Green and Cool Hawaiʻi – Green Roof and Wall Research Study
The “Green and Cool Hawaiʻi” project is a research and demonstration initiative led by Dr. Andy Kaufman at the University of Hawaiʻi’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and The Outdoor Circle. The project seeks to evaluate green roofs and living wall technologies as tools for urban agriculture, climate resilience, and sustainable development in Hawaiʻi. Inspired in part by Hawaiʻi legislative interest in rooftop agriculture and urban greening, the initiative responds to growing concerns about food security, urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, rising energy costs, and climate change impacts such as severe flooding. The project positions green infrastructure not only as an environmental solution, but also as a way to create new economic opportunities for farmers, landscape professionals, nurseries, and urban agriculture stakeholders.
At the core of the project is a research and demonstration facility at CTAHR’s Hale Tuahine Research Center consisting of five experimental “ecosheds” equipped with different green roof and living wall systems. These systems are designed to test a wide range of edible crops, native Hawaiian plants, medicinal species, and non-invasive ornamentals under Hawaiʻi’s climatic conditions. Data is collected to measure stormwater retention, heat reduction, soil moisture, plant growth, crop productivity, and energy performance while also comparing vertical farming systems to conventional terrestrial agriculture. The project combines scientific monitoring with practical field demonstrations, workshops, and training programs so that current and future agricultural producers, landscape professionals, and urban planners can gain hands-on experience with the design, installation, maintenance, and performance of these emerging technologies.
The broader goal of the project is to establish Hawaiʻi as a leader in tropical green infrastructure research while generating the technical data necessary to support wider implementation and future grant funding opportunities. Expected outcomes include identifying the most suitable plant species, soil media, and system designs for Hawaiʻi; quantifying environmental benefits such as reduced runoff and cooling effects; and educating both industry professionals and the public about the economic and ecological value of green technologies. The project also aims to serve as a living laboratory for students and researchers while helping guide future urban sustainability policies and investments throughout Hawaiʻi and other tropical regions.
At the core of the project is a research and demonstration facility at CTAHR’s Hale Tuahine Research Center consisting of five experimental “ecosheds” equipped with different green roof and living wall systems. These systems are designed to test a wide range of edible crops, native Hawaiian plants, medicinal species, and non-invasive ornamentals under Hawaiʻi’s climatic conditions. Data is collected to measure stormwater retention, heat reduction, soil moisture, plant growth, crop productivity, and energy performance while also comparing vertical farming systems to conventional terrestrial agriculture. The project combines scientific monitoring with practical field demonstrations, workshops, and training programs so that current and future agricultural producers, landscape professionals, and urban planners can gain hands-on experience with the design, installation, maintenance, and performance of these emerging technologies.
The broader goal of the project is to establish Hawaiʻi as a leader in tropical green infrastructure research while generating the technical data necessary to support wider implementation and future grant funding opportunities. Expected outcomes include identifying the most suitable plant species, soil media, and system designs for Hawaiʻi; quantifying environmental benefits such as reduced runoff and cooling effects; and educating both industry professionals and the public about the economic and ecological value of green technologies. The project also aims to serve as a living laboratory for students and researchers while helping guide future urban sustainability policies and investments throughout Hawaiʻi and other tropical regions.
