Copenhagen – our host city
World Green Roof Congress, Copenhagen - 18-21 September 2012
The City of Copenhagen is a perfect location for WGRC 2012. A world famous tourist destination and designated a World City, it is the perfect city to host the WGRC 2012 not least because it is a forefront of developing green roof policies and green roof implementation in Northern Europe. It is also home to internationally recognised architectural practices, many of which are articulating Copenhagen’s approach to green roofs in their designs and projects. These include BIG and 8-tallet.
The City of Copenhagen created a green roof policy as part of the city’s 2009 Climate Plan in 2010, which was a milestone and the only one in Scandinavia. In this plan the goal is a requirement that green roofs should be integrated in future city development as of the next Municipal Plan in 2012.
However, the use of green roofs is mandatory in at least three of five district plans dealing with city development. One of these district plans focuses on the biggest city development area in Northern Europe, the North Harbour. The City of Copenhagen has a vision of setting new standards for sustainable and climate-adapted solutions in the development of the North Harbour, for which green roofs are an important element.
As part of the planning process, green roofs have become integrated in different guidelines:
- Climate adaptation guidelines,
- Environment guidelines for Building and Development
- Guidelines to support the City’s Strategy for Biodiversity.
Copenhagen adopted a policy for green roofs in May 2010, which was a manifestation of a new planning philosophy. However, later the same year the Technical and Environmental Administration chose to alter that decision and instead make green roofs as part of the next Municipal Plan for 2012.
