Green Roofs

We'll return to defining and attempting to shed light on the significance of the "envirohuman impact" soon. In the meantime, here's a great article.

Already a hit in Europe, green roofs have begun to take hold in the U.S. as another building method to help make buildings more environmentally sustainable.

Link to article: "Will 'green' roofs be a red-hot trend?"

What stood out: "In Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley is interested in lowering the urban center's heat-island effects that drive up temperatures. 'He has been told by various research facilities that if about 65% of downtown buildings had green roofs, that would lower the heat by about 10 degrees,' Retzlaff says. 'So the city issues grants to offset the costs of installation and will fast-track building permits if a green roof is included.'"

My take: Wow! 10 degrees!? Imagine if an entire downtown of a city that otherwise would feel like it were experiencing a 95 degree day were instead experincing a day that feels like 85 degrees. Good for the environment? Absolutely. Air conditioners could run less and so there would be less stress on the electrical grid. Let us also not forget that plants would absorb some sound, not to mention also absorbing toxins and carbon dioxide from the air.

It's of course reasonable to ask, "What are the negative environmental aspects of green roofs?" When determining just how very sustainable the roofs are, the costs versus the benefits must be taken into account. Sounds like an "envirohumane" endeavor, however, to me.

One last thing: green roofs could be very good for business. Besides giving companies another "green" facet to tout, if people are more comfortable outside, they are more likely to go out shopping, eating, and it could even drive tourism to cities known to have cooler temperatures despite a warm or hot climate in the summer.