Is the Green Roofing Trend Set to Continue?
In recent years, it's become a popular trend to seek out sustainable solutions that help our environment. Renewable energy, organic farming and climate change advocation have changed lifestyles that were different merely two decades ago. We've consciously adjusted our personal lives, too, all the way down to the kinds of homes we live in.
Green roofing isn't a new concept. It's been around for a long time, typically seen in dense cities. The one change — there's been a steady rise in people implementing green roofs into their homes. So far, all signs point toward the climb not slowing down.
What Is Green Roofing?
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A green roof is similar to a yard planted on a roof. Each system involves a root repellent system, filter cloth, lightweight growing medium and more. Modern green roofing tackles apparent issues, like water drainage, to the point of being better for you and your home than the traditional option.
To install a green roof, contractors add a waterproofing membrane to the exterior, which is then covered by a growing medium like soil. Then you can plant the vegetation, which usually consists of turf or ornamental grasses. However, there's no reason you can't produce a full vegetable garden if that's your fancy. Green roofs are also called rooftop gardens or living roofs.
How a Green Roofs Benefit Us
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A green roof helps the local environment, but there are small ways they help you in particular. For one, you get extra green space, which can be difficult to find in some areas. Green roofs also save on energy, since they reflect heat in the summer and provide insulation in the winter.
Experts discovered green roofs have dropped air conditioning costs up to 75 percent in the summer. If you're looking for more ways green roofs help your wallet, they also increase your property value.
A green roof captures anywhere from 15 to 90 percent of runoff to reduce water in storm drains. Water is being captured and by the plants, causing no harm to your roof. People have found a 50 to 60 percent difference in absorption due to different types of growing mediums and the surrounding environment.
The Trend So Far
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People are implementing green roofs into their own homes. Some cities are making them a common sight as well.
In the U.S., Chicago has more green roofs than any other city. With 600 projects in the works, its total number will rise to 7 million square feet. Those who built one of the growing numbers of roofs have seen no tax incentives, grants or breaks. Larry Merritt, a spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Environment, says they lead by example.
He claims the movement has gathered momentum since City Hall installed a green roof in 2001. The building shares a square block with the Cook County municipal building, which does not have a green roof. In the summer, City Hall's roof is 80 to 90 degrees cooler.
In New York, the city's biggest green roof — the Morgan Processing and Distribution facility — can survive extreme temperatures. The vegetation flourishes through freezes. It can also withstand scorching temperatures up to 150 degrees. The plants, hardy and low-growing, can survive in only a few inches of planting material.
The Future Is Green
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If we all work together, the hope is that we can make a positive impact on the environment — especially urban areas that produce a lot of pollution.
It's not just the environment that benefits from green roofs and other eco-conscious choices. In the long run, our bank accounts and health thank us for making sustainable choices.
Author Bio: Emily is a green tech writer who covers topics in renewable energy and sustainable design. You can read more of her work on her blog, Conservation Folks.
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