In this column, John Boon (Arcadis) argues that roof and facade greenery should be embraced as a powerful addition—not a replacement—to trees, parks, and other open-ground green infrastructure. Using Utrecht’s Wonderwoods Vertical Forest as a touchstone, he outlines benefits that include everyday contact with nature, biodiversity gains (especially for insects and birds), urban cooling, water retention, and health outcomes. He also notes accessibility: façade greening can be experienced by everyone, and Wonderwoods includes a publicly accessible roof park during the day.
Boon tackles the harder question of sustainability accounting: structures that support intensive greening may embody more CO₂ than their plants can absorb, yet longer building lifespans, cooling effects, stormwater management, and well-being gains matter. Success, he stresses, requires early design coordination (architects + landscape architects), ensuring space, water, and nutrients for plants, the use of a digital twin to plan and manage, and strong, ongoing maintenance and leadership from administrators, investors, clients, and designers. Done well, roof and façade greening helps deliver truly Future Green Cities.
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