Greening Modern Cities: International Conference in Warsaw
On March 21, 2025, the Polish Green Roof Association (PSDZ) successfully hosted the international conference“Greening Modern Cities – The Role of Green Roofs and Living Walls in the Context of Urban Climate Change Adaptation”in Warsaw, Poland.
The hybrid event attracted over 135 participants from across Europe and beyond, gathering experts, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to exchange knowledge, showcase innovations, and strengthen collaboration in the field of urban greening.
The conference was held under the honorary patronage of the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, with the valued support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Conference Highlights
The Warsaw conference featured a diverse program of expert presentations and case studies illustrating the wide-ranging benefits of green infrastructure in urban areas. Among the highlights:
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Veranika Stopczyk, Ministry of Climate and Environment, Poland
– “Activities of the Ministry of Climate and Environment in the field of greening Polish cities” -
Luigi Petito, World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN), EU Chapter, Belgium
– “Nature Restoration Law in Urban Areas” -
Jan Łukaszkiewicz, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Poland
– “Selected problems of plant maintenance on biosolar roofs” -
Ewa Burszta-Adamiak & Małgorzata Biniak-Pieróg, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
– “The hydrological performance of selected blue-green infrastructure solutions: Lessons learned from the Wroclaw Example” -
Vera Enzi-Zechner, European Federation of Green Roof and Living Wall Associations (EFB), Austria
– “Green infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions on Buildings: Benefits and Co-benefits of Green roofs and walls to the urban fabric” -
Jakub Bojanowski, Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW, Poland
– “Assessment of the needs and possibilities of implementing innovative climate policy instruments in small and medium-sized cities” -
Senthil Nathan, Gover Group of Companies, UAE
– “Greening Buildings in a Desert Country” -
Aleksander Lech, GCL, Poland
– “Challenges and opportunities in greening roofs” - Wojciech Szpakowski, Gdańskie Wody, Poland
- – “Integrated implementation of Green Retention in Gdansk”
- Oleksandra Strashok & Marta Weber-Siwirska, World Green Infrastructure
Network (WGIN), Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Science, Poland
– “WGIN working group on reconstruction green infrastructure: Background and Ways of Working”
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Viktor Mileikovskyi, Tetiana Tkachenko, Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture & Adam Ujma, State Academy of Applied Sciences in Nysa
– “Green Roofs and Air Pre-Treatment for Ventilation and Air-Conditioning” -
Tomasz Gawenda & Agata Stempkowska, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow
– “Innovative methods of aggregate production and refinement as an opportunity to support plant development” -
Linda Velazquez, Greenroofs.com, USA
– “2024 Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Living Green Architecture: Climate Action Drives Design + a Look into 2025”
During the conference, EFB Vice President, Vera Enzi-Zechner presented the newly released EFB publication “Benefits of Green Buildings (Green Roofs, Green Walls, and Vertical Indoor Greenery) – A Compilation of Numbers, Data, and Facts from Different Investigations 2025”. This European edition, developed in collaboration with Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. (BuGG) (Germany) and Research and Innovation Lab GRÜNSTATTGRAU (Austria), compiles the latest research, case studies, and scientific data from across Europe. It highlights the broad range of environmental, social, and economic benefits of green infrastructure, including climate adaptation, improved water management, air quality enhancement, biodiversity support, and increased building value. The publication serves as an essential reference for stakeholders driving sustainable and resilient urban transformation across the continent.
Organisers
EFB would like to congratulate Polish Green Roof Association (PSDZ) for organising such a professionally executed and inspiring event and appreciate the work of the entire Conference Organising Committee, which included: Marta Weber-Siwirska – Chair, Karolina Kaczor – Secretariat, Jacek Poziemski – Committee Member, Kamil Rawski – Committee Member, Katarzyna Wolańska – Committee Member.
The conference was led by: Edyta Sierka and Balbina Gryczyńska. Opening and closing of the conference: Marta Weber-Siwirska, President of PSDZ.
Shaping the Future Together
To maximise collaboration and engagement, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the European Federation of Green Roof and Living Wall Associations (EFB) and the GoNaturePositive! workshop with EFB Members were strategically held on March 20, 2025, the day before the Greening Modern Cities conference in Warsaw.
Aligning the AGM with the international conference created a valuable opportunity for EFB members to participate in both events, fostering deeper connections and knowledge exchange. The AGM brought together representatives of national associations from across Europe to reflect on the past year’s progress, define strategic priorities, and strengthen joint efforts in advancing green building infrastructure in Europe.
The conference and accompanying exhibition served as an excellent platform to share the latest developments of the GoNaturePositive! project – a collaborative initiative backed by the European Commission dedicated to accelerating awareness and transformative action towards a nature-positive economy among policymakers, investors, businesses and wider society. By presenting updates and engaging with attendees, EFB was able to raise awareness of the project’s goals and gather valuable feedback from stakeholders, helping to ensure the initiative reflects the needs and insights of the wider green infrastructure community.
Photos source: Polskie Stowarzyszenie Dachy Zielone on LinkedIn