The Polish Green Roofs Association invites you to participate in an international conference

Greening Modern Cities

19 - 21 MAY 2026 Bialystok & ON-LINE

Green roofs and living walls in the context of urban adaptation to climate change

CONFERENCE DETAILS

We would like to invite you to the international conference “Greening Modern Cities”.

The Polish Green Roofs Association (PSDZ) is an expert scientific and technical organisation supporting the implementation of new technical solutions in engineering and economic practice. We specialise in the topics of green and green-blue infrastructure and climate change adaptation.

We operate throughout Poland.

We are federated and actively cooperate within the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN), the European Federation of Building Greening Associations (EFB) and the Federation of Scientific and Technical Associations ‘NOT’

The conference will be held in English.

The conference programme will include presentations of the latest research results on greening buildings, an overview of innovative green roof and living wall projects, and a discussion of national, regional and municipal policies supporting the development of greenery on buildings.

The event is aimed at representatives of public administration and local government, the scientific community, architects and landscape architects, developers, construction companies, industry experts, the media and students.

The conference is the largest regular platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience in Poland in the field of green infrastructure in urban areas.

Conference objectives:

Presentation of the latest research findings on greening buildings and developing green and blue infrastructure in urban environments.
Promotion of good practices through the presentation of inspiring examples of green roofs, living walls and other nature-based solutions.
Exchange of experiences between practitioners, scientists and administrators, supporting the development of cooperation for sustainable urban transformation.
Discussion of national, regional and local policies and regulatory and financial tools supporting the development of greenery on buildings.
Raising awareness of the importance of green infrastructure in adapting cities to climate change, improving the microclimate and enhancing the quality of life of residents.
Promoting innovation and industry standards that support the professionalisation of the green roof market and nature-based solutions.

Our Speakers

Dhiru A. Thadani

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Dhiru A. Thadani is an architect and urbanist who has been in practice since 1978. As a design principle and partner for more than thirty years, he has completed projects the world over, and he continues to provide a broad range of consulting services in architecture and urban design.

Dhiru A. Thadani, AIA, APA, FCNU, ISOCARP, NOMA, is an architect, author, educator, and urbanist who has been in practice since 1980. He has worked to disseminate principles and techniques of traditional town planning on five continents by sharing research, lecturing, mentorship, and working on projects. He has been the principal designer of new towns and cities, urban regeneration, neighborhood revitalization, academic campuses, and infill densification projects.

Dhiru Thadani is the author of books that are also used as textbooks for architecture and urban planning students at some Polish universities. To date, he has been invited to deliver over 150 lectures in 28 countries around the world.

More information can be found at https://dthadani.com/hh/

Linda Velazquez
ASLA, LEED AP, GRP
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is the founder and publisher of Greenroofs.com (1999). She reports and presents extensively about greenroofs and green living architecture, including the yearly “Top 10 List of Hot Trends in Greenroof & Greenwall Design” (2007). She holds a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia (2000), has been published in numerous books and journals, and is principal of Sky Gardens Studio (2004).

Jan Łukaszkiewicz
Warsaw University of Life Sciences
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I’m the landscape architect and my passion and professional work focuses on the shaping and maintenance of greenery in both urbanized and open landscapes. I am particularly interested in developing and implementing solutions integrating plants growth with technical infrastructure (so- called "green infrastructure") and shaping of greenery on architectural surfaces, especially plant roofs, green facades etc. I have been affiliated for many years with the oldest university school of landscape architecture in Poland, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). I am a member of the Polish Dendrological Society (PTD), the Association of Polish Architects (SARP), and the Polish Association of Green Roofs (PSDZ).

Luigi Petito
Head of European Chapter at World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN)
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Luigi Petito, 50, father of two, is an expert in European public affairs. He is based in Brussels, cross- roads for international affairs and the European Institutions. In 2019 he was invited to establish and lead the European Chapter of the World Green Infrastructure Network. Since then, he follows EU policy and regulatory developments related to green infrastructure and advocates for a systematic integration of green infrastructure in urban areas. In the field of green infrastructure, he represents WGIN in the EU Biodiversity Expert Group and in the European Commission expert group on the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation. He is a member of the Impact Board of the EU funded project GoNaturePositive! and is a regular columnist for the magazine Living Architecture Monitor, a Green Roof for Healthy Cities publication. Luigi is very committed to sustainability. Among other things, he serves as Head of Secretariat at the European Alliance to Save Energy and Secretary General at European Childhood Obesity Group.

Veranika Stopczyk
Department of Climate Change Adaptation and Urban Policy
Ministry of Climate and Environment
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PhD in agricultural sciences in the discipline of protection and shaping of the environment, specialising in environmental chemistry. She has worked at the Ministry of Climate and Environment for 10 years, and is currently involved in legislation, data analysis and cooperation with local governments and scientific units on climate change adaptation.

