North America’s cities are getting greener one roof or wall at a time. Urban centers like Chicago, Boston and Vancouver have ambitious green roof projects underway while Whole Foods and hotel chains like W Hotels are also early adopters. A green rooftop covered in prairie grass or sedum can lower heating and energy bills by 10% and a 10 story building in L.A. with green roof and walls can be estimated to extract 40 tons of carbon from the air annually.

Vancouver-based, G-Sky offers designs and materials for both green walls and green rooftops. Green wall panels can
go on any vertical surface and start around $100 a square foot. Rooftop installations can involve extensive park-like installations or lightweight designs that don’t allow for recreational use. It’s all good.

benefits:

• buildings are protected from UV rays and acid rain
• naturally cooling – reduces A/C use
• natural sound insulation
• creates a greener, more livable environment
• storm water control
• creates cool spots in hot urban environments
• creates natural habitats for birds etc.
• plants clean air and create oxygen
• increase property value and aesthetics

the greening of Chicage – time

g-sky / greenrooftops.com

centre for the advancement of green roof technology