Roof Garden as an Alternative to Balance Ecological Environment

Abstrak

The increasing physical development of the city, population growth and various urban activities lead to a reduction in green open space and a decrease in the quality of the living environment which results in changes in natural ecosystems. One strategy that can be used is to apply a roof garden. This study aims to obtain data on the economic, ecological and aesthetic. The method used in this research is an inductive descriptive analysis method. Roof garden is a technology that utilizes the roof on a building to grow plants. In this research, the priority is to grow food crops (vegetables and fruit). Therefore, efforts to expand and improve the function of green open spaces is needed to maintain the sustainability, harmony, and balance of urban ecosystems. This roof garden can make the scenery more picturesque, as a heat insulator, absorb pollutant gases, prevents ultraviolet radiation from the sun directly entering the house, and reduces noise. The roof garden can also cool the building and the room below it so that it can save more energy by reducing the use of air conditioning. The second function is extensive which has one type of activity and does not involve many people or not intended for human activities. Roof gardens have a different view from conventional gardens. Roof gardens have ecological benefits, such as absorbing air contaminants and rainwater retention. The roof garden can increase rainwater intake to be absorbed and stored up to 30%.