Benefit-Cost Analysis of an Extensive Green Roof Project in Izmir Katip Celebi University Cigli Campus

Abstract Green roofs are becoming more essential part of sustainable urban planning since they can enhance the quality of urban runoff, reduce building energy use, and provide aesthetic value to the surroundings. Despite the fact that they provide significant benefits to cities, they are not widely used. Initial expenses have been discussed as a barrier to implementation, but the long term benefits associated with green roofs have largely been ignored. An accurate assessment of the entire costs and benefits of green roofs to society, cities, and the environment will assist government officials to make decisions about whether or not to invest in green roof projects. However, detailed benefit-cost evaluations related to green roofs are still lacking. Therefore, by conducting a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) on the instance of extensive green roof installation in Izmir Katip Çelebi University Cigli Campus, this study attempts to evaluate the economic viability of green roof projects in Izmir. The analysis consists of estimating four cost items and four benefit items. Benefit items were investigated under two categories: public and private benefit. The results indicate that the net present value (NPV) of the green roof is positive, although some of the benefits were not quantified. It means that the green roof project in the context of this study is worth making. This paper can help both academic researchers and government officials in Izmir understand the relative benefit and costs of green roofs under specific conditions.