Green roofs

Private Benefits
Energy Efficiency
* The greater insulation offered by green roofs can reduce the amount of energy needed to moderate the temperature of a building, as roofs are the sight of thegreatest heat loss in the winter and the hottest temperatures in the summer.
* For example, research published by the National Research Council of Canada found that an extensive green roofreduced the daily energy demand for air conditioning in the summer by over 75% (Liu 2003).
* The Green Roof Energy Calculator co-developed by GRHC with the University of Toronto and Portland StateUniversity allows you to compare the annual energy performance of a building with a vegetative green roof to the same building with either a conventional roof or a highly reflective roof.
IncreasedRoofing Membrane Durability
* The presence of a green roof decreases the exposure of waterproofing membranes to large temperature fluctuations, that can cause micro-tearing, and ultraviolet radiation.Fire Retardation
* Green roofs have a much lower burning heat load (the heat generated when a substance burns) than do conventional roofs (Köehler 2004). GRHC has co-developed Fire DesignStandards with SPRI (approved by ANSI) that ensure that green roofs offer fire protection and follow local fire codes.
Reduction of Electromagnetic Radiation
* The risk posed by electromagnetic radiation(from wireless devices and mobile communication) to human health is still a question for debate. Nevertheless, green roofs are capable of reducing electromagnetic radiation penetration by 99.4%(Herman 2003).
Noise Reduction
* Green roofs have excellent noise attenuation, especially for low frequency sounds. An extensive green roof can reduce sound from outside by 40 decibels, while anintensive one can reduce sound by 46-50 decibels (Peck et al. 1999).
Marketing
* Green roofs can increase a building’s marketability. They are an easily identifiable symbol of the green building...