#then sydney australia

[booksandglitter]

looking at the moon and experiencing a very deep yearning

[maureen2musings]

saria_n_michael

[reasonsforhope]

"As solar panels heat up beyond 25°C, their efficiency decreases markedly. Green roofs moderate rooftop temperatures. So we wanted to find out: could green roofs help with the problem of heat reducing the output of solar panels?

Our research compared a “biosolar” green roof — one that combines a solar system with a green roof — and a comparable conventional roof with an equivalent solar system. We measured the impacts on biodiversity and solar output, as well as how the plants coped with having panels installed above them.

The green roof supported much more biodiversity, as one might expect. By reducing average maximum temperatures by about 8°C, it increased solar generation by as much as 107% during peak periods. And while some plant species outperformed others, the vegetation flourished.

These results show we don’t have to choose between a green roof or a solar roof: we can combine the two and reap double the rewards...

How did the panels affect the plants?

In the open areas, we observed minimal changes in the vegetation cover over the study period compared to the initial planted community.

Plant growth was fastest and healthiest in the areas immediately around the solar panels. Several species doubled in coverage. We selected fast-growing vegetation for this section to achieve full coverage of the green roof beds as soon as possible.

The vegetation changed the most in the areas directly below and surrounding the solar panels. The Baby Sun Rose, Aptenia cordifolia, emerged as the dominant plant. It occupied most of the space beneath and surrounding the solar panels, despite having been planted in relatively low densities.

This was surprising: it was not expected the plants would prefer the shaded areas under the panels to the open areas. This shows that shading by solar panels will not prevent the growth of full and healthy roof gardens.

What were the biodiversity impacts?

We used environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to compare biodiversity on the green roof and conventional roof. Water run-off samples were collected from both roofs and processed on site using portable citizen scientist eDNA sampling equipment to detect traces of DNA shed by the species on the roof.

The eDNA surveys detected a diverse range of species. These included some species (such as algae and fungi) that are not easily detected using other survey methods. The results confirmed the presence of bird species recorded by the cameras but also showed other visiting bird species went undetected by the cameras.

Overall, the green roof supported four times as many species of birds, over seven times as many arthropods such as insects, spiders and millipedes, and twice as many snail and slug species as the conventional roof. There was many times the diversity of microorganisms such as algae and fungi.

Encouragingly, the green roof attracted species unexpected in the city. They included blue-banded bees (Amegilla cingulata) and metallic shield bugs (Scutiphora pedicellata).

How did the green roof alter temperatures?

The green roof reduced surface temperatures by up to 9.63°C for the solar panels and 6.93°C for the roof surfaces. An 8°C reduction in average peak temperature on the green roof would result in substantial heating and cooling energy savings inside the building.

This lowering of temperatures increased the maximum output of the solar panels by 21-107%, depending on the month. Performance modelling indicates an extensive green roof in central Sydney can, on average, produce 4.5% more electricity at any given light level.

These results show we don’t have to choose between a green roof or a solar roof. We can combine them to take advantage of the many benefits of biosolar green roofs.

Biosolar roofs can help get cities to net zero

The next step is to design green roofs and their plantings specifically to enhance biodiversity. Green roofs and other green infrastructure may alter urban wildlife’s activities and could eventually attract non-urban species.

Our green roof also decreased stormwater runoff, removed a range of run-off pollutants and insulated the building from extremes of temperature. A relatively inexpensive system provides all of these services with moderate maintenance and, best of all, zero energy inputs.

Clearly, biosolar green roofs could make major contributions to net-zero cities. And all that’s needed is space that currently has no other use."

-via GoodGoodGood, May 12, 2024

[breakbleheavens]

TAYLOR SWIFT The Eras Tour — Sydney, Australia (Night 2) | February 24, 2024

[retrogamingblog2]

Pokemon Burgers served at Down-N-Out in Sydney, Australia 

[brutalistinteriors]

University of Technology Sydney, Kuringgai campus. David Turner. Now repurposed and like most remodels (sadly) not quite as colorful.

[blamemma]

daniel ricciardo with a fan in australia | 19.12.24

[travelmanposts]

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia: Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs. Bondi, North Bondi and Bondi Junction are neighbouring suburbs. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia, and the location of two hit TV series Bondi Rescue and Bondi Vet. Wikipedia

[olessan]

I've been dropping in on the Sydney Botanic Gardens' titan arum (corpse flower) live stream and it gets less hinged by the hour, especially now that Putricia (the flower is named Putricia) has begun to bloom

At time of posting (5:30pm), she smells like wet socks and dead mice:

Other highlights:

People in the greenhouse are taking selfies with the plant but also the livestream camera

There is a discord server, apparently mostly comprised of the people who've been in the chat for 3 days straight

Aformentioned people formed a community of like 50-200 chatters until Putricia started blooming and the viewers and chat exploded to like 9k people ⠀

There are what appear to be Prayers to Putricia™, consisting of: WWTF (we watch the flower), BBTF (blessed be the bloom), WDNRP (we do not rush Putricia), WDNEP (we do not eat Putricia), and now WSTF (we smell the flower)

Faithfuls frequently post these to spread the word of Putricia

They have dubbed themselves the Children of the Corm:

Yesterday someone asked if Putricia's petals had started to open/bloom yet, and without fail 50% of chat immediately made innuendo jokes about their """""petals""""" opening, but that it depended on their personal humidity, who was touching the petals, and if the time was right for petal opening ⠀

Every 3rd time someone stands dead centre in front of the camera's FOV sufficient to block the view, chat starts 1: speculating on how tall they are (one guy was erroneously thought to be 7ft tall), and 2: immediately switch priorities to telling them to duck ⠀

a lot of people are waving at the camera and goofing off in the 3 minutes they have in the greenhouse with Putricia

A guy and his kid signed in AUSLAN at the camera ⠀

loads of fart jokes now that Putricia is starting to dutch oven everyone

[xclowniex]

A kindergarten in Sydney in a Jewish neighborhood was burned down and graffitied with "fuck the jews"

It's honestly fucking disgusting. And the kindergarten wasn't even a Jewish one, it just was near a Jewish college (highschool for north amercian folk).

Jews aren't just unsafe in Jewish buildings, now there is no escape. Even if we were to hide our jewishness, people will still find a way to attack us.

Source:

[booksandglitter]

essay writing with a view <3

[maureen2musings]

"The moon looks upon many night flowers; the night flowers see but one moon..."

saria_n_michael

[faunandfloraas]

Bitching at chan of all people about tour dates is lowkey funny because when he says "stray kids everywhere all around the world" I actually believe him. like if he was in charge I think he would truly be trying to perform... everywhere tbh. He'd probably go perform for penguins in antarctica just to say he did it. He's not in charge, though. It's not up to him.

[breakbleheavens]

#she is everything

[world-of-celebs]

Hayley Atwell attends the Australian premiere of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" on July 03, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.