Senthil Nathan
Gover Group of Companies, Dubai, U.A.E.
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Business leader with over 30 years of experience in the horticulture and landscaping industry. Passionate about enhancing the horticulture landscape and committed to delivering excellence and creating value for stakeholders. He successfully runs a successful company Gover Group of Companies that stands as a pioneering leader in the horticulture and landscaping industry across the Middle East. The company is committed to sustainable practices and innovation, offering cutting-edge solutions such as reliable green wall systems and a comprehensive range of products for both residential and commercial landscapes.

Vera Enzi
European Federation of Green Roof and Wall Associations
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Vera Enzi is a trained landscape planner and self-employed NbS consultant with a background in research and innovation related to green buildings and nature-based solutions. She pursued her academic career at the University of Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, was involved in founding the spin-off Green4Cities and initiated and set up the Austrian innovation laboratory for greening cities GRÜNSTATTGRAU. Vera is active in various non- profit organizations and currently supports the European Federation of Green Roof and Wall Associations – EFB as Vice President. Her personal interest lies in measurable benefits and nature-positive aspects of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure. She is a leading expert in green wall technology with a strong interest in biodiversity and buildings, as well as conservation and restoration in general.

Agata Stempkowska
AGH University of Krakow
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Assistant Professor at AGH, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Resource Management. Her research interests are in the properties and characteristics of natural, artificial and recycled raw materials (including aggregates). She conducts experimental work in the field of chemical technology and materials engineering and in the mineral processing laboratory. She conducts research into the properties of mineral materials and aggregates of various origins. Her current research work includes obtaining lightweight aggregates with high open porosity and optimum shape, which are used in the design of green roofs. She is developing technologies for the production of artificial aggregates from mineral wastes, particularly those used as substrates for plants using materials that are not used in other industries. She is the author and co-author of more than 100 publications and several patented inventions. She has carried out several international and national research projects and dozens of projects, expert reports and opinions for companies and enterprises.

Tetiana Tkachenko
Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
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Dr Hab., Professor, Head of the Environmental Protection Technologies and Labour Safety Department, member of the Technical Committee for Standardization TC-82 «Environmental Protection», Permanent Workgroup on Preparing Amendments to State Building Norms of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, Expert of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, An expert, standardiser, and populariser in the fields of green construction, green structures, the sanitising phytodesign, phytoremediation, climate change, climate service, and land reclamation. Contacts: tkachenkoknuba@gmail.com; Viber/TLG/WhatsApp: +380673533877

Jakub Bojanowski
Warsaw University of Life Sciences

Tomasz Gawenda
AGH University of Krakow
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Professor at AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Resource Management. His research interests include crushing and classification processes, modernisation and design of mechanical treatment plants for mineral raw materials and waste, and in particular the production of mineral aggregates. Research also includes the production of lightweight aggregates that can be used in the design of green roofs. He is the author and co-author of 240 publications and more than a dozen patented inventions. He has completed more than a dozen international and national research projects and dozens of projects, expert reports and opinions for entrepreneurs. He is the creator of innovative technological solutions for the production of shaped and unshaped aggregates with improved quality parameters for the construction and horticultural industries, which have been patented and implemented. In 2022, he was awarded the state badge of honour ‘For Merits to Invention’, awarded at the request of the Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys by the President of the Council of Ministers for a lifetime of invention and design activity. He is passionate about bonsai and niwaki.

Viktor Mileikovskyi
Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
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Dr Hab., Professor, Professor of the Heat-Gas Supply and Ventilation Department, member of the Permanent Workgroup on Preparing Amendments to State Building Norms of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, Expert of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The scientific interests are HVAC, heat-mass exchange in green structures and indoor greening, improvement of IAQ by them, air exchange organisation, a theory of turbulent macrostructure. Contacts: mileikovskyi@gmail.com; Viber/TLG/WhatsApp: +380938284247

Adam Ujma
University of Applied Scienses in Nysa
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Adjunkt at the Faculty of Technical Sciences, Architecture direction. Member of the Polish Association of Construction Engineers and Technicians (PZITB), the Polish Green Roofs Association (PSDZ), and the Association of Energy Auditors (ZAE). His research interests include problems of building physics and urban physics, including issues of the impact of green structures on: energy and mass exchange in building partitions, shaping microclimatic conditions in the building and its surroundings, possibilities of improving physical parameters of air, balancing rainwater runoff from urban areas as a result of using green structures. Contact: Faculty of Technical Sciences of the University of Applied Sciences in Nysa, ul. Obrońców Tobruku 5, 48- 300 Nysa, e-mail: adam.ujma@pans.nysa.pl

Ryszard Gajewski
Gdansk Water
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President of Gdańskie Wody sp. z o.o., responsible for the administration of the drainage infrastructure of Gdańsk. Previously Technical and Operational Director at Gdańska Infrastruktura Wodociągowo Kanalizacyjna Sp. z o.o. and Project Plenipotentiary for a major investment programme called the Gdańsk Water and Sewage Project. Coordinator of the Green City Programme under the Gdańsk Development Strategy 2030 Plus. Member of the Committee of Experts ‘Climate and Space’ at the Ombudsman. Graduate of the Faculty of Hydraulic Engineering at Gdańsk University of Technology, engineer with a construction licence and Master of Business Administration degree obtained at the University of Gdańsk.

