Thursday, May 7, 2009

Benefits, Risks and Liabilities of Green Roofs

A must read short and informative piece by leading green building and sustainable development attorney Geoff White of Frost, Brown Todd LLC. Go to http://www.consilienceblog.org .

There are two basic types of green roofs, (i) an extensive roof, which has a few inches of soil cover and (ii) an intensive roof that has two feet or more of soil for a variety of grass, trees, bushes and shrubs. Green roofs are used in a multitude of buildings, including industrial facilities, commercial offices, retail properties and residences. The benefits of a green roof include reduced storm-water runoff, absorption of air pollution, reduced heat island effect, protection of underlying roof material from sunlight, reduced noise, and insulation from extreme temperatures. A green roof can thus be a critical design element for a green building.

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