Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Spring 2020 - 20

CASE STUDY

SCORCHED: THE REAL ESTATE
SECTOR BEGINS TO RESPOND
TO CLIMATE CHANGE
BY JOYCE MCLEAN

As more science-based climate change projections across North
America point to extreme heat as a serious public policy issue to
address, many are looking to the real estate sector and their response
to these very real problems.

I

n August 2019, a comprehensive report released by the Urban
Land Institute, entitled "Scorched: Extreme Heat and Real Estate" outlines both the climate change realities many American
urban areas are already experiencing and suggests ways that the
development sector can effectively address them and embrace
change. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a global organization
with more than 44,000 members "dedicated to responsible land
use and the creation of sustainable, thriving communities".
Scorched is statistics-rich, highlighting what climate changerelated extreme heat is already doing to our cities. For instance,
in Los Angeles, an increase of 1.8°F above 71.6°F causes smog
to increase by five per cent. The ripple effect from more smog
includes serious public health impacts, including more hospital
visits, more costs to the health care system and more untimely
deaths, especially of our most vulnerable residents, particularly
seniors and low-income people.
In Scorched the creation and mitigation of urban heat islands
is discussed and green infrastructure development is emphasized
as a response. Green roofs figure prominently. According to the
General Services Administration, cited in the Report, green roofs

LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR / SPRING 2020 / 20

can reduce urban heat islands
by 30 to 40°F; and there is an
approximate 6 year average
payback on commercial and
public buildings when extensive
green roofs are installed. Other
green infrastructure strategies
mentioned include park and
green space development, tree
planting and water features.
Air-conditioning is our go-to
when it's hot, but depending on
the source of electricity, it is also
likely to increase greenhouse gas
emissions and local air pollution.
When cooling demand goes sky
high, equipment failures can
happen. Remember 2003, when
much of the US Northeast and
Ontario were hit by a massive

summer blackout? A cascading
series of failures started when
tree contact on wires occurred.
ICF Consulting estimated
the economic impact of the
blackout at between seven and
10 billion dollars. Tree maintenance programs to eliminate
tree and wire contact are
essential. Many utilities, such
as SMUD, Sacramento's local
utility, support tree planting as
a way to help cool their communities and reduce electricity
demand. But if buildings were
built differently, air conditioning demand might not be as
high.
Scorched presents a series of
North American case studies
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Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Spring 2020

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