Małgorzata Biniak-Pieróg
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences

Manfred Köhler
Honorary President of the World Green Infrastructure Network
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Professor Manfred Kohler from Germany is the founder of the Green Roof Research Center at the University of Applied Sciences in Neubrandenburg. His scientific research focuses on green infrastructure related to green roofs, living walls, and indoor greenery. The results of his work have been presented in around 180 scientific publications and at numerous conferences of global significance. Professor Manfred Köhler is a member of many important non-governmental organizations:
– Federal Association of Landscape Architects (BDLA),
– Several FLL working groups (www.FLL.de),
– European Flat Roof Association EFB http://efb-greenroof.eu/,
– He is also a co-founder of the World Green Infrastructure Network – WGIN in 2008 and served as president of this organization for many years (www.worldgreenroof.org).
Currently, Professor Manfred Köhler, who as president of WGIN has made outstanding achievements in the development of green infrastructure around the world, serves as honorary president. In 2025, Professor Manfred Kohler won the Green Infrastructure Champion Award in the global WGIN Awards competition. This award honors individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the green infrastructure industry on an international scale.

Stephan Brenneisen

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Dr. Stephan Brenneisen, is the ‘father’ of green roofs and biodiversity, having conducted research and led advocacy on this subject for more than 25 years. He is the Head of Research Group, Urban Ecology, Zurich University of Applied Sciences and has been instrumental in shaping green roof policy in Basel, Switzerland so that it is focused primarily on biodiversity.

Organizing committee

Marta Weber-Siwirska – chair

Natalia Durecka – secretary

Karolina Kaczor – secretary

Marta Baum – member

Joanna Orłowska-Rogalska – member

Jacek Poziemski – member

Jarema Rabiński – member

Kamil Rawski – member

Katarzyna Wolańska – member

Scientific committee

Kamil Rawski, Bialystok University of Technology, Poland – chair

Zoё Avery, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Stephan Brenaisen, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland

Tomasz Gawenda, AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland

Dorota Gawryluk, Bialystok University of Technology, Poland

Jacek Krych, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland

Jan Łukaszkiewicz, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland

Gabriel Perez, University of Lleida, Spain

Justyna Rubaszek, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

Edyta Sierka, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland

Olyssa Starry, Bucknell University, USA

Agata Stempkowska, AGH University of Science and Technology

Marta Weber-Siwirska, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

Katarzyna Wróblewska, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

Agata Zachariasz, Cracow University of Technology, Poland

PROGRAMME

Submissions of presentations and posters will be accepted until 15 February 2026. The detailed conference programme will be announced on 1 March 2026.

Download programme

Study tour

We invite you to take part in a unique study visit offering a first-hand look at outstanding examples of green infrastructure in the Podlasie region. The programme includes a comprehensive guided tour of the green roofs and green walls of the Białystok Philharmonic, led by the facility’s staff, as well as a guided visit to the University of Białystok Campus conducted by university representatives. Participants will also join a guided excursion to the Białowieża Forest, led by a licensed guide, combined with a walk through the Strict Nature Reserve. During transfers between programme locations, participants will have the opportunity to see Białystok’s green bus stops, showcasing innovative, nature-based solutions in the urban environment. The return to Białystok is planned for approximately 8:00 p.m.

The price includes coach transport, licensed guiding services in the Białowieża Forest and the Strict Nature Reserve, entrance tickets, and lunch. This study visit offers an excellent opportunity to gain practical knowledge, inspiration, and on-site experience alongside experts and enthusiasts of green and sustainable solutions.

Publication

Conference participants are invited to submit scientific papers to the international, peer-reviewed journal “Space & Form”. The journal publishes original articles in the fields of architecture and urban planning in an open-access format, both online and in print. Papers are accepted in Polish and English and are subject to a double-blind peer-review process. Detailed author guidelines are available on the journal’s website (https://pif.zut.edu.pl/for-authors/)

Contact

Contact for the conference organiser:
gmc.conference@psdz.pl

Location

The conference will be held at Bialystok University of Technology
45 E Wiejska St.
15 – 351 Białystok, Poland