Italy has discovered the benefits of green roofs too! The Environment Park, in Turin, is a sprawling complex with green roofs on most buildings.

From Energy Planning Knowledge Base:

"The idea which comes from is the construction of a united landscape able to link river, garden and Technological Park in a system of land architecture with a vocation deeply ecological and environmental."

The Environment Park green roof is 20,000 sqm, and is build atop a former Fiat complex and was completed in 2000.


Other recognized benefits include:

• Improvement of micro climate
• Reduced fine particulate matter air pollution
• Storm water runoff management
  
• Reduction of urban acoustic pollution

Finally, and an interesting fact, Environment Park uses a wood chip burning system to provide 85% of required heating in the winter. The wood chips are the result of pruning the trees that line the road through the complex. They also utilize an underground canal to help provide cooling in the summer.
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