Social Benefits

• Improved livability.
• Improved physical and mental health from exposure to nature.
• Increased sense of pride and place, levels of trust, civic participation, less violence, aggression, vandalism, and littering.

Aesthetic Benefits

• Green roofs are much better looking than asphalt, gravel or tar.
• Natural views create more productive, healthy, happy, creative, relaxed people.
• Green roofs expand the usefulness of buildings via patios, gardens and vistas.

Urban Heat Island Mitigation

The urban heat island effect is the temperature difference between urban areas and their rural surroundings. The temperature differential causes air currents and dust, and even contributes to violent weather events within urban settings.

Green roof vegetation helps by cooling the air, slowing air movement and acting as a substrate for pollution to settle out and detoxify.

Waste Diversion

LiveRoof® modