«Green» structures in the urbanized environment: studying the impact of «green» roofs on environmental parameters and rainwater quality. Bibliographic review

Abstract

A quantitative analysis of the most cited articles published in the Scopus scientometric database by 2023 is carried out. It is shown that most of the publications, the object of study of which are "green" structures, focus on the study of "green" roofs. It is shown that since 1981, the number of studies on green roofs has been steadily increasing: approximately 45% of articles focus on the benefits in terms of thermal impact and thermal insulation, 18% on rainwater drainage, 15% on air quality, 5% on the noise-absorbing properties of green roofs, and 17% on the costs of building and operating green roofs, recreational facilities, fire protection, and other related issues. The requirements and commonly used materials for a standard green roof are described, as well as the percentage of scientific publications, depending on the functions and layers of green roof construction involved. An analysis of the most cited scientific studies on the impact of green roof systems on wastewater quality was conducted. It is shown that the results of the studies presented in these publications indicate the need for further study of the impact of a "green" roof on the amount of pollution in the water flowing from its surface. It is emphasized that further research should focus on the structural layers of the roof (thickness and materials used), namely the thickness and types of substrate layers, as well as on the conditions of plant care (e.g., fertilization), especially on intensive green roofs. In addition, it should be studied and analyzed how the retention of rainwater by plants and the soil layer of a green roof affects the relative humidity of the air near the building during periods without rain. The most cited scientific studies on the reduction of air pollutants by means of green roofs are analyzed. It is concluded that future research should focus on the study of plant species that are well adapted to growing on roofs (in temperate climates) and most effectively carry out the process of photosynthesis, absorbing CO2 and releasing O2 into the atmosphere around the building. The article analyzes the most cited scientific publications on the noise-absorbing properties of green roofs. It is substantiated that it is necessary to maximize the percentage of green roofs implementation on all buildings and structures in the city so that green roofs can significantly affect the quality of the environment in urbanized areas.