

SCOPE

Currently, the increase in urbanized areas and population density in cities has made urban centres increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In this regard it is essential to adopt immediate measures to mitigate or adapt cities to this reality. Nature Based Solutions (NBS) have been pointed out as possible solutions for creating more sustainable and resilient urban environments. Among these solutions, green roofs and facades (GRF) stand out. In fact, this type of systems can bring benefits to the building, through improvement of thermal and acoustic insulation, and to the urban environment, through water retention (damping flood peaks), mitigation of the urban heat island effect, and improvement of air quality and increase of biodiversity.

Despite the benefits described and the incentives for the development and installation of GRF solutions, there are still some barriers regarding their implementation. The high costs of this type of solutions and the difficulty in assessing the real benefits of their implementation are among those barriers. In fact, the difficulty increases due to the high diversity of solutions and components that make up these systems and the complexity of the phenomena involved in their behaviour. In addition to these aspects, the lack of knowledge of manufacturers regarding the certification procedures, namely with regard to CE marking, has been hindering the dissemination of GRF.

MAIN OBJETIVE

Strengthen research, technological development and innovation.

This project aims to transfer scientific and technological knowledge to SMEs that act in the market of green roofs and facades, stimulating the development and implementation of solutions that promote greater environmental sustainability and climate resilience in urban areas.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project intends to transfer scientific and technological knowledge of the R&I system to Portuguese SMEs that operate in the GRF market, in order to support the technicians and entities involved in the implementation of GRF to develop, design and install innovative, efficient and sustainable solutions, as well as support the CE marking of these solutions. Additionally, this project also intended to promote the widespread of these solutions, boosting the economic value of the Portuguese GRF market, as well as the adoption of solutions that contribute to more sustainable and resilient urban areas to the effects of climate change.

MAIN OBJETIVES

• Carry out a diagnosis of the current situation of the Portuguese GRF market, with the identification of barriers associated with the implementation of solutions;
• Systematize knowledge and technologies related to the implementation of the GRF;
• Carry out a case study of GRF implementation;
• Create design tools to help technicians and companies to develop and design different GRF solutions;
• Systematize information regarding the GRF CE marking process;
• Compile technical data and monitoring results of functional GRF prototypes;
• Develop dissemination, demonstration and awareness actions.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS

The GREENFUTURE project will be divided into the following main activities:

• Activity 1 - Support creation, registration and launching of own brands of a collective nature
• Activity 2 – Studies, research and diagnoses activities directly related to the development of the project
• Activity 3 - Development of platforms through new technologies
• Activity 4 - Promotion and dissemination of project activities and results, including creative development and production of materials in graphic, audiovisual or multimedia support
• Activity 5 - Organization and implementation of awareness, information and demonstration actions