The LifeMedGreenRoof Project celebrated the opening of its Demonstration Green Roof at the Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta on the 25 May. Guests were shown around the newly built and planted Green Roof.

The LifeMedGreenRoof Project is partially funded by LIFE+ which is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects throughout the European Union. The Project was inaugurated in November 2013 and is planned to continue until July 2017. The Project is coordinated by the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Malta with the collaboration of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) and two Italian organisations, the Fondazione Minoprio (FM) and Minoprio Analisi e Certificazioni (MAC).

The purpose of the Demonstration Green Roof is to serve as an example to architects, designers, students and the general public, showing what a Green Roof could look like in Malta. It is also hoped that people would be able to see for themselves the benefits of installing green roofs. For instance, green roofs can provide peaceful and pleasant places for people to relax in and spaces for children to play and observe nature. With the increasing building activity in many areas of Malta, the availability of green space is reducing. The insulation properties of Green Roofs could also save on energy costs by cooling the living space beneath in summer and keeping it warmer in winter. Green roofs also have the potential to mitigate problems that often affect urban areas such as air pollution, flooding and high ambient temperatures.

Prior to the commencement of the LifeMedGreenRoof Project, very little was known about how green roofs would perform in the Mediterranean climate. Over the past two years, researchers at the University of Malta have focused on two fundamental project aims.  Firstly, investigations have been carried out to discover what type of planting media should be used in green roofs. Secondly, a search has been conducted to find suitable plants that would survive the harsh conditions of a green roof in Malta.  The successful findings of this research have been used to inform the construction and planting of the Demonstration Garden.

The Demonstration Green Roof is open to the public all the year round during office hours from 09:00 to 17:00. Interested groups can book a guided tour. For further information about the LifeMedGreenRoof Project visit the website or find us on Facebook. If you would like to contact persons involved in the project please send an email.