Green roofs to combat climate change - 10th September 2021

Bangkok, Thailand faces soaring temperatures all year round, forcing many citizens indoors. The use of air conditioning has up until now been the only solution for keeping cool. However it is a huge contributor to carbon emissions and is making the problem worse.

Landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom is hoping to address the issue by adding more greenery to the overbuilt city, starting with rooftops. She believes that climate change needs to be given greater consideration when cities are being planned.

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. "

When Voraakhom designed Thammasat University in Bangkok, her plans incorporated a green roof space where university staff and students are now able to plant and harvest food. Flood prevention is a feature of the design as well as a rice paddy style water network leading to a lake. Perhaps most importantly, the need for air conditioning is reduced.

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.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has revealed in its report, just how close scientists believe we are, to the edge of an environmental catastrophe. More people should get on board with solving the problems, according to Voraakhom.

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."