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D.C. Metro"?u#1 for Green Roofs Installed in 2014 Survey Indicates a 12 Percent Reduction in Green Roofs Last Year05-20-15 | News

D.C. Metro"?u#1 for Green Roofs Installed in 2014 Survey Indicates a 12 Percent Reduction in Green Roofs Last Year

The U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters green roof is at St. Elizabeth's West Campus in Washington, D.C. Photo: U.S. Government Services Administration www.gsa.gov

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) reports Washington, D.C. is the top region for green roof installations, according to its 2014 Annual Green Roof Industry Survey www.greenroofs.org.

"The district is recognized as one of the most sustainable cities in the world, and with the recent adoption of rigorous stormwater regulations and other progressive environmental policies, our nation's capital shows no sign of relinquishing its berth," said Tommy Wells, director of D.C.'s department of the environment.

The Washington, D.C. metro area tallied the installation of 1,207,114.56 square feet of green roofs in 2014. D.C. has adopted public policies and programs that support green roof investment, including rebates of $7-$15 per square foot per green roof installed, and credits that reduce stormwater fees.

Toronto, for the first time, is ranked second among North American cities, with 775,216 square feet of green roofs installed. The Toronto Green Roof by-law of 2009 required green roofs on most new buildings. The result is permitting for more than 2 million square feet of green roofs.

"It comes as no surprise the top performing regions are those that invest directly and indirectly in green roof infrastructure projects to create green space, mitigate stormwater runoff, improve air quality and moderate the urban heat island effect," observed Steven Peck, GRHC founder and president.

The survey also found a 12 percent reduction in growth rate for green roofs in 2014. This, GRHC speculates, is largely due to the end of federal stimulus funding for green roof installations, and limitations in data collection.

Note: GRHC will hold its annual conference"?uCitiesAlive: 13th Annual Green Roof and Wall Conference"?uin Brooklyn, October 5-8, 2015 citiesalive.org, and on June 1, will host "Grey to Green: A Conference on Urban Agriculture and Resilience" www.greytogreen.org.