Business Times 19 Mar 08;
THE new 2.9-hectare Pasir Ris Park extension, toured by the media yesterday, features plants growing on the roofs of its open interpretive centre and toilet block.
Rooftop vegetation reduces surface and ambient air temperatures by as much as 31 deg C and 4.2 deg C respectively, reducing energy demand for cooling purposes, as highlighted in the 2002 Handbook on Skyrise Greening in Singapore, published by the National Parks Board (NParks) and also available on the NParks website.
While the energy cost savings from greening of accessible roofs are insufficient to offset the accompanying increase in maintenance costs, the handbook found, extensive turfing of inaccessible roofs brings life cycle cost savings of 8.5 per cent. Within 10 years, a green inaccessible roof would save enough in energy costs to cover the initial cost of greening.
Hence, current research focuses on the types of plants that are suitable for inaccessible roofs, said NParks staff.
