On my first trip to Paris, I visited an apartment which had a grass balcony. It was amazing - like going out into a park, but 5 stories up. Today, there’s a growing movement to put green gardens on roofs. Why? Because they can:
- Increase the life of your roof
- Save energy for cooling in summer, and heating in the winter
- Reduce noise
- Help improve air quality
- Reduce stormwater runoff
- Look bitchin’
Before you go off and plant some sod on your roof, you should know that they’re not exactly easy to install - according to Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, they consist of, “a high quality water proofing and root repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants.”So they are a somewhat complex, and perhaps mostly suited for larger buildings, although there are some who are pioneering planting them on residential buildings.But if you’re interested, the really good news is that cities like New York and Chicago are offering tax credits for installing green roofs. Regardless, it’s really fascinating and gorgeous stuff. Take a look!
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