Review and Critical Analysis of International UHI Studies

offer financial incentives for their installation [197]. Cities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and
Japan have by‐laws which mandate green roofs on all new residential buildings [198].
Germany has the most formal arrangement incorporating green roofs into building codes and
nature conservation acts, direct and indirect financial incentives and ecological compensation
measures [212]. Little formal policy exists for urban green areas in terms of its inclusion in
building codes and such, however tree planting schemes are run by Government departments,
non‐Government and private sector companies through incentivization and subsidization. In
addition, protective legislation exists to prevent trees and parks being removed through
conservation orders, tree protection orders and green belts.
The papers highlight the following Building Energy Codes, Green Building Programs and Utility
Rebate/ Credit and Incentive Schemes for each mitigation measure in regions outside North
America:
Building Energy Codes and Green Building Programs for Cool Roofs in Rest of World
� Cool roof codes and standards have also be introduced in China; India (Building Energy
Standards), Brazil ‐ One Degree Less, Australia, Taiwan and the Middle East although
little evidence is available to discuss these codes further [201]; and
� The European Union’s Intelligent Energy Programme is sponsoring the Cool Roof
project. The project’s aims are to investigate how to create or amend current policy to
include cool roof technology as no policy currently exists [215].
Policy and Building Codes for Green Roofs and Urban Green Areas in Rest of World
� In London, UK the Mayor of London has included a Living Roofs and Walls Technical
Report in the London Plan which all London Authorities must be in conformity with [214];
� Tokyo, Japan, require greening on at least 20% of the roof on all new buildings over a
certain size [214];
� Toronto has initiated a green roof policy and implementation program requiring 50% of
roofs to be green on all new large project buildings [214];
� Switzerland, building regulations state that green roofs must be installed for all new and
renovated flat roofed buildings, this has been federal law since the late 1990s [214]; and
� Germany use the following to provide a framework for green roof policy: the Federal
Building Code; the Federal Nature Conservation Act; the Environmental Impacts
Assessment Act, the Land‐Use Regulation; and the Wastewater Charges Act [212].
Utility Rebate/ Credit /Grant and Incentive Schemes for Green Roofs and Urban Green Areas
in Rest of World
� Germany, over 80 cities offer incentives to building owners utilizing green roofs.
o Munster in Germany offers an 80% reduction in storm water drainage fees if
homeowners install a green roof on their property. 12 other cities in Germany offer
similar reductions.
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