There are both small steps and big steps you can take to go green and show your commitment to the environment. A small green step would be using canvas shopping bags, while a big green step would be purchasing a super fuel-efficient hybrid or electric car. As gas prices climb higher and higher, buying that fuel-efficient car seems more and more like a big green step people are willing to take. But if you already have a hybrid car, there are other big steps you can take to continue to “green-ify” your life. Installing a green roof is one of these. Green roofs offer a fantastic way to reduce your carbon footprint, and offer a space for you to experience your own little patch of Eden.
Photo: Green roofs can provide both environmental benefits and beauty. Chelsea, New York City
A green roof is a highly engineered extension of the roofing system that uses plant life to meet functional and aesthetic needs. Green roofs are quite diverse and may consist of a thin mat of low-lying vegetation, or a highly diverse planting of perennials, shrubs, and even trees. How your green roof is designed will depend on how much you are willing to monetarily invest initially, how much soil and weight your existing roof can support, and how much use and access you will need to the finished green roof. The best green roof plants are drought- and cold-tolerant, and have low nutrient requirements and a shallow root system. Plants that are evergreen are also favored because they are able to insulate a home year-round. Many different types of sedums have performed remarkably well as green roof plants.
Photo: Sedums like Goldmoss Stonecrop (Sedum acre) make excellent green roof plants
Like traditional gardens, green roofs offer both environmental benefits and beauty. But green roofs will also save you money. By insulating buildings, green roofs provide improved energy efficiency. It is estimated that green roofs provide an 87% reduction in heat gain in the summer, and a 37% reduction in heat loss in the winter.* Also, the lifespan of a green roof is 2-3 times that of a traditional roof, leading to lower roof maintenance and replacement costs. Green roofs also help reduce stormwater runoff by absorbing, retaining, and cleaning rainwater. Investments in green roofs and other green infrastructure, are extremely important for municipalities including New York City that have reached the functional limits of existing sewers and other grey infrastructure.
Although virtually unknown in the United States until a few years ago, green roofs have actually been in use for hundreds of years. In Scandinavia, sod or turf roofs have been used for centuries in traditional home construction. The first “modern” green roof dates back to 1914 in Zurich, Germany. While green roofs are now fairly common in Europe, there is much potential for expansion in the U.S. Many cities have recognized the environmental benefits provided by green roofs, and are now offering incentives to homeowners and businesses for green roof installation. If you live in New York City, you’re in luck. A tax abatement equal to $4.50 per square foot of green roof space up to $100,000 is now being offered. (For more info, check out http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/forms/forms_tax_abatement.shtml) Make sure to obtain any required permits that comply with zoning and building codes before beginning green roof construction.
Photo: Queens Botanical Garden features a green roof and a stormwater catchment system that recycles water back into the gardens. Flushing, Queens
If you are looking for a little green roof inspiration, a great place to check out is the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing (www.queensbotanical.org). Their new Visitor & Administration Building features a walkable, gently-sloping green roof. The 3,000 square-foot roof is planted primarily with drought-tolerant native perennials. Stormwater that is not utilized by the green roof is recycled back into the gardens through a stormwater catchment pool.
Whether you decide to install a green roof on your home or not, make sure all your steps are green ones!
*Source: A Temperature and Seasonal Energy Analysis of Green, White, and Black Roofs. Gaffin, S.R., Rosenzweig, C, et.al. Center for Climate System Research, Columbia University/Con Edison, April 2010.
