| | February 2010
guest feature article International Summit in Shanghai:
The Green Roof Solution to the Impending Drinking Water Crisis in India, Western China and Neighboring Countries
By Dr. Karen L. Weber An amazing 70 million visitors are expected at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo which will open on May 1 and run through October 31, 2010. Representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments, the Expo theme is "Better City, Better Life." By dedicating a 5.28-square-kilometer area at the core of the city to exhibitions, events and forums, Shanghai hopes to build a powerful and lasting pilot example of sustainable and harmonious urban living. Majestic, larger than life domestic and international pavilions are promoting national pride and showcasing innovation and ecological options for 21st century living, with many structures featuring green roofs, green walls, gardens, and lush interior plantscapes.  | The China Pavilion, designed with the concept of "Oriental Crown," boasts a diverse range of traditional Chinese elements. |  | The India Pavilion will have herbs growing on the dome. |  | The U.S. Pavilion, designed by Sharp & Diamond Landscape Architecture: "A main signature element is that of water and the importance of this precious resource to our cities of the future. A waterfall generated from a rain water supplemented pool on the roof terrace celebrates our commitment to preserving this precious resource water. The design of the Pavilion also takes the opportunity to introduce viable urban agriculture to our cities. The theme of the importance of developing Urban Agriculture initiatives in our cities, especially on rooftops, is an important component of the messages guests will discover in the show presentation in the Pavilion." |
So far, 192 countries and 50 international organizations have confirmed participation. Organized by the International Promotion Center for Vertical Planning, the Shanghai Landscape Architecture Gardening Trade Association, and the World Green Infrastructure Network (formerly WGRIN), a World Green Roofs Development Conference will also be held at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo from May 7-10, 2010.  | Switzerland Pavilion: Based on the concept of balance rooted in the principle of yin and yang, a vast planted roof and two load-bearing cylinders together make up the structure of the building, and are connected by a revolving chair lift system. The architecture incorporates the symbiosis between town and country, and emphasizes the perfect balance of man, nature and technology. |  | Luxembourg Pavilion: The pavilion's design concept is "forest and fortress,"
inspired by the literal meaning of the Chinese term for Luxembourg and will resemble an ancient castle 15 meters high surrounded by large areas of greenery. |  | Chile Pavilion: The 3,000-square-meter "City of Relations" pavilion is
constructed of merging cylinders in silver and brown with a roof garden. |
A promising International Green Roof Summit The company Earth Our Only Home, Inc. is organizing an International Green Roof Summit on May 8, 2010 here in Shanghai during the World Green Roofs Conference to address solutions to provide drinking water for India, Western China and neighboring countries given the fact that the Himalayan icepack is shrinking and is the main water source for more than a billion people in this part of the world. The current drinking water situation  | Going down: Several centimeters' worth of water (pink) disappears each year from beneath the northern Indian subcontinent. Source: ScienceNOW; Credit: Adapted from V. M. Tiwari, et al., National Geophysical Research Institute. |
In addition, the groundwater resources in India are greatly diminishing by several centimeters per year and are not being replaced, according to Mr. Richard A. Kerr's article "India's Groundwater Disappearing at Alarming Rate" of ScienceNOW Daily News on August 10, 2009.
When looking for answers to today’s problems, we need to look for balance. Much of the situation we find ourselves in is due to the fact that we have taken advantage of one resource to the detriment of another. Green roof technology allows us to put balance back into our living spaces and into our lives. By mimicking nature, green roofs create a means for collecting rainwater and at the same time serve as a part of the hydrologic cycle.
India and Western China are in need of drinking water. Agricultural and industrial water needs have removed balance. Rural and urban areas have contaminated water supplies. India now recognizes the need for rainwater harvesting and is mandating it on all roofs of new construction in 18 of India’s 28 states (Circle of Blue WaterNews on 1/4/10), but there should be concern that the catch basins can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Western China is the country’s most water scarce area and the country faces a crisis similar in degree to India (Kathleen A. Cannon, Water as a Source of Conflict and Instability in China in Strategic Analysis, Vol. 30, No. 2, Apr-Jun 2006 © Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses). Clashes over water have already occurred. It is vital for these two countries, as well as for the world that a drinking water solution be found or else far too many people will be thirsty, threatening not only national security in each country, but global security.
