Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Establishing Green Roof Infrastructure Through Environmental Policy Instruments

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Traditional construction practices provide little opportunity for environmental remediation to occur in urban areas. As concerns for environmental improvement in urban areas become more prevalent, innovative practices which create ecosystem services and ecologically functional land cover in cities will be in higher demand. Green roofs are a prime example of one of these practices. The past decade has seen the North American green roof industry rapidly expand through international green roof conferences, demonstration sites, case studies, and scientific research. This study evaluates existing international and North American green roof policies at the federal, municipal, and community levels. Green roof policies fall into a number of general categories, including direct and indirect regulation, direct and indirect financial incentives, and funding of demonstration or research projects. Advantages and disadvantages of each category are discussed. Salient features and a list of prompting standards common to successfully implemented green roof strategies are then distilled from these existing policies. By combining these features with data collected from an experimental green roof site in Athens, Georgia, the planning and regulatory framework for widespread green roof infrastructure can be developed. The authors propose policy instruments be multi-faceted and spatially focused, and also propose the following recommendations: (1) Identification of green roof overlay zones with specifications for green roofs built in these zones. This spatial analysis is important for prioritizing areas of the jurisdiction where green roofs will most efficiently function; (2) Offer financial incentives in the form of density credits and stormwater utility fee credits to help overcome the barriers to entry of the new technology; (3) Construct demonstration projects and institutionalize a commitment greening roofs on publicly-owned buildings as an effective way of establishing an educated roofing industry and experienced installers for future green roof construction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beattie D, Berghage R (2004) Green Roof Research in the USA. International Green Roof Congress, Germany. 14–15 September 2004

  • Bornstein R (1968) Observations of the Urban Heat Island Effect in New York City. Journal of Applied Meteorology 7:575–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brenneisen S (2006) Space for urban wildlife: designing green roofs as habitats in Switzerland. Urban Habitats 4:27–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter T, Jackson R (2007) Vegetated roofs for stormwater management at multiple spatial scales. Landscape and Urban Planning 80:84–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carter T, Keeler A Life-cycle cost-benefit analysis of extensive vegetated roof systems. Journal of Environmental Management (in press)

  • Carter T, Rasmussen T (2006) Evaluation of the hydrologic behavior of green roofs. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 42:1261–1274

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, C Optimization of Green Roofs for Air Pollution Mitigation. In: Proc. of 3rd North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC May 4–6 (2005) The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Deutsch B, Whitlow H, Sullivan M, Savineau A, Busiek B (2007) The green build-out model: quantifying the stormwater management benefits of trees and green roofs in Washington, DC. Prepared under EPA Cooperative Agreement CP-83282101-0. Available at: http://www.caseytrees.org. Accessed December 2007

  • Doshi H (2006) Environmental Benefits of Green Roofs on a City Scale—An Example of City of Toronto. In: Proc. of 4th North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Boston. May 11–12 2006. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Doshi, H. (2007) Using GIS to Rank Potential Sites Based on Green Roof Impact. In: Proc. of 5th North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Minneapolis. April 29–May 1 2007. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Doshi H, Banting D, Li H, Missios P, Au A, Currie B, Verrat, M (2005) Report on the Environmental Benefits and Costs of Green Roof Technology for the City of Toronto. Prepared for the City of Toronto and Ontario Centres of Excellence by Ryerson University. Available at: http://www.toronto.ca/greenroofs/pdf/fullreport103105.pdf. Accessed December 2007

  • Dunnett N, Kingsbury N (2004) Planting green roofs and living walls. Timber Press, Portland

  • Farber S, Costanza R, Childers DL, Erickson J, Gross K, Grove M, Hopkinson CS, Kahn J, Pincetl S, Troy A, Warren P, Wilson M (2006) Linking ecology and economics for ecosystem management. Bioscience 56:121–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felson A, Pickett S (2005) Designed experiments: new approaches to studying urban ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3:549–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Firth M and Gedge D (2005) London: The Wild Roof Renaissance. In: Marisa Arpels (Managing Editor). Green Roofs: Ecological Design and Construction, Schiffer Books

  • FLL (Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau) (2000) Guidelines for the Planning, Execution and Upkeep of Green-Roof Sites. Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau e.V., Troisdorf, Germany

  • Getter K, Rowe D, Andresen J (2007) Quantifying the effect of slope on extensive green roof stormwater retention. Ecological Engineering 31:225–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harzmann U (2002) German green roofs. In: Proc. of Annual Green Roof Construction Conference, Chicago, Illinois. Roofscapes, Inc

  • Hilten R (2005) An Analysis of the Energetic and Stormwater Mediation Potential of Greenroofs. MS thesis. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

  • Johnson P (2007) A Green Roof Grant Program for Washington DC. In: Proc. of 5th North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Minneapolis. April 29–May 1 2007. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Kareiva P, Watts S, McDonald R, Boucher T (2007) Domesticated nature: shaping landscapes and ecosystems for human welfare. Science 316:1866–1869

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keeley M (2004) Tried and True Techniques from Europe. In: Proc. of 2nd North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Portland. June 2–4 2004. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Kohler M, Keeley M (2005) Green Roof Technology and Policy Development. In: Marisa Arpels (Managing Editor). Green Roofs: Ecological Design and Construction, Schiffer Books

  • Kula R (2005) Green roofs and LEED credits. Green Roof Infrastructure Monitor 7:5

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson D, Matthes U, Kelly P, Lundholm J, Gerrath J (2004) The Urban Cliff Revolution. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Liptan T (2003) Planning, zoning and financial incentives for ecoroofs in Portland, Oregon. In: Proc. of 1st North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Chicago. 29–30 May 2003. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Liu K, Baskaran B (2003) Thermal Performance of Green Roofs through Field Evaluation. In: Proc. of 1st North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Chicago. 29–30 May (2003) The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Moran A, Hunt B, Smith J (2005) Hydrologic and water quality performance from greenroofs in Goldsboro and Raleigh, North Carolina. In: Proc. of 3rd North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC. May 4–6 2005. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Ngan G (2004) Green Roof Policies: Tools for Encouraging Sustainable Design. Available at http://www.gnla.ca/assets/Policy%20report.pdf. Accessed in December 2007

  • Nowak D, Walton J (2005) Projected urban growth (2000–2050) and its estimated impact on the US forest resource. Journal of Forestry 103:383–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer M, Bernhardt E, Chornesky E, Collins S, Dobson A, Duke C, Gold B, Jacobson R, Kingsland S, Kranz R, Mappin M, Martinez ML, Micheli F, Morse J, Pace M, Pascual M, Palumbi S, Reichman OJ, Simons A, Townsend A, Turner M (2004) Ecology for a crowded planet. Science 304:1251–1252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paul M, Meyer J (2001) Streams in the urban landscape. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 32:333–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peck S, Callaghan C, Kuhn M, Bass B (1999) Greenbacks from Green Roofs: Forging a New Industry in Canada. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Available at http://www.greenroofs.org/pdf/Greenbacks.pdf. Accessed in December 2007

  • Pincetl S, Gearin E (2005) The reinvention of public green space. Urban Geography 26:365–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Portland Development Commission (PDC) (2005) Green Building Policy Guidelines. Available at http://www.green-rated.org/uploaded_files/publications/Green_Building_Policy_Program_Guidelines.pdf. Accessed in December 2007

  • Prowell E (2006) An analysis of stormwater retention and detention of modular green roof blocks. MS thesis. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

  • Revesz R, Stavins R (2004) Environmental Law and Policy. Resources for the Future Discussion Paper 04-30-REV. Available at http://www.rff.org/rff/Documents/RFF-DP-04-30-REV.pdf. Accessed in December 2007

  • Salzman J (2005) Creating markets for ecosystem services: notes from the field. New York University Law Review 80:870–961

    Google Scholar 

  • Toronto City Clerk (2006) Making Green Roofs Happen Available at http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2006/agendas/council/cc060131/pof1rpt/cl020.pdf. Accessed in December 2007

  • VanWoert N, Rowe D, Andresen J, Rugh C, Fernandez R, Xiao L (2005) Green roof stormwater retention: effects of roof surface, slope, and media depth

  • Villarreal E, Bengtsson L (2005) Response of a Sedum green-roof to individual rain events. Ecological Engineering 25:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch M (2007) Minneapolis Earns Stars and Scars by Charging for Hardscape. In: Proc. of 5th North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Minneapolis. April 29–May 1 2007. The Cardinal Group, Toronto

  • Wong N, Chen Y, Ong C, Sia A (2003a) Investigation of thermal benefits of rooftop garden in the tropical environment. Building and Environment 38:261–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong N, Tay S, Wong R, Ong CL, Sia A (2003b) Life cycle cost analysis of rooftop gardens in Singapore. Building and Environment 38:499–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woolson E (2004) Stormwater Utilities: Where Do They Stand Now? Available at http://www.stormh2o.com/sw_0409_stormwater.html Accessed December 2007

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the Home Depot Foundation, the University of Georgia, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Georgia Air and Waste Management Association. We thank Hitesh Doshi, Robert Goo, and two anonymous reviewers for comments that improved the article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. River Basin Center, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Timothy Carter & Laurie Fowler

Authors
  1. Timothy Carter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Laurie Fowler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Timothy Carter.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

(PDF 407 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carter, T., Fowler, L. Establishing Green Roof Infrastructure Through Environmental Policy Instruments. Environmental Management 42, 151–164 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9095-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9095-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation