News

Take the time to read the latest news about our project!

I News Item

Sustainability Initiatives for Lithuanian Cities: AGROS Multiplier Event in Lithuania

Lithuania is witnessing a surge in green efforts, and we must actively engage with them. To raise awareness on this front, Kaunas STP hosted an event called “AGROS. How to create a more sustainable and greener city?” on November 8th.

Professor Dr. Lina Šeduikytė from Kaunas University of Technology stated that it is heartening to see businesses and companies embrace sustainability not only in their building projects but also in their day-to-day operations. The most impactful initiatives are those that originate from the ground up, so we must remain receptive to new ideas and view the city as a collection of many components. The event featured a presentation by Mantas Pilkauskas, chairman of the Lithuanian Union of Landscape Architects and lecturer at the VMU Academy of Agriculture, on roofs as a component of green infrastructure. Petras Lingė, coordinator of the SBA initiative “Let’s get together!”, spoke about adapting roofs to promote urban beekeeping and shared honey produced by bees residing on the roofs of Kaunas and Vilnius.

Irma Bagdonienė, a project expert from Kaunas STP, highlighted the significance of public initiatives that promote sustainable actions and introduced attendees to the AGROS project and its results, inviting them to join and explore the AGROS course.

The event was attended by local government representatives, sustainability-focused academics, landscape architecture students, and environmental activists.

Kaunas STP representative Živilė Paužaitė gives an introduction speech at the ME

II News Item

Our goal is to promote the AGROS project as widely as possible. We are eager to share the project’s concept, offerings, and especially the training course.

On the 11th October AGROS project was presented at the female conference “Entrepreneurial and Happy. Towards Sustainability”. The conference gathered more than 100 participants.

The conference explored the topic of sustainability – how to build an environmentally friendly business, how to implement social responsibility, how sustainable business should be managed, how to ensure how to achieve synergies between environmental protection, social responsibility and corporate governance in a company.

Kaunas STP representative Irma Bagdonienė representin AGROS at the conference “Entrepreneurial and Happy. Towards Sustainability”

 

III News Item

This autumn is quite an intensive period in project dissemination activities. Almost all deliverables are out to

a wide public and we put our efforts to present them in various events. To make the best out of this Kaunas STP team (Lithuania) has developed a project poster and a sticker. You can the poster here: https://kaunomtp.lt/media/images/AGROS/kauno-mtp_agros.pdf

AGROS sticker in LT

IV News Item

Green Roofs in Lithuania: Green Building in Botanical Garden of Vilnius University

In 2016, after three years of renovation, a unique green building has been opened in the Botanical Garden of Vilnius University (VU) in Vilnius, Lithuania. The building has several purposes. It is divided into spaces dedicated for administrative staff and laboratories. It was foreseen that in this building researchers will be able to carry out more precise research. Laboratory and attached greenhouse are fully equipped for implementation of micropropagation, research and experiments. The green design is distinguished by vertical columns of grass and a 200 square meter rooftop observation deck planted with a variety of planting. The green roof type is intensive.

The building is distinguished not only by its exterior design and landscaping, but also by its technical and energy performance. This is what allows the building to be used not only for academic purposes but also for other garden activities. The renovation of the building has achieved energy efficiency class A, and in winter it will be fully supplied with geothermal heating boilers and solar panels on the roof.

 

Green Building in Botanical Garden of Vilnius University in summer

Photos source: https://www.botanikos-sodas.vu.lt/gallery/museum/Zaliasis%20pastatas/311

V News Item

Green Roofs in Lithuania: Vytautas Magnus University Study and Science Center

In Autumn 2016 Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in Kaunas (Lithuania) introduced to a new study and science center.

One of the most novel ideas in the project of the center was the installation of green roof. The first step in the landscaping process was carried out in 2016, when the terrace roof was landscaped by the University’s experts. The green roof type is intensive. A wide variety of perennial flowers – 27 species and varieties – have been used to green the roof of the building. 2 400 flower seedlings have taken root on the green roof. Fescue, mullein, thyme, thyme, sage, evening primrose, melaleuca and other perennial flowers, matching each other in height, color, texture and flowering time. In the warm summer air, the fragrant aroma of sage, thyme and other aromatic plants spreads.

The installation of green roof was led by Dr Arūnas Balsevičius, Head of the Collections Department of Kaunas Botanical Garden, VMU.

 

Green roof at the Vytautas Magnus University Study and Science Center in winter

Photo source: https://botanika.vdu.lt/aktualijos/zaliajam-stogui-apzeldinti-2-400-geliu-sodinuku

 

VI News Item

Other Initiatives: European Federation of Green Roof  & Wall Associations

European Federation of Green Roof  & Wall Associations is the organization that brings Europe’s green roof and wall associations together.

