Green Roofs: Our Unlikely Weapon Against Climate Change
How green roofs could help save our cities
While we may view them as a relatively recent invention, green roofs have been around for thousands of years. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered the first example of green roofs, with King Nebuchadnezzar II building soaring terraces covered with varied species of flora as a gift for his wife. Fast forward to today, and green roofs are slowly becoming ubiquitous globally, from Scandinavia to Seattle. Initially, the appeal of green roofs was more around aesthetics and temperature control — in hot climates, these green roofs cooled the area, and in a cold environment, they retained heat. Now, the biggest question on everyone’s mind is — can green roofs help us battle the inevitable effects of climate change?
A green roof is a roof or deck with deliberately established vegetation or habitats for wildlife.
A rooftop in central London is the last place you’d expect to find a hidden sanctuary for wildlife, but the city boasts over 700 green roofs in central London alone. Along with providing a safe space for rare flora and fauna, building green roofs in cities can offer a range of other benefits, such as improving local air quality and building resilience…
