Sustainability and Environmental Performance of Green Roof Agricultural Technology Systems
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Technology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editor
Interests: green roofs; blue–green roofs; sedum-based systems; surface temperature monitoring; thermal performance; sensor-based environmental monitoring; irrigation management; urban heat mitigation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Green roof agricultural technology systems represent an emerging interdisciplinary field at the intersection of urban agriculture, green infrastructure, and environmental engineering. Historically, green roofs were primarily implemented for thermal insulation, stormwater retention, and ecological enhancement. Over the past decade, however, the integration of agricultural production on rooftops has evolved into a promising strategy to address climate change, promote circular resource use, and enhance urban food resilience. As cities seek multifunctional solutions for sustainability, rooftop farming technologies—including modular green roofs, blue-green systems, and sensor-assisted cultivation platforms—offer new opportunities to transform underutilized urban surfaces into productive landscapes. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather cutting-edge research on the environmental, agronomic, technological, and socio-economic performance of green roof agricultural systems. We welcome studies assessing energy efficiency, cooling effects, carbon dynamics, hydrological behaviour, nutrient management, and biodiversity outcomes. Innovative methodologies such as IoT-based monitoring, remote sensing, life cycle assessment, and digital twins are particularly encouraged. This Special Issue seeks contributions that advance fundamental understanding, propose novel system designs, or present real-world case studies from pilot installations and living labs. We also invite comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses that synthesize current knowledge and identify future research needs. By bringing together diverse perspectives, this collection aims to support the development of sustainable, resilient, and technologically advanced rooftop agricultural solutions.
Dr. Patrizia De Rossi
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- green roofs
- rooftop agriculture
- blue–green infrastructure
- urban sustainability
- substrate and irrigation management
- urban ecosystem services
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
