Our Team

Karen Ka Yan Liu, PhD

Dr. Karen Liu has been conducting green roof research since 2000. Before joining the private sector, Karen was a lead researcher of the green roof programs at the National Research Council and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She led the research teams to instrument and monitor various green roofs in Ontario and British Columbia to evaluate their water balance and examine their potential in stormwater management. Karen was a key participant in the research consortium that developed the first national wind testing standard for vegetated roofing CSA A123.24. Additionally, Karen has vast practical experience having worked on hundreds of green roof projects across North America, Europe and Asia.  Over her career, Karen authored and contributed to dozens of academic and technical articles.  In 2015, she received the F. Ross Browne Award.

Karen Liu’s Academic Contributions

• Using Garden Roof Systems to Achieve Sustainable Building Envelopes, Liu, Karen K.Y.; Baskaran, B.A.
• Thermal performance of extensive green roofs in cold climates, Liu, Karen K.Y.; Baskaran, Bas (2005).
• Green roof research in British Columbia – an overview, Connelly, M.; Liu, Karen K.Y.
• Green Roofs as Urban Ecosystems: Ecological Structures, Functions, and Services, E. Oberndorfer, J. Lundholm, B. Bass, R.R. Coffman, H. Doshi, N. Dunnet, S. Gaffin, M. Kohler, K. K. Y. Liu, and B. Rowe
• Performance evaluation of an extensive green roof, Liu, Karen K.Y.; Minor
• Evaluating Rooftop and Vertical Gardens as an Adaptation Strategy for Urban Areas, Bass, B.; Liu, Karen K.Y.; Baskaran, B.A.
• Thermal performance of green roofs through field evaluation, Liu, Karen K.Y.; Baskaran, B.A.
• Sustainable building envelope – garden roof system performance, Liu, Karen K.Y.
• Green Roof Infrastructure – Technology Demonstration, Monitoring and Market Expansion Project, Liu, Karen, K.Y.; Baskaran. B.A.