A tree grows on top of a neglected building, next thing you know it could save the planet. OK, not really, but it's a start -- and the benefits of a green roof are plenty.
Excerpt:
Proponents of living roofs argue that they have met most, if not all,
of the technical challenges involved in grafting a biological layer
onto the top of buildings of almost any scale: everything from a
vegetable stand or bus stop to the ten-acre roof of Ford's truck plant
in Dearborn, Michigan. While the average cost of installing a green
roof can run two or three times more than a conventional roof, it's
likely to be cheaper in the long run, thanks largely to energy savings.
Vegetation also shields the roof from ultraviolet radiation, extending
its life. And it requires a different kind of care, akin to
low-maintenance gardening.
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