Rooftop project seeks to transform Melbourne’s skyline

The City of Melbourne has mapped every rooftop in the municipality to understand the potential for increasing the uptake of solar, cool and green roofs.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the Rooftop Project involved analysing aerial photographs to understand where rooftops could be transformed using solar panels, reflective materials, or vegetation.

“There is so much potential right above us. Rooftops in central Melbourne make up 880 hectares of space, which is more than five times the size of Melbourne’s largest park, Royal Park,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Most of these rooftops are used only to store heating and cooling equipment. We could set them up to generate clean energy, increase property values and cool temperatures within the city.”

The research reveals that rooftops in the municipality have the potential to house:

637 hectares of solar panels

259 hectares of cool roofs

236 hectares of intensive (heavy) green roofs and

328 hectares of extensive (lightweight) green roofs.

The mapping shows green or vegetated roofs are most suitable in built up areas such as the CBD, Port Melbourne, and Docklands. Larger commercial and industrial buildings outside the CBD have enormous potential to store solar panels.

Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Environment Portfolio, Cr Arron Wood, encouraged residents and business owners to look at the maps and consider whether their roof could be used to help them save on energy bills and help the environment.

“Our research shows that solar panels could be installed on 637 hectares of rooftops – that’s three times the size of the Hoddle Grid. These households and businesses could be making use of the sunlight that falls on their roofs by installing solar,” Cr Wood said.

‘We want to work with the community to help reduce power bills and increase employment within the renewable energy sector. Rooftop solar will play an important part in helping us to reach our target of sourcing 25 per cent of the municipality’s electricity from renewable energy by 2018.”

The research shows that there is potential to create cool roofs on 259 hectares of rooftops across the municipality, which is the size of 86 MCGs. Cool roofs reduce the amount of heat held and transferred to the building below, keeping the building cooler and at a more constant temperature.

The City of Melbourne is also looking for partners to work collaboratively on the creation of the city’s first publically accessible green roof. Owners with suitable roofs are encouraged to contact the City of Melbourne.

For more information visit: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/Sustainability