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Green Roof: Increase the Value of Your Building and Help the Environment


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What is a Green Roof?

A green roof is simply a living extension of an existing or newly constructed roof. It incorporates a water-proofing membrane and root barrier, a green roof system, a drainage system, and lightweight growing medium and plants. Each green roof is unique, since it is built for a particular roof, and the specific the geographic location of the building.

What is the Advantage of a Green Roof Over a Conventional Roof?

A green roof provides several of advantages over conventional roofs. These advantages include:

  • Improved Aesthetics of the Immediate Area
  • Increase Green Space and Biodiversity
  • Reduce Energy Costs
  • Extend the Life of the Roof by more than 50%
  • Provide Long-Term Financial Benefits by Adding Value to Your Building

What are the Benefits to the Environment from a Green Roof?

Green roofs benefits for the environment are many, including:

  • Amazing Ability to Clean and Cool the Air

    • Green roofs and living walls clean the air by consuming carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen.

  • Keep storm water out of sewers and waterways

    • Green roofs reduce the volume of storm water runoff by absorbing and retaining water that would otherwise flood the storm sewer system resulting in sewage spills and overflows.

  • They beautify your space and the community.

    • The City of New York, through their PLANYC 2030 program, proposed a significant incentive program, off-setting the installation cost of a green roof by 35%. Legislation was passed in June by the New York State Assembly, and signed into Law by Governor Patterson, providing $4.50 per square foot for the installation of green roofs in New York City.

Types of Green Roofs

There are three types of green roofs.
Extensive, intensive and hybrid.
*Extensive: growing medium (soil)
is less than 6 inches.

*Intensive: growing medium (soil)
is greater than 6 inches.

*Hybrid: includes elements of both.
The choice between extensive or intensive depends on access, budget, maintenance, visibility, and load bearing capacity.


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