Nashville Embracing Green Roofs

Nashville, Tennessee property owners could see a sizable tax break for installing a green roof. An ordinance adopted recently offers $10 off a property's sewer fees for every square foot of green roof. According to the city's Metro Water Services, property owners in the program can save up to $500,000 a year. The city estimates that at least 55 percent of the rainfall that hits a green roof is kept out of the storm water system. Nashville, meanwhile, is boasting greenery on 28 percent of the 14.5-acre roof on the new Music City Center.

Skyland USA makes specialty-planting medium for green roof applications.

Green Roof Report
According to industry research firm, Lux Research, green roof installations will rise 70 percent to 204 million square meters by 2017.

Green roofs will account for $7 billion of the landscape market. A $2 billion opportunity:

• Polymeric materials
• Geosynthetic fabrics
• Waterproof membranes
• Planting Media
• Landscape contractor installation
  

Green Walls Gaining

• Green walls are projected to rise to $680 million
• $200 million worth of materials
• Self-supporting polyurethane foam growth media

"The environmental benefits of building-integrated vegetation (BIV) remain hard to monetize, and many wonder if it's just a green curiosity," said Aditya Ranade, Lux Research Senior Analyst and the lead author of the report titled, "Building-Integrated Vegetation: Redefining the Landscape or Chasing a Mirage?" "But with key cities around the world putting incentives in place, a significant market opportunity is emerging."