| dc.description.abstract | This master’s thesis is the final project of a two-year civil engineering program in building design at the University of Agder. Both authors are writing the master’s thesis, with a background in the technical planning study program. The purpose of the thesis is to shed light on sustainable urbanization through the implementation of rooftop greenhouses in urban areas. A feasibility study has been conducted, through a literature and document search, to gather information, perform assessments, and set scores to identify the best solutions for a rooftop greenhouse under Norwegian conditions. This leads to the following research question, with sub-question:
“How can rooftop greenhouses on larger commercial structures contribute to sustainability?”
“Which contributions are considered most beneficial in the rooftop greenhouse concept as assessed through a feasibility study?”
There are 10 main categories within the feasibility study: Location, host building, crops and plants, algae and fish, cultivation technologies, cooling system, heating system, other technological solutions, and greenhouse design. Each of these main categories, has its own measurement parameter tables, guidelines for assessment work, and scoring for the 56 subcategories that form the measurement basis of the entire feasibility study.
It is concluded for the main research question, that rooftop greenhouses can obtain added value within social, economic and environmental sustainability. Through efficient energy utilization resulted from host building symbiosis, more robust and secure food supply, decreases transport distances and food waste, increased land use efficiency, job employment and learning possibilities.
The contributions that are considered the most beneficial for/in rooftop greenhouse implementation are: Location Arendal, on top of Morrow battery factory. Use of impact-resistant polycarbonate as surface material. Production of lettuce in an aeroponic cultivation technology. The use of passive cooling and heating systems such as natural cooling, thermal curtains, solar collectors, heat pumps, and water tanks for heating. For other technologies, LED lights and kinetic tiles can contribute to increased environmental and social values. The greenhouse design featured a multi-span greenhouse with even spacing, Venlo style with the short sides facing east-west, and supports placed above the host buildings bearing elements. | |
