Brno unveils first public transport stops with green roof

This should prepare the city better for summer heatwaves and high temperatures

Brno is another European city to boast green roofs on public transport stops. At the start of December two stops were covered with greenery to provide cooler shelter and cleaner air for public transport passengers in waiting.  Appropriate locations for installation were selected by the Brno city management, while their production and assembly were provided by the Brno Transport Company.

Green roofs – attractive and practical solution for the outdoor furniture

Apart from the more attractivity that green roofs give to the stops, they have a practical advantage - the absorption of sun rays and hence the protection of passengers on hot summer days. More precisely, the roofs of the shelters are planted with houseleeks and stonecrops, which are undemanding plants. The overall design is therefore not only colourful but also very easy for maintenance. There is no need for watering or draining of excess water, only fertilization must be carried out once a year, which is nevertheless guaranteed by the transport authority of Brno (DPMB).

The second-largest Czech city has 1,450 stops, 573 of which are covered with shelters. In the context of the extreme heatwaves that hit Europe this summer, the city management instructed the Brno Public Transit company to identify the first locations to be adapted to the changed climate conditions. The analysis of suitable sites took into account parameters such as the long-term absence of shelter at the exposed site, but also the proximity to a socially important site.

Consequently, the first two shelters were installed at the beginning of December 2019 at the stops Central Cemetery (in the direction of Modřice) and Výstaviště - the main entrance (in the direction of the centre). Furthermore, by the end of the year, two more will be installed at Mendlovo náměstí (tram stop number 6 in the direction of Starý Lískovec) and at the Anthropos stop (in the direction of Kamenný vrch).

Based on the results of this initial experience, it will be decided at the city level what types of shelters will be suitable for other selected locations.