Daniel Westerholt

Professor Daniel Westerholt serves as Professor of Vegetation Technology in Landscaping at Geisenheim University since January 2023, within the Department of Landscaping and Vegetation Technology under the Faculty of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. With a career spanning practical landscape gardening, green roof engineering, academic research, and public sector administration, he brings extensive interdisciplinary expertise to his position.

His research focuses on critical urban climate adaptation strategies, particularly examining green roof systems, urban water management, and vegetation technology applications. Professor Westerholt's work bridges theoretical hydrology with practical implementation challenges, addressing pressing issues like urban heat island mitigation and stormwater management through innovative green infrastructure solutions.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent focus on quantifying green infrastructure performance, with particular attention to water balance dynamics in green roofs, evaporation mechanisms for cooling, and integration of vegetation technologies into urban planning frameworks. His work demonstrates increasing sophistication in measurement techniques and modeling approaches over time.

Professor Westerholt actively contributes to professional knowledge transfer through technical guidelines development, notably co-authoring the 2018 German Green Roof Guidelines, and through public engagement via podcasts and seminars. His research collaborations span academic institutions, government agencies, and industry organizations, reflecting the applied nature of his work.

As a newly appointed professor with extensive industry experience, he offers students valuable insights into both theoretical frameworks and practical implementation challenges in landscape architecture and urban climate adaptation. His position at Geisenheim—a university specializing in viticulture, horticulture, and landscape architecture—provides an ideal environment for advancing research on vegetation-based climate solutions.