I live in a rowhouse with a flat roof, I got interested in the idea of installing a green roof. A green roof is essentially plants growing on the roof. They could be anything from a field of sedums to elaborate whole rooftop gardens, including trees and plants. I love plants and especially this time of year i love to be out in the garden. It would be cool to extend that love to an area of unused space on top of the house. But more that that it could have some real benefits for the environment and my own bottom line. You see urban areas, with all their concrete and asphalt absorb a lot of heat during the summer creating what is called a heat island effect, making cities 6 to 10 degrees hotter then the surrounding area. Hotter summers mean more air conditioning more A/C means higher energy bills. That's where a green roof comes in, on a summer day the surface of a traditional rood can get up to 190 degrees while a green roof stays at an even 70-80 degrees. This keeps the inside of the house cooler since heat is not being gained by the roof. Also it helps with reducing runoff since rain is absorbed by the plants. It makes so much sense that Germany has made green roofs part of it building codes. So now the question should I invest in a solar roof or a green roof? Maybe both?
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