Green Roofs

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Photo showing the green roof that Atlanta, GA installed on its City Hall.

Atlanta, GA installed a green roof on its City Hall.

Another alternative to traditional roofing materials is a rooftop garden, or "green roof." On hot summer days, the surface temperature of a vegetated rooftop can be cooler than the air temperature, whereas the surface of a traditional rooftop can be up to 90°F (50°C) warmer.

What Are Green Roofs?

A green roof consists of vegetation and soil, or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. Additional layers, such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems may also be included.

Green roofs can be used in many applications, including industrial facilities, residences, offices, and other commercial property. In Europe, they are widely used for their stormwater management and energy savings potential, as well as their aesthetic benefits.

What Are the Benefits of Green Roofs?

Green roofs are an attractive roofing option that can reduce urban heat islands by providing shade and through evapotranspiration, the release of water from plants to the surrounding air. They also:

Graphics contrasting the materials used to construct gravel-ballasted and green roofs.

Green roofs: An Ecological Balance. (Courtesy of Albrect Duerr)

Reduce sewage system loads by assimilating large amounts of rainwater.
Absorb air pollution, collect airborne particulates, and store carbon.
Protect underlying roof material by eliminating exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation and extreme daily temperature fluctuations.
Serve as living environments that provide habitats for birds and other small animals.
Offer an attractive alternative to traditional roofs, addressing growing concerns about urban quality of life.
Reduce noise transfer from the outdoors.
Insulate a building from extreme temperatures, mainly by keeping the building interior cool in the summer.

How Do Green Roofs Mitigate Storm Water Runoff?

As impermeable surfaces like buildings and pavement replace open space and vegetation, green roofs can play an increasingly important role in storm water management. During rainstorms, green roofs act as a sponge, absorbing much of the water that would otherwise run off. Researchers estimate that three to five inches of soil or growing medium absorbs 75% of rain events that are one-half inch or less.

Green roofs also filter pollution from rainwater. This is achieved by the root systems' bacteria and fungi, which utilize the natural filtering processes of bioremediation and phytoremediation . As a result, the non-point source pollutants, nitrogen and phosphorus, are broken down and detoxified. This beneficial process increases over time as rooftop plants and root systems mature.

What Kinds of Green Roofs Are Available?

There are two types of green roofs: intensive and extensive. Here are some characteristics of each:

Intensive and Extensive Green Roofs

Characteristic	Intensive Green Roof	Extensive Green Roof
Soil	Requires minimum of one foot of soil depth	Requires only 1 to 5 inches of soil depth
Vegetation	Accommodates large trees, shrubs, and well-maintained gardens	Capable of including many kinds of vegetative ground cover and grasses
Load	Adds 80-150 pounds per square foot of load to building structure	Adds only 12-50 pounds per square foot depending on soil characteristics and the type of substrate
Access	Regular access accomodated and encouraged	Usually not designed for public accessibility
Maintenance	Significant maintenance required	Annual maintenance walks should be performed until plants fill in
Drainage	Includes complex irrigation and drainage systems	Irrigation and drainage systems are simple
Source: Schloz-Barth, Katrin. 2001. "Green Roofs: Stormwater Management From the Top Down." Environmental Design & Construction. January 15.

Are Green Roofs Cost-Competitive with Traditional Roofing Options?

Currently, the up-front cost of an extensive green roof in the U.S. starts at about $8 per square foot, which includes materials, preparation work, and installation. In comparison, the cost of a traditional built-up roof starts at about $1.25 while cool roof membranes start at approximately $1.50 per square foot.

Extensive green roofs cost more than traditional roofs because they require more material and labor for installation. Another factor affecting price is that green roof contractors are limited in number. As the demand for rooftop gardens increases in the U.S., and as additional contractors come into business, up-front costs will likely decrease.

However, it is widely known that up-front costs do not tell the whole story. Taking into account future summertime energy savings at the time of purchase brings the price of a green roof closer to that of a traditional roof. Depending on local construction codes, it also may be possible to do without storm water infrastructure investments.

Another factor reducing the cost of a green roof is that vegetation can extend the life of a roof. This is because less solar energy reaches the roof substrate, limiting damage from UV radiation as well as daily temperature fluctuations, which cause repeated contraction and expansion.

What Are Some Green Roof Examples?

The Gap Headquarters in San Bruno, CA installed a 69,000 square foot extensive green roof in 1997.
Ford Motor Company has installed green roofs on its corporate headquarters.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah installed a 348,480 square foot extensive and intensive green roof in 2000.
Contractors recently completed a 30,000 square foot extensive green roof project on the Montgomery Park Business Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of waterfowl, included two green roofs totaling 28,190 square feet on its national headquarters.
Private and public interests in the City of Chicago and the City of Portland have installed or are planning to install over 43 and 42 green roof projects, respectively.