MONTREAL, Aug. 15, 2024 /CNW/ - As part of the festivities surrounding its 50th anniversary, ÉTS is unveiling a unique initiative that will bring a touch of greenery and freshness to Montreal. Starting on August 15, 2024, the Montreal community and public transit users will be able to discover new green roofs on transit shelters in the Ville-Marie and Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie boroughs. This two-year pilot project, in cooperation with Quebecor Out-of-Home and Les Toits Vertige, aims not only to beautify public spaces, but also aligns with ÉTS's commitment to extending its urban biodiversity efforts beyond its campus and contributing to the city's climate change response measures.

Recent research clearly demonstrates the positive impacts of green roofs, particularly in reducing heat islands, managing stormwater, and promoting biodiversity. This pilot project will allow ÉTS construction engineering researchers Danielle Monfet and Jean-Luc Martel to determine whether similar effects can be observed on small surfaces. By equipping two Montreal transit shelters, located at the intersections of Robert-Bourassa/Saint-Jacques and Sherbrooke East/Pie-IX, with sensors, they will collect hard data and evaluate the effects of these installations. Additionally, it is expected that green roofs will enhance users' comfort, particularly for vulnerable individuals, by lowering the temperature inside the transit shelters. The researchers will also conduct periodic tests and compare the results with transit shelters that do not have green roofs, in order to accurately measure the benefits of these installations.

Quotations

"At ÉTS, we believe that engineering should serve society. For the past 50 years, we have been continuously evolving and redefining engineering to address the needs of the community. Projects like this one exemplify our researchers' commitment and illustrate how our expertise can create tangible, positive impacts. Through this initiative, we are contributing to urban biodiversity and combatting climate change."

-          Kathy Baig, CEO of ÉTS.

"We are proud to collaborate with a university as committed as ÉTS. This pilot project represents a great opportunity to create new urban green spaces in Montreal. At Quebecor Out-of-Home, we are fully aware of the importance of sustainable development, and this initiative fits perfectly with our commitment to raising public awareness about current environmental challenges. If the results are conclusive, we hope to see more green roofs on transit shelters in the future"

-          Michel Drouin, General Manager, Business Development, Quebecor Out-of-Home.

"As an ÉTS graduate, it was clear to me that Les Toits Vertige should be a key collaborator in this initiative. Innovation is the driving force behind all our urban landscape enhancement projects."

-          Xavier Laplace, President and Founder of Les Toits Vertige.

Benefits and anticipated effects

The results of this pilot project will provide hard data to evaluate the potential benefits of installing green roofs on transit shelters and determine their large-scale applicability, thereby contributing to climate resilience and quality of life in the city.

In addition to enhancing the daily lives of Montrealers, green roofs offer a wide range of urban and environmental benefits. By absorbing a significant portion of rainfall, they reduce the volume of water reaching urban drainage systems, thereby improving stormwater management and preventing flooding. Moreover, by regulating the interior temperature of transit shelters, they create a more comfortable environment for users, especially during periods of intense heat. By enriching urban biodiversity through providing a habitat for various plant and animal species, they also beautify the urban landscape and contribute to our collective well-being.

These effects are just a few of the observed benefits of green roofs. Other potential advantages include improved air quality, reduction of urban heat islands, and extended roof lifespan. ÉTS and its partners hope that this pilot project will yield valuable data and pave the way for future expansion of this initiative, potentially equipping a greater number of transit shelters with green roofs throughout the city.

About ÉTS

Specializing in university education and applied research in engineering and technology, ÉTS is the leading engineering faculty in Quebec and the second largest in Canada. Its cooperative education model and its 50 scientific clubs and student groups encourage its engaged community to be entrepreneurial and innovate, making a significant impact on the technological development of society. ÉTS maintains unique and privileged relationships with the business and industrial sectors, with 70% of its research activities conducted with, and for, companies in Quebec, Canada, and internationally. It has established itself as a key player in the innovation cycle, notably by founding Centech, which is ranked among the top 10 most effective incubators in the world.
https://www.etsmtl.ca/

About Quebecor Out-of-Home

Quebecor Out-of-Home, a division of Quebecor, is a cornerstone of impactful out-of-home advertising, boasting the widest range of urban furniture in Quebec, with a network of over 14,000 advertising faces in the Montreal CMA, Quebec CMA, and Sherbrooke markets. With an ever-evolving offering, strategic partnerships in programmatic advertising, unlimited media creativity, great flexibility, convergence strength, and the use of cutting-edge technology, Quebecor Out-of-Home stands out for its strong connection with advertisers and consumers. Quebecor Out-of-Home invests in the development of new markets and innovative products and is committed to a sustainable footprint. https://quebecorexpertisemedia.com/en/platforms/out-of-home 

About Les Toits Vertige

Founded in 2005 by the visionary Xavier Laplace, Les Toits Vertige is the first company in Quebec specializing in the creation of green roofs. Nineteen years later, the company, which employs over 40 people, has installed more than 2 million square feet of green roofs across various urban spaces in Quebec. Its mission is perfectly aligned with current climate change challenges: improving people's quality of life, while creating cool islands in as many urban spaces as possible. Whether it's for green roofs, rooftop terraces, green walls, landscaping, urban agriculture projects, or more recently, custom projects for climate-resilient structures, over 600 clients have trusted Les Toits Vertige since its founding. http://toitsvertige.com/ 

SOURCE École de Technologie Supérieure