Sustainable Green Roofs- A Growing Idea

Dec 15, 2015 by Christopher Miles in City Planning

Living (green) roofs insulate and beautify:

Green roofs are now sprouting up nearly everywhere- and have stared to come into their own. Once considered an odd, one-off that might be seen in some art colony in Vermont-

Well insulated green roofs run the gamut of building styles-from the Clinton library in Arkansas, to the roof of the FedEx cargo hub at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.

The City of Chicago has been way ahead on this- plans for green roofs first appeared after years of promoting and prodding from (then) Mayor Daley- and continued, under it’s new mayor, Rahm Emmanuel.

Some are even calling green roofs “living architecture” Green Roof firms also now have an an association. Does every industry now have an association?

And, should a green roof simply not be enough green, there are now green walls- a new Ivy league.

Green Roofs can be built using modular packs– to keep things standard, easy and quick. One can ensure that by using Packs, that no more weight than is necessary is added to a roof.

As for the bottom line benefit- things are kept cooler in summer, warmer in winter, and some additional common areas are added for little to no cost.

Here are some fine examples of green roofs demonstrating that building green does not necessarily mean building staid. Green roofs can look great, and be gathering space as well as relaxing place.