In 1997, the founding green roof associations of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland came together to establish the European Federation of Green Roof and Living Wall Associations (EFB). Since then, numerous associations from across Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Scandinavia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Portugal, England, Spain, and Serbia have joined the federation. Currently, there are 15 member associations in the EFB as of 2019. The federation and its national members actively encourage the use of green roofs and green facades across Europe, recognizing their potential to enhance the quality of life in urban areas by returning sealed surfaces to nature.

Find out more: https://efb-greenroof.eu/about-us

 

 

  • Take part in the piloting of the AGROS courses!

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/1.AGROS-Newsitems-August-2022_CSI.pdf

  • From theory to practice!

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2.pdf

  • Creation of green roofs in Cyprus

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/3.pdf

  • What Rotterdam teaches about the power of green roofs.

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/4.pdf

  • France mandates green roofs!

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/5.pdf

  • Frankfurt’s green rooftops and urban airways aim to keep the city cool

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/6.pdf

  • Hori-zonte’s Environment Museum Features a Green Roof

https://settingmind.com/hori-zontes-environment-museum-features-a-green-roof/

  • University garden declared as one of UK’s top green spaces

https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2022/august/green-flag-award-2022.html

  • Gardens and green space linked to better mental health during pandemic, study shows

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/2514303-gardens-and-green-space-linked-to-better-mental-health-during-pandemic,-study-shows

What about green roofs in universities areas?

  • Banks battle back-to-office fatigue with ping pong, snacks, indoor gardens

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/banks-battle-back-office-fatigue-ping-pong-snacks-indoor-gardens-2917561

  • Musical gardens in Brasov will allow people to form improvised ensembles

https://www.themayor.eu/en/a/view/musical-gardens-in-brasov-will-allow-people-to-form-improvised-ensembles-10870

How may the musical gardens be connected with green roofs? 

  • Could ‘living roofs’ on bus stops boost Bristol’s biodiversity?

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/could-living-roofs-on-bus-stops-boost-bristols-biodiversity/

  • Madrid, Frankfurt, Vienna: How are European cities adapting to fiercer heatwaves?

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/News-item-1.pdf

  • Bus Stops With Green Roofs Can Improve City Wildlife

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/News-item-2.pdf

  • Austrian manufacturer develops solar racking for bifacial panels and green roofs

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/News-item-3.pdf

  • Solutions from nature are the building blocks for inclusive cities

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/News-item-4.pdf

  • Green Cities Conference – Better Climate, More Health

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/News-item-5.pdf

  • Lithuania Leads Europe in Mobilizing Green Building Retrofits

https://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/News-item-6.pdf

  • How green are European cities? Green space key to well-being – but access varies

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/1.March-2022.pdf

  • The benefits of green buildings

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2.march_.pdf

  • The SDGs go local! Why cities need to engage in integrated urban development

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/3.march_.pdf

  • Toward a more natural cityscape

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/4.march_.pdf

  • Do you really know all the benefits of green roofs?

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/5.march_.pdf

  • Case study: Riverfront Park, Nashville, Tennessee

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/6.march_.pdf

  • How can green roofs help respond to climate change?

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/1.Newsitems-February-2022.pdf

  • Training teachers on AGROS project.

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2.February.pdf

  • Another successful online event!

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/3.February.pdf

  • AGROS project at ‘Teacher Training Day 2022’ in Cyprus!

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/4.February.pdf

  • Green roof of Nivy Mall – An oasis for leisure and retail in the heart of a vivid city district

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/5.February.pdf

  • Four Approaches to Making Living Roofs With Native Plants

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/6.February.pdf

  •  AGROS Project Kick-off Meeting

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2.1.pdf

  • Launching Project Social Media Channel

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2.2.pdf

  • Project Progress: Launching the Development of AGROS Courses

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2.3.pdf

  • Project Development is Moving Forward: We Are Presenting a Final List of Learning Modules

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2.4.pdf

  • Transnational Project Meeting

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2.5.pdf

  • EU Funded Project PERFECT: Cross Link to the AGROS project and Some Useful Insights

http://agrosproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2.6.pdf

  • Europe’s hidden green spaces: from flowering roof tops to bus stop gardens

https://www.euronews.com/green/2020/04/23/europe-s-hidden-green-spaces-from-flowering-roof-tops-to-bus-stop-gardens

  • 6 Ways Green Roofs Protect Cities From Climate Change – from fighting heat waves to stopping floods

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/benefits-of-green-roofs-climate-change/

  • Could Green Roofs on Schools Be a Climate Solution?

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/cool-schools-2021/could-green-roofs-schools-be-climate-solution

  • Green Roofs and Climate Change in 2021

https://www.greenroofguide.com/green-roofs/climate-change/

  • How to make a green roof

https://myrooff.com/how-to-build-a-green-roof/

  • How Much Does a Green Roof Cost?

https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/roofing/green-roof/