Why Do Cities Need Green Roofs?
Everything you need to know about green roofs
Green roofs, sometimes referred to as “eco-roofs” or “vegetated roofs” are a type of green infrastructure that is especially useful in urban areas. As the negative impacts of urbanization are further researched, green roofs have grown in popularity to help with issues such as stormwater management, the urban heat island effect, air quality, and poor insulation.
General History and Overview
Green roofs are not a new invention. Variations of green roofs are seen throughout history in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in 500 BCE and sod covered houses in Nordic countries and the prairie settlers of the American Midwest.
The rise of modern green roofs began in Germany in the early 1960s within an effort to reduce energy consumption during an energy crisis and have since spread across the world.
While green roofs can vary in size, shape, makeup, and name, the core elements remain the same. They are roofs that have planted vegetation on top of a growing medium (substrate) which can range from a simple grass in dirt set-up to an elaborate…
