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ABOUT GREEN ROOFS - BENEFITS

Benefits

Managing storm water is a major urban issue. Current infrastructures cannot handle increasing amounts of impermeable surfaces which result in overflows of raw sewage into our waterways and cost to treat polluted water flowing into the storm drains. Green roofs can hold 50-100% of all storm water as well as offer energy saving benefits, create habitat and provide valuable amenity space; however, they also need to be designed in conjunction with the roofing to enable leak detection and monitoring. They also have many secondary benefits for the community and building owner that “cool” roofs or white membrane roofs do not.

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For Building Owner/Occupant

  • Double or triple the life of the roofing membrane which typically lasts 15-20 years as it is protected from UV rays.  This also avoids roofing materials from going into landfills.

  • Cooling energy savings as green roofs minimize roof temperature variation reducing maximum temperature from 180 deg F to 80 deg F on a 90 deg day.  This also means less pollution created by air conditioners and power plants as energy usage is reduced.

  • Quality of life and building of community as recreational spaces may be created

  • Increased property values

  • Reduction in stormwater fees

  • Tool to meet storm water regulations as green roofs qualify as permeable surface

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For the Community

  • Habitat creation for birds, butterflies, insects and people!

  • Improve air quality as it creates oxygen and absorbs CO2 and removes particulate matter and gaseous pollutants.

  • Improved water quality as it retains, filters and binds contaminants such as heavy metals, and VOCs and minimizes roof runoff which contribute 10-30% of nitrogen and phosphorous pollutants to streams/lakes

  • Reduction of urban heat island effect by significantly reducing roof temperature and ambient air temperature