“Green roof” building is exploding in Washington. In 2006, D.C. had 301,751 square feet of green roofs; by 2009 it was approaching 2 million square feet. And now that the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing increased water runoff regulations, more developers might be embracing environmentally friendly roofs. Cole, vice president of Maryland’s Cole Roofing, explains. Why are green roofs better for the environment?
Of course they help manage storm water runoff. But they also dissipate the urban island effect. Urban environments have a whole lot of black rooftops, so especially during the summer, temperatures in the city might be 10 degrees or more than out in the suburbs. So adding a green roof dissipates that heat… They can decrease sound pollution by providing that buffer that plants do. And they help reduce heating and cooling costs [by] increasing insulation.
