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This will minimize air pollution by placing soil on a rooftop of a building (preferably a skyscraper, since skyscraper rooftops are normally flat) and planting trees and bushes atop. Moss could also be added for extreme measures. This could work for large cities with lots of smog and pollution, or on
top of factories to minimize the drastic effect of its smoke to the sensitive enviroment.
Google for "green roof"
http://images.googl...afe=off&sa=N&tab=wi [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]
Green Roof
http://www.uwm.edu/...nroof/benefits.html [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]
Roof trees
http://www.greenbui...uide/images/2.2.jpg [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]
Trees Planted On Buildings
http://www.teleobje...mbodia-gallery3.htm Look how well it worked out at Ta Prohm, one of the settings for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. [jurist, Oct 04 2004]
Hundertvasser haus
http://www.hundertw...info/startseite.jpg You can see a bit of the trees from this shot [energy guy, Oct 22 2004]
Heres another shot
http://www.trophome...ndertwasserHaus.jpg [energy guy, Oct 22 2004]
For [jsp]
http://www.francisf...8&cid=10&partner=uk (Second photograph) [angel, Nov 12 2004]
Manaccan church
http://www.kerrierd....co.uk/Manaccan.htm "...built in the 12th century, is famous for the ancient fig tree growing out of its walls." [angel, Nov 12 2004]
Wookiee hut
http://www.hrt.msu....ghouseGreenRoof.jpg Looks like Wookiees already do this [AfroAssault, May 02 2005]
Kaiser Center Roof Garden
http://www.liftech....s/roofgardendir.jpg Includes low-growing trees, shrubs, grass, fountain [figmeant, May 27 2007]
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Green roofs are not entirely rare these days. They generally use grasses and small plants because they have shorter roots, but trees are not unheard of. They are also useful for reducing rainwater load in cities, for reducing solar loads on roofs, and for insulation. |
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One interesting technique is to plant very leafy deciduous plants. In the summer they absorb most of the sunlight and keep the roof cool. In the winter the plants are bare, allowing the dark soil to absorb sunlight. |
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what [Worldgineer] said. also, large trees might make for dangerous projectiles if they came loose. |
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um, [x], any tree coming loose anywhere would probably be a dangerous projectile... |
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um, [abs], yes true, but when they come loose on the ground they don't fall several hundred feet to the earth... |
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hmmm ... Angkor Wat and jungle-covered ruins throughout the Yucatan, Belize, and Guatemala spring to mind. Do you suppose this same idea was the starting point to the demise of those civilizations as well? |
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We already have enough buildings with bricks or other things falling off them here in New York City.
Yet the idea of Pine Trees atop many buildings letting loose pine cones that go whizzing down 50 or so stories and hitting people on the heads... the only ones to survive would be the tourists looking constantly up at the oh so tall buildings. |
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This has been done by an austrian guy named Hundertvasser. [see link]. [MFD]Baked. |
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There's a church in Cornwall that has a fig tree growing from the wall. Just thought you'd like to know. |
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I'll get a shot next time I'm there, if I remember. In the meantime, see linky. |
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[angel] I'm sure both of your last two links vehemently prove your point, but the first link shunts me to a tertiary site when I select the second photograph, and the second link shows a fairly ordinary fig tree growing at an indiscernable level outside a 12th century church. You are rarely wrong, but I'm not getting the significance. (And, not to be rude, but is that the best environmentally-challenged roof tree England -- or even Cornwall -- has produced in 9 centuries? Surely not!) |
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//I'm not getting the significance//
I'm not sure there is any. It's just a bit of vaguely related information. Re the Francis Frith photo: hit the magnifying glass icon. //You are rarely wrong// Ha! |
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It also looks to me that the first photograph is just a weird show house and someone glued a planter on the wall. The trees on top look like they're behind the house, not growing out of it. |
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The Sanger Institute just up the road
from me is very proud of its green roofs
(rooves?). They are covered with
houseleeks, which are a kind of low-
growing succulent. Not sure if it was
done for environmental or aesthetic
reasons, but houseleek-covered roofs
apparently go back a very long
way.
I'd worry about trees for
structural reasons (how much soil
would you need up there, and what
damage would the roots do?), and (as
noted) because of the hazard if they
uproot or shed branches. Low-growing
plants seem much simpler and meet the
same aim (though not as dramatically). |
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Incidentally, the Teletubbies have this
pretty well baked, at least with grass. |
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