Wildlife habitats and biodiversity
Did you know that the plants in a green roof can provide a critical habitat for birds, butterflies, and insects that are at risk in city environments that are mainly concrete and asphalt? Green roofs won’t completely replace ground ecosystems, but they can provide a haven for critical pollinators, a resting place for migrating butterflies, and even food and nesting spots for hummingbirds. A generous variety of native plants will provide support for biodiversity in animal life as well.
Noise Abatement
The surfaces used in urban landscapes do little to mitigate incessant city noise. That noise may come from automobile engines, horns, sirens, construction, crowds, and even wind whipping through the artificial canyons of tall downtown buildings. Additionally, urban surfaces of metal, tiles, slate, concrete, and even asphalt reflect and enhance noise. Urban environments, especially downtown areas, are noisy. Yet, green roofs absorb a lot more sound than the hard surfaces of manmade construction; especially for low frequency sounds. Typical green roofs (both extensive and intensive) can reduce outdoor noise by 40 decibels or more, which means a quieter environment both inside and outside the building.
Urban Farming
Intensive green roofs are sometimes called rooftop gardens and can be a wonderful place to grow many kinds of flowers, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. A rooftop garden is an excellent place to grow organic produce or even medicinal plants. Fresh produce from a green roof garden, just a few steps from a well-equipped kitchen, offers the best combination of taste and nutritional value.
Using a green roof as an urban farm offers a host of opportunities, including setting up an organic market, supplying a restaurant in the same building, offering space for employees to get away and garden peacefully in their own little corner of the world, or to provide fresh vegetables to a local soup kitchen.
Extended Roof Lifespan
There’s a lot of concern about the additional expense that comes from installing a green roof and some may immediately dismiss the possibility because of cost concerns. It may come as a surprise, but the structure of a green roof protects the underlying roofing material from exposure to sun, rain, wind, and extreme temperature fluctuations, which are primary factors in the gradual breakdown of traditional roofs. The protection afforded by a green roof can double or even triple the life span of your roof, up to 60 years or more.
Increased Market Value
The benefits that come with a green roof aren’t worthless. In fact, both direct monetary benefits like reduced energy costs and extended roof lifespan and less quantifiable benefits like an attractive, natural appearance can increase a building’s marketability. Tenants of a building with a green roof will recognize it as a symbol of the green building movement and customers are more likely to support businesses who share the same values. Social currency and visual appeal shouldn’t ever be discounted. Studies have shown that improved sales, lease-outs, easier employee recruitment and lower employment and tenant turnover can be linked to green roofs and other sustainability measures.
