title: Green roof systems: a study of public attitudes and preferences in southern Spain.
abstract: This study investigates people's preconceptions of green roofs and their visual preference for different green roof design alternatives in relation to behavioral, social and demographical variables. The investigation was performed as a visual preference study using digital images created to represent eight different alternatives: gravel roof, extensive green roof with Sedums not in flower, extensive green roof with sedums in bloom, semi-intensive green roof with sedums and ornamental grasses, semi-intensive green roof with shrubs, intensive green roof planted with a lawn, intensive green roof with succulent and trees and intensive green roof with shrubs and trees. Using a Likert-type scale, 450 respondents were asked to indicate their preference for each digital image. Results indicated that respondents' sociodemographic characteristics and childhood environmental background influenced their preferences toward different green roof types. Results also showed that green roofs with a more careful design, greater variety of vegetation structure, and more variety of colors were preferred over alternatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agroforestry Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Seville, Carretera de Utrera, Km 1, C.P. 4101 Seville, Spain. rafafc@us.es
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Cañero
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Emilsson
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Barba
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Herrera Machuca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D029781:Cupressus; D004522:Educational Status; D005160:Facility Design and Construction / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D008297:Male; D010944:Plants; D027861:Prunus; D011639:Public Opinion; D031963:Sedum; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aesthetic; Design; People's preferences; Preconceptions; Urban greening