The Hydraulic Performance of Green Roofs in Urban Environments: A Brief State-of-the-Art Analysis of Select Literature

Abstract

In recent years, green roofs have been used as a control measure for urban stormwater management, as they retain, detain and slowly release rainwater. Green roofs present many economic, social and environmental benefits. After a general overview of the main features of green roofs, the paper focuses on the main outcomes highlighted by selected literature studies on the hydraulic performance of green roofs. The hydraulic efficiency has been specifically assessed through the definition of two parameters of great interest to design the tailwater drainage system: the peak reduction and the volume reduction indexes.

Keywords

• green roof
• hydraulic performance
• runoff
• stormwater management
• urban drainage system