Why is it so much hotter in the city than in the country in the summertime? Can we use plants to cool down? Learn about the urban heat island effect as you complete an engineering design challenge to design and construct your very own model green roof solution! Ecolinc works in conjunction with Liberty Science Center, New York to deliver this STEMLinc program.

A green roof (or eco-roof) is a roof that contains soil (growing media) and a vegetation layer as its outer-most surface. The construction between the growing media and the roof structure varies but typically includes a drainage layer, a root barrier, and a waterproof membrane.

While green roofs have been in use for centuries, there recently has been a surge in interest in installing green roofs in both retrofit and new construction applications. Potential benefits of green roofs include aesthetic appeal, habitat, stormwater reduction, and energy savings.

Yes – materials will be sent to your school

No prior knowledge is required

In this program students will:

• Address a driving question: Why is it so much hotter in the city than the country in the summer?
• Draw on prior knowledge regarding what makes materials and environments hot or cool.
• Explore the urban heat island effect.
• Learn about the Engineering Design Process.
• Consider limitations and constraints when engineering a solution.

In this video conference students will:

• Interact with an expert educational presenter live from Liberty Science Center, USA.
• Participate in discussion with the presenter on key sustainability issues.
• Design and create a green roof garden.

Science: Science as a Human Endeavour

• Scientific knowledge changes over time, often resulting from collaboration or by building on the work of others, and leads to advances in science (VC2S6H01)
• Scientific knowledge, skills and data can be used by individuals and communities to identify problems, consider responses and make decisions (VC2S6H02)

Digital Technologies: Technologies and Society

• How people in design and technologies occupations consider competing ethical factors including sustainability in the design of products, services and environments (VC2TDE6S01)

Design Technology: Creating Designed Solutions

• Investigate needs or opportunities for designing, and the materials, components, tools and processes needed to create designed solutions (VC2TDE6D01)
• Generate, iterate and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, using manual and digital tools (VC2TDE6D02)
• Negotiate design criteria that address ethical considerations, including sustainability, to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions (VC2TDE6D04)