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In recent years, you might have noticed grass growing on the roofs of a select few bus stops in Singapore.

The project, ongoing since 2019, is a collaboration between the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the National Parks Board (NParks).

Cools the area

The green roofs aim to reduce ambient heat and provide a more comfortable experience for commuters, a LTA spokesperson told Mothership.

Preliminary studies show that these green roofs can lower ambient temperatures at the bus stops by around 2°C.

"Skyrise greenery, such as vertical green walls, green roofs, and rooftop gardens will cool the buildings and make them more comfortable to live, work and play in, while further beautifying our city," Oh Cheow Sheng, group director of streetscape at NParks, told Mothership.

As part of this initiative, green roofs will be installed at 150 bus stops.

These comprise new bus stops as well as those slated for upgrading under LTA’s Bus Stop Infrastructure Enhancement Programme.

30 bus stops fitted with green roofs

Around 30 bus stops have been fitted with green roofs as of July this year.

These include bus stops in Jalan Bukit Merah opposite Block 28, along Henderson Road opposite Block 55, and along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 at Block 248.

The remaining will be progressively deployed over the next two years.

Oh said NParks provided expertise on the plant species used in the project and the design of the green roof for ease of maintenance.

The plant atop the bus stop is a species of herb known as Nabhali (Cyanotis cristata), which was selected for its hardiness and ability to grow and spread well on green roofs.

According to NParks, it is drought tolerant and able to withstand at least two weeks without rain or watering.

Top images by Joshua Lee.