Selection of (Green) Roof Systems: A Sustainability-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methodology
- (1)
- Identification of the factors influencing the choice between a traditional flat solution and a green roof system (Figure 1), to define the main criteria and sub-criteria considered;
- (2)
- Application of a multi-criteria technique—the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) [23]—in order to evaluate the priority of each selected criteria and sub-criteria;
- (3)
- Final ranking of green roofs and traditional roofs according to the full set of criteria and sub-criteria.
2.1. Selection of Criteria
- (1)
- Economic
- (2)
- Environmental
- (3)
- Social
- (4)
- Performance
2.2. Economic Criteria
2.2.1. Installation Costs
2.2.2. Maintenance Costs
2.2.3. Tax Incentives
2.2.4. Real Estate Benefits
2.2.5. Energy Savings
2.3. Environmental Criteria
2.3.1. Air Quality and Urban Heat Island Reduction
2.3.2. Runoff Reduction
2.3.3. Embodied Energy and Carbon Emission
2.3.4. Resource Sustainability
2.4. Social
2.4.1. Building Aesthetic
2.4.2. Urban Aesthetic
- -
- green spaces located at high altitude with panoramic views of the surrounding urban environment;
- -
- spaces where plants and plant species are cultivated, even edible plants, and it is possible to observe animal species (e.g., birds);
- -
- social gathering and meeting spaces (especially in the presence of cafes, restaurants, etc.).
2.4.3. Suitability to Urban Location
2.4.4. Health
2.5. Performance
2.5.1. Roof Longevity
2.5.2. Acoustic Noise Reduction
2.5.3. Weight of System
2.5.4. Insulation Properties
3. Multi-Criteria Analysis—The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)
- -
- First level: the goal to be achieved, i.e., identifying a better roof system solution;
- -
- Second level: criteria, i.e., the significant factors considered for the selection of the better solution (i.e., Economic, Environmental, Social, Performance);
- -
- Third level: sub-criteria (or groups of sub-criteria), which specify the upper criteria (i.e., the 17 sub-criteria);
- -
- Fourth level: the alternative solutions that allow the goal to be reached (i.e., the two alternative roof solutions).
3.1. The Weighing of the Criteria and Sub-Criteria
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. Criteria and Sub-Criteria Priority
4.2. Final Ranking
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Panel | Number of Components |
---|---|
Group a: Academics * | 15 |
Group b: Professionals ** | 15 |
Economic | Environmental | Social | Performance |
---|---|---|---|
Installation cost | Air quality and heat island reduction | Building aesthetic | Roof longevity |
Maintenance and disposal costs | Runoff reduction | Urban aesthetic and biodiversity | Acoustic noise reduction |
Tax incentives | Embodied energy and carbon emission | Suitability to location | Weight of system |
Real estate benefit | Resource sustainability | Health | Insulation properties |
Energy savings (heating, cooling) |
Criterion 1 | Criterion 2 | Criterion 3 | Criterion 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Criterion 1 | 1 | a12 | a13 | a14 |
Criterion 2 | a21 | 1 | a23 | a24 |
Criterion 3 | a31 | a32 | 1 | a34 |
Criterion 4 | a41 | a42 | a43 | 1 |
Groups of Criteria | Priority | Sub-Criteria | Priority within the Group * | Ranking within the Group * | Global Priority ** | Global Ranking ** |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Economic | 0.206 | Installation costs | 0.229 | 2 | 0.047 | 10 |
Maintenance costs | 0.309 | 1 | 0.064 | 6 | ||
Tax incentives | 0.171 | 3 | 0.035 | 13 | ||
Real estate benefit | 0.148 | 4 | 0.031 | 15 | ||
Energy savings | 0.143 | 5 | 0.029 | 17 | ||
Environmental | 0.230 | Air quality | 0.322 | 1 | 0.074 | 5 |
Runoff | 0.228 | 3 | 0.053 | 8 | ||
Embody energy and carbon emission | 0.176 | 4 | 0.041 | 11 | ||
Recycle materials | 0,273 | 2 | 0.063 | 7 | ||
Social | 0.194 | Building aesthetic | 0,156 | 4 | 0.030 | 16 |
Urban aesthetic | 0,160 | 3 | 0.031 | 14 | ||
Sustainability location | 0.205 | 2 | 0.040 | 12 | ||
Health effects | 0.480 | 1 | 0,093 | 4 | ||
Performance | 0.369 | Roof protection | 0.275 | 2 | 0.101 | 2 |
Acoustic noise reduction | 0.137 | 4 | 0.051 | 9 | ||
Weight of system | 0.262 | 3 | 0.097 | 3 | ||
Thermal insulation properties | 0.326 | 1 | 0.120 | 1 |
Panel Group | Traditional Roof | Green Roof | Difference |
---|---|---|---|
Academics | 0.398 | 0.602 | 0.204 |
Professionals | 0.417 | 0.583 | 0.166 |
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Rosasco, P.; Perini, K. Selection of (Green) Roof Systems: A Sustainability-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis. Buildings 2019, 9, 134. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9050134
Rosasco P, Perini K. Selection of (Green) Roof Systems: A Sustainability-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis. Buildings. 2019; 9(5):134. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9050134
Chicago/Turabian StyleRosasco, Paolo, and Katia Perini. 2019. "Selection of (Green) Roof Systems: A Sustainability-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis" Buildings 9, no. 5: 134. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9050134