Quite apart from the issues stemming from the wish of city dwellers to have the use of more green spaces in the city, the question of greening presents a major challenge to Paris particularly in light of its commitments with regard to sustainable development and the fact that it is dealing with a scarce real estate commodity. This issue has been identified as one of the cornerstones of the Biodiversity Plan and one of the levers which could help the city adapt to climate change.
This study is part of the overall push for improvement in the quality of the environment in Paris. Its aim is to supply the City of Paris with the technical know-how which would allow it to develop a potential total of 460 hectares of green roofs. 80 hectares could become green very quickly but the remaining 380 would need a great deal more work: this would complement the 44 hectares which have already been greened.
This diagnostic study of existing roof-top terraces in Paris presents an evaluation of the main technical constraints inherent in the creation of a system for greening existing buildings and, with this in mind, considers different methods by which the roof spaces could be increased thus contributing to the Paris green belt:
- continue and widen the policy of creating green roofs as part of the heritage of the city;
- develop tools and partnerships with social housing organisations;
- adapt regulatory tools;
- establish a system of financial incentives and develop information and communication tools.
