Green Roof Rainwater Harvesting System Proposal in the Philippines

This proposal, designed by the group of architects at Payawal Architects, addresses

the urban heat Island effect of a tropical country like the Philippines as well as for the
enhancement of building’s thermal performance and flooding issue. The aim is to develop
a practical yet cost-effective approach to dealing with this problem is by the collection of
rainwater runoff from buildings in the urban setting and reuse it for non-potable water
use. The building sampled is the Red Planet Hotel at Ortigas, it is to have a “green roof
rainwater harvesting system” installed on it to reduce annual rainwater runoff. The hotel
will become energy efficient especially during the summer when the use of air-
conditioning is most abundant. This proposal studies the benefits of installation of the
green roof rainwater harvesting system and how it works.

Background of the problem

Urban heat island effect is caused by the warming of air in urban areas due to
different urban factors such as number of vehicular traffic, congested high-rise buildings
over a small area, lack of open parks that lets air to pass through. In response to the
growing problems of thermal effects in the city, the use of cooling-energy like air
conditioners have become the primary solution. At the same time, introduces new
problems like the formation of air pollutants.

Storm water runoff is a common issue in the Philippines due to the abundant
amount rain that the country receives annually, especially during rainy seasons. Green
infrastructures have become the most cost-effective and sustainable innovation that
effectively manage the excessive rainwater runoff. Therefore, the alternative solution is
by providing green roofing system combined with the rainwater harvesting as the tool for
reducing the adverse effects of urban heat island effect and flooding in the country.

Benefits and feasibility

 A green roof is comparable to a modern drainage system in which it absorbs
rainwater thus slowing down rainwater runoff. It serves as a sustainable drainage system
great for storm water management. Due to the nature of rainwater harvesting, it reduces
rainwater runoff that causes floods in low areas because the rainwater is collected and
stored for future use in large water tanks. Thus, reducing floor and soil erosion in the
area.

In urban areas, the temperature is often higher than surrounding areas especially
during summer, and it takes significantly longer in cooling down during the night. A green
roof can counteract this because it adds moisture to the air and cools it down rapidly
through the process of evaporation. Thus, reducing urban heat island effect.

A green roof has many layers, it creates an effective insulation effect that
minimizes the requirement for excessive cooling. Since its layers absorbs the water from
rain and heat from the sun, it both controls heat gain and heat loss. Thus, a green roof
works well in any weather condition whether sunny or raining.

Demand on ground water is continuously increasing due to the rapid population

growth more people are extracting water to fulfill their daily water needs. The utilization
of rainwater helps mitigate this problem by reusing rainwater for different function that
does not require potable water. The collected water from harvesting rainwater can be
used for several non-potable water functions. This leads to a reduction for the water bill.
It is capable to be linked to irrigation systems that will water the green roof making it
effectively sustainable. The rainwater when collected and filtered can be used for several
non-drinking uses such as flushing toilets, cleaning, for irrigation etc.

Due to the urban heat island effect, a building’s thermal condition if often high and
requires the use of energy to maintain a comfortable temperature. Thus, increasing
electricity bills. A green roof has properties that help reduce heat gain, making the
building cooler during hot days.

A green roof is often made into rooftop gardens where people can use for different
recreation activities as well as just to relax in a green environment. This is most common
for buildings that people visit to, like malls, hotels and condominiums. It serves as a
recreational amenity where you can meet with friends and family. Since plants are known
to absorb carbon dioxide and replaces it with oxygen, green roofs clean the air and filters
different air pollutants. Thus, improving air quality in its immediate surrounding.

The design of green roofs can be done in several different ways that would make
it adapt to the overall design of a building. The beauty of nature integrated into a building
helps in the relaxation of the occupants.

With the application of the Green roof rainwater harvesting system, it will not only
help in the design but also will be a candidate for LEED or BERDE certification that can
boost the building’s profile and image. This type of innovation will help building become
environmental-friendly and maximizes energy efficiency which in return helps the
company save money for the years to follow.

Project Description

A green roof development involves the integration of vegetated spaces on top of

a man-made structure while rainwater harvesting system is a technique and storage of
rainwater inside tanks or reservoirs. There are various benefits that are included when
installing a green roof rain water harvesting system such as the reduction of rainwater
runoff from the building’s roof surface and the potential energy saving from reducing the
use of the building’s air conditioning system during hot days.

The green roof is composed of layers which work together in making it possible for plants
to grow on roof tops, such as waterproofing membrane used for protecting the concrete
from contact with the concrete; insulation; root barrier for preventing roots from
damaging the concrete roof deck; protection fabric as protection from damage during the
construction of the green roof; drainage layer that is connected to the roof drain and
provides ventilation for the roots to breathe; filter fabric that is used to separate the
growth medium with the drainage layer, it prevents the growth of bacteria; growth
medium is the soil that will help in the growth of plants; lastly, the plants or vegetation
which serves as the main component that is put on the topmost layer.

On the other hand, the rainwater harvesting is made possible through the following
system. First is drainage, which is in charge of collecting rainwater runoff from the roof
surface; the collected rainwater is then transferred to a rainwater catchment tank; the
next step is the filtration of the collected rainwater which cleans the water from
impurities; the filtered water is then pumped back up to the main water tank located on
the rooftop; last step is the distribution of water through the pipelines that connects to
the toilet flushing system, irrigation system and various water faucets that will make use
of the recycled rainwater.