The Autonomous Region and Alcantarilla Town Hall will install a living roof to make the most of rainwater and improve energy efficiency
14/12/2020
The project is being delivered as part of the 'Regional Living Roofs Plan', which is being promoted by the Regional Government as part of the Sustainable Construction and Architecture of the Region of Murcia
Regional minister José Ramón Díez de Revenga emphasised that it is a "simple and versatile system to improve urban biodiversity and comfort inside the buildings"
The Autonomous Region, alongside Alcantarilla Town Hall, are launching a pilot project to install a living roof on a municipal public building as a mechanism to improve environmental sustainability through making the most of rainwater, the natural cooling of the building, a reduction in the carbon footprint and improved biodiversity.
The project is being delivered as part of the Regional Living Roofs Plan, which is being promoted by the Regional Government as part of the Sustainable Construction and Architecture Strategy of the Region of Murcia, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Urban Agenda 2030.
The regional minister for Development and Infrastructure, José Ramón Díez de Revenga, and the mayor of Alcantarilla, Joaquín Buendía, explained the details of the project, which is the result of an agreement between the two institutions, and will be installed on the building of the municipality's Local Development Agency with a surface area of around 200 square metres.
"We are at a key moment for providing a solution to the great challenges of improving the urban environment, and living roofs are to play a starring role because they are a simple and versatile system for improving urban biodiversity and comfort inside the buildings", stated the minister.
This project, said Díez de Revenga, "is a step further in the ecological transition of the building sector promoted by the Regional Executive, and is an example of our commitment to fostering eco-efficiency as a solution to two very significant problems in our society: climate change and improving the environment".
He underlined that "all administrations need to present a united front to live in more pleasant cities, which care for people and are more environmentally friendly". In this respect, he highlighted the "good coordination and collaboration with Alcantarilla Town Hall to install this pilot project for a living roof".
For this, the Autonomous Region has drafted the green roof project as one of the most effective nature-based solutions for the building chosen by the town council, and in line with the building's technical specifications. The project includes a monitoring system to assess the progress of the benefits expected.
For its part, Alcantarilla Town Hall will carry out the works, which will require an investment of nearly 20,000 euros and will take two months. Furthermore, a continuous assessment will be carried out of the parameters studied, in order to make adjustments or corrective measures to achieve an increasingly efficient model.
Pilot project
The roof that will be installed on the Alcantarilla Local Development Agency will have vegetation based on native species, which are perfectly adapted to the climate conditions of the area and very resistant to hydric stress. It will be an extensive-type roof with herbaceous and native plants to create compositions of different textures, colours and sizes.
A roof rainwater collection and storage system will be installed, with a buried tank, so that the water can be reused through a timed irrigation system. Furthermore, there will be an electrical system to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valves connected to the timed irrigation system.
To ensure the roof is working properly, regular visits will be made to inspect the condition of the roof and the drainage of water, to ensure its durability.
Statements: Regional Minister for Development and Infrastructure, José Ramón Díez de Revenga, on the first living roof project on a public building to be carried out in Alcantarilla.
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Photography: The Regional Minister for Development and Infrastructure, José Ramón Díez de Revenga, and the mayor of Alcantarilla, Joaquín Buendía, during the presentation of the pilot project for a living roof that will be installed on the building of the Local Development Agency.
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