Green Roof Requirements Are On the Rise

Governing: Rooftops aren’t just for shingles and solar panels anymore. Increasingly, they’re for the birds, the bees and the trees. Green roofs, which have been common in Europe for more than 40 years, are slowly catching on in the U.S. Since the mid-aughts, there’s been a small but growing effort -- particularly in the last two years -- to turn rooftops over to all kinds of vegetation.

The focus comes as cities are setting ever more ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy goals. Green or living roofs are an obvious solution because they’ve been found to reduce energy costs and absorb stormwater.

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