Performance of functional green 3R roof/wall biotechnology for urban waste recycling with co-benefits | |
| Author | Shrestha, Utpala |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-19-24 |
| Subject(s) | Refuse and refuse disposal Green roofs (Gardening) Recycling (Waste, etc.) Waste minimization Biotechnology |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Green Roofs and Walls come under sustainable technology and is one of the most viable solutions for lack of green space in cities. Incorporating liquid waste (human urine) from separation toilets at various application rates, and solid waste (organic biodegradable waste and plastic waste) to build a growing substrate for the plants reduces the load on landfills and wastewater treatment. Integrating a working semi-automated irrigation/fertigation system with efficient regimes to enable uniform distribution and point delivery of the urine fertilizer would create a sustainable (clog-free and odor-free) environment-friendly green roof/wall system. Hence, an innovative functional 3R biotechnology was developed that is suitable for urban settings to not only achieve the main benefit of waste recycling and reuse, but also gain co-benefits of food production, aesthetic improvement and landscaping. By the end of the 10-week study, no odor was observed at any stage after flushing the system. Mild to medium odor was present only during the application time. The emitter discharge rate, which is the main indicator of system clogging, was found to show decrease from 2.38 l/hr to 2.34 l/hr which is not significant. No dramatic changes were observed in plant growth parameters and soil health indicating parameters throughout the study. Double wall technique showed prospects of achieving both aesthetics and commercial benefit with successful inflorescence/food production in Allamanda/bitter gourd and Mandevilla/Butterfly pea. The results showed that certain range of NLR is appropriate for the study plants (up to 4.64 gN/m2), for either flowering or fruit bearing plants of green 3R green roofs/walls depending on the species, surroundings and physical factors. This was found to be successful both under sunlight intensity of 4,300 lux (average shady condition) and 28,000 lux (top sunny conditions). |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Shipin, Oleg V.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Ekbordin Winijkul;Vilas Nitivattananon; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2019 |