This is how the idea for this summit was born
Earth Our Only Home, Inc. under the direction of Dr. Karen L. Weber is spearheading this effort. Dr. Weber has dedicated herself to green roof policy for almost four years. Her background in maritime fisheries management and ocean research prior to that enabled her to see the green roof connections to the land-water cycle that are so essential to protecting our planet. The green roofing of our cities reduces the amount of water that will become polluted and how much carries pollutants into our larger water bodies. It serves as a biofilter for the water that passes through it as well as a biofilter for the air. Dr. Weber’s affiliation with Dr. Brad Bass of Toronto, adjunct professor in the University of Toronto’s Centre for Environment and an Adaptation & Impacts Researcher for Environment Canada’s Adaptation and Impacts Research Division, will lead the world, starting in Shanghai, to understanding the potential of harvesting drinking water from each building’s green roof, while “harvesting” the many other benefits green roofs have to bear. Why is this an international problem? With India poised to build the equivalent of 50 New York Cities in the next 20 years (Frontline’s documentary, HEAT, 2008), we are proposing the solution of green roofs atop every possible building in regions with high rainfall. This technology would allow for rainwater harvesting and then to filter the water to become a potable source.  |  | Two Mega Faces of Mumbai, India:
Left: A beautiful downtown skyline from Nariman Point at night, Source: Wikipedia by Jasvipul Chawla;
Right: Slums in Mumbai, Source: Panoramio, Copyright: Joel Newell. |
This could provide access to a local source of drinking water for millions of people, if not a billion. This is a chance to be proactive and help India and her neighbors solve this problem. It is not theirs alone. It is ours as well. According to the UN, there are over 16.5 million environmental refugees who “have been forced to leave their traditional habitat, temporarily or permanently, because of a marked environmental disruption…that jeopardized their existence and/or seriously affected the quality of their life,” (World Watch Magazine, Jan-Feb 2010, p 20). There are forecasts showing that although climate change and environmental degradation vary enormously, by 2050 the number of refugees range from a low of 25 million to a high of 1 billion. Imagine how many more if there is no drinking water in many parts of Asia?  |  | Although there are living roofs in India, they are not common. Yet. One example is the LEED® Platinum CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad (CIIGBC). Photo Source Left: Christine Thüring; Right: CIIGBCII. Read more.* |
What can green roofs do? Due to the work of Dr. Brad Bass, we are considering green roof technology as one of the primary solutions to remedy this problem because of the ability to capture rainwater which can be filtered for drinking water and made available locally at each green roofed structure. In addition, there are numerous reasons why green roofs should be installed in this part of the world: - Reduction of A/C costs by keeping the overall ambient temperature cooler on conventional roofs, temperatures rise to 150-200ºF whereas green roofs remain between 77-90ºF.
- Mimic nature and help maintain a evapotranspiration, which returns water back to the atmosphere and cools the city.
- Serve as a massive biofilter to clean the air of urban soot, dusts and toxins thus mitigating asthma and serious respiratory problems which are not negligible in India and China.
- If the roof can support additional weight for shrubs or trees, green roofs can aid in sequestering carbon.
- Green roofs can also be adapted for growing food.
This Summit is intended as a call to action Participants are being sought from many backgrounds and countries. We are inviting members from India’s real estate development community and urban planners as well as scientists and engineers, financial agents, nonprofit experts, political leaders and corporate decision makers. The same goes for Western China. By coordinating expertise from North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia on green roofs, water, buildings and climate, we intend to bridge the East and West. Our aim is to have all participants sign a letter of commitment to establish green roofs as a priority along with a timeline for implementing green roof technology on a wide scale as India and Western China plan their new cities and regional development.
Dr. Weber will run the summit in three parts – (1) fact finding – a panel of experts will present the case; (2) discussion and brainstorming – small group breakout sessions; and (3) summary and signing.  | Canada Pavilion: At 6,000-square-meters, it will feature an exhibition themed "The Living City: Inclusive, Sustainable, Creative." Part of the pavilion's exterior walls will be covered by a special kind of greenery and rainwater will be collected by a drainage system for use inside the pavilion. |  | | France Pavilion: "The Sensual City" has a big French-style garden inside. Surrounded by water, it appears to be floating and will be a shining example of energy efficiency and recycling techniques. |  | Saudi Arabia Pavilion: The designers specified 150 date palms, which are common in the desert country. The trees were transplanted to Zhejiang Province and will be planted on the roof of their pavilion after construction. |
Assist the International Green Roof Summit with sponsorship and attendance We are looking for participants and also for sponsorship of the International Green Roof Summit in order to cover the costs of an international and local panel of green roof experts. The sponsoring company/organization will receive recognition on the Chinese World Green Roof Conference website, on the programs and through international press. Come to Shanghai this May as we enjoy the 2010 World Expo and experience the pride and joy of each of the amazing international pavilions. The World Green Roofs Development Conference presents many great opportunities to hear leading experts in our field, visit local greenroofs and take in an amazing city. Support or join us at the International Green Roof Summit on May 8, 2010 as we help organize real solutions to the drinking water crisis in India, Western China and beyond with green roofs - living architecture as rainwater catchment. We'd love to hear from you! Please contact Karen L. Weber at earthouronlyhome@yahoo.com for more information.  | The city of Xiamen, China, has thousands of square feet of vegetated rooftops!
Help us work on the same for India, Western China, and neighboring countries. |
Dr. Karen L. Weber
Founder and President of Earth Our Only Home, Inc. since 2006, Dr. Karen L. Weber has been working to bring green roof technology to the forefront of sustainable actions for the past four years. She has presented numerous hearings at the local and state level and has been featured in the media on many occasions (CBS News, NECN News, Christian Science Monitor, Boston Herald, Roslindale/West Roxbury Bulletin and Transcript, to name a few). In 2008, she was responsible for coordinating the funding and installation of the green roof for WGBH, the local public broadcasting studio.
Dr. Weber has worked with many community groups and provided consulting for numerous companies and architecture firms regarding green roof installations. As a LEED AP, she is able to bring combined knowledge of green building strategies to project and policy recommendations. In 2007, she co-founded the nonprofit organization, Foundation for a Green Future, Inc., to increase awareness and education about the need for greening our urban spaces. Under its aegis, she has organized Boston GreenFest, a grassroots environmental festival that takes place at City Hall annually and with approximately 50,000 attendees, has quickly grown to be the largest festival of its kind in the Boston area.
Dr. Weber holds a doctorate from Northeastern University in Law, Policy and Society and writes a guest column in the local newspaper. Mother of 10 year old triplets, she also serves the community in several other capacities, sitting on the parent councils of her children’s schools, running a support group for families of multiples and singing in her congregation’s choir. In her determination to provide a safe and sustainable world for her children and all children, she works tirelessly for the environmental justice green roofs can provide. Contact Karen at: Tel/Fax 617-522-5447, visit www.earthouronlyhome.com, or email her at earthouronlyhome@yahoo.com.
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