Asia's high-rise gardeners unearth key to cooler cities - Yahoo! News: "In cramped cities, owning green space ties into wider issues of who can afford what, said Singaporean academic Lai Ah Eng, who studies community social relations.
Now governments are touting greenery's many benefits. As well as reducing air and noise pollution, plants lower ambient air temperatures through evapo-transpiration, and by blocking heat from the sun with their leaves.
Beijing has pledged to add 100,000 square meters of roof gardens every year from 2007-2010. And last month Singapore, the 'garden city,' unveiled its first 'green' housing estate, with walls of cooling greenery hardwired into its architecture.
'From the scientific point of view, every plant produces a cooling effect,' said Professor Nyuk Hien Wong, of the Department of Building at the National University of Singapore, who designs the green walls.
'The rule of thumb is one degree less is a five percent (energy) saving.' "
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
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