Multifunctional roofs
The future challenges the city of Rotterdam faces, are complex when it comes to keeping the city liveable and resilient. Therefore the potentional 18,5 kilometre flat roofs offer an enormous potential.
The city is getting more populated and at the same time we have to deal with increasingly complex urban challenges, such as climate change, mobility issues, creating affordable housing and spaces to recreate. The demand on the existing space is expanding. Therefore Rotterdam aims to lift the city to a higher level. By using it's potential of 18,5 square kilometre flat roofs.
Adding value
The flat roofs offer an enormous potential for multiple functions: for water retention, generating of sustainable energy, green roofs or to create a rooftop terrace. An even more valueable city can be created by combining the various functions on rooftops. To add value for the quality of life in Rotterdam citizens' immediate living environment and for entrepreneurs to develop even more profitable business models.
Coloured rooftops
We are now differentiating between seven different rooftop functions, each represented by a distinctive colour:
- Green roofs provide greening and increased biodiversity in the city.
- Blue roofs store water and ensure delayed drainage.
- Yellow roofs generate sustainable energy.
- Red roofs house social functions and look after social cohesion.
- Orange roofs are used for mobility.
- Purple roofs are residential roofs.
- Grey roofs harbour technical functions.
Added value is created by combining various different functions or colours: golden combinations.
Tool Multifunctional Rooftops
The Multifunctional Rooftops Tool from Arcadis, the municipality of Rotterdam and LIFE@Urban Roofs helps you make investment decisions. Get insight into the financial business case and the social costs and benefits of your multifunctional roof! Think for example of the effects on health, biodiversity, water storage or energy generation. The tool helps you to optimise your roof design, to establish a sound business case, but above all to use your roof to contribute to a pleasant working and living environment in the city!
In three easy steps, you run through the tool. Link opens an external page in 15 minutes.
Share your Rooftop story
Rotterdam is proud of the roof stories from the city. For inspiring rooftop stories: check the video series 'Rotterdams RoofTopStories. Link opens an external page'. Share your rooftop story on social media with #RoofTopStories.
Life@Urban Roofs
LIFE is a subsidy programme from the European Commission. It's meant to support environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects across the EU. Life@Urban Roofs is a subsidy that funds three locations in the city: Peperklip, Robert Fruinstraat and De Heuvel. All these locations need maintenance on their roofs and outdoor spaces within the next five years.
