Green roofs are an important climate adaptation tool for cities. They manage storm-water as the vegetation absorbs and delays runoff, increase biodiversity, reduce the urban heat island effect, clean air by filtering and capturing small particles and have great aesthetic value. Severe weather conditions give green roofs a hard time. High temperatures and periods of droughts as observed in last spring and summer lead to plant mortality, high maintenance costs and under-performing roofs. Our RainBrain solution uses the full spectrum of IoT to maximize green roofs’ impact, reduce plant mortality and reduce urban flood risks by optimizing reservoir capacity. Hereto, we use open weather data, sensors, actuators, predictive analysis and simulation models to monitor health of vegetation, watering needs and optimise rainwater storage capacity. If heavy rain is forecasted, reservoirs are proactively emptied. If no rain is forecasted, rain is kept in storages and is reused to water the vegetation.
12:30 - RainBrain - The smart blue-green roof