Green roofs offer many public and private benefits, and their performance varies by region, climate, and design. STRATCO has the best-in-class design and construction subcontractors of green infrastructure and can help your procurement of local government grant funding/reimbursement.
Air Quality
- Green roofs can reduce air pollutants like NOx, CO2, SOx, harmful particulate matter in the air and cut carbon emissions.
Noise Reduction
- The soil and the plants on the green roofs can provide noise insulation to nearly 40 decibels.
Stormwater Management
- Water is stored in the soil and plants and later returned to the atmosphere through evaporation.
- Green roofs have a large water retainment capacity and can help manage stormwater by reducing runoff to sewer systems.
- A University of Toronto study shows that green roofs can capture 70% of rainfall over time and relieve underground stormwater systems. Compost soil substitute, which weighs significantly less than mineral soils substitute, and on-demand irrigation helped to increase that percentage.
Energy Efficiency
- They can reduce energy costs and prolong the life of HVAC systems due to their insulating effect. According to the National Research Council of Canada, green roofs could reduce energy demand for air conditioning in summer by up to 75%.
- The insulation done by green roofs can make buildings cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Cooler rooftops translate to limiting cooling loads.
- They help to reduce the urban heat island effect by decreasing ambient air temperature.
Property Value and Benefits
- Properties with green roofs have lower energy costs, higher property values, and lower tenant turnover.
- Green roofs last twice as conventional - especially asphalt roofs - due to protection against weathering and fire retardation they provide on the roof structure, lowering the need for repairs.
- Green roofs can increase a building’s marketability due to their benefits.
Social Space and Urban Biodiversity
- Green roofs provide habitats for birds and bees as they are migrating. About 48 species of birds have been recorded using green roofs.
- People have the space to socialize, garden, and can create a local food system by participating in urban agriculture.
- The aesthetic of the building is improved, the visual and environmental benefits can increase the psychological well-being of people and increase the efficiency of office workers in such buildings.
