Green roofs in Thailand - 10th September 2021

This is Thailand. It is very hot. Many people have to stay inside. They have air conditioning in their houses. Air conditioning machines make cool air. But they are a problem. They are bad for the environment.

Kotchakorn Voraakhom plans gardens and houses. She thinks cities need more green areas. She puts plants on roofs.

Kotchakorn Voraakhom: "Think about all the wasted space, millions of square meters of wasted rooftops is actually part of our problems can turn into the solution; like this green roof. "

Voraakhom helped Thammasat University in Bangkok. She made a green roof. Students and workers at the university can grow food there. There is a lake too. It makes the building safe from floods. And the building needs less air conditioning.

Kotchakorn Voraakhom: "Green roofs can protect the use of the energy in the building because you reduce heat that is coming into the building but you also reflect heat outside into the environment. So actually it benefits both ways.

Some scientists wrote a report about the environment. They believe we are going to have a big problem. Voraakhom thinks more people need to help.

Kotchakorn Voraakhom: "I think humans have to adapt rather than thinking about over-consuming to fix the problem. We can fix your own problem but it actually creates a bigger global problem. So I just feel like it's time for us to really change our lifestyle."