ENERGY SAVINGS POTENTIAL BY USING GREEN ROOFS

Green roof infrastructure promises to become an increasingly important option for building owners and community planners. Life cycle costing indicates that green roofs cost the same or less than conventional roofing and they are an investment which provides a significant number of social, environmental and economic benefits that are both public and private in nature. These benefits include increased energy efficiency (from cooling in the summer and added insulation in the winter), longer roof membrane life span, sound insulation, and the ability to turn wasted roof space into various types of amenity space for building occupants. Green roofs filter particulate matter from the air, retain and cleanse storm water and provide new opportunities for biodiversity preservation and habitat creation.