The overheating of cities during the summer months is becoming increasingly pronounced in the context of global warming. In addition to the well-known effect of urban heat islands - with temperature differences of up to 10 degrees between the densely populated city centres of large metropolises and their surrounding areas - significantly rising temperatures and longer heat waves must be expected. Adaptation measures are urgently needed. For many years, the research group Urban Ecology at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences has been taking care of green flat roofs and facades and investigating their ecological value. This is an area of expertise that is becoming increasingly important in times of biodiversity and climate crises, as well as increasing urban sprawl and advancing urbanisation.
The planned events are in the context of activities to promote the greening of residential areas as one of the measures to mitigate the overheating of cities in the wake of global warming. Furthermore, greening your own home should create space for nature in the living environment and demonstrate ecological processes of urban drainage. The combined knowledge from this research activity is now to be presented and discussed at a scientific congress at the University of Basel on 5 and 6 June 2025, which is intended to communicate the current knowledge from research and practice in the global spectrum.
Basel and Zurich are pioneering cities in the research and promotion of green roofs. Basel has also been dubbed the ‘world capital of green roofs’ due to the highest greening rate per inhabitant on buildings. The city of Zurich has been very successful in planning and implementing green buildings for many years, and has taken on a pioneering role in Switzerland in this area. The congress is being organised in conjunction with national and international associations. It will cover topics ranging from the technical aspects of green roofs and ecological construction to research and the development of new strategies and tools for ecological urban planning. The congress will provide a platform for information and will be a driving force in establishing the promotion, research and development of green roofs and facades worldwide.
The aim of the events is to promote and raise awareness among a wide range of users regarding green roofs and facades as an ecological compensatory measure and for the aesthetic enhancement of cities and urban areas. Compared to the events in 2005, the programme is to be expanded and the possible number of participants increased due to the significant increase in interest and demand in climate adaptation measures using plants in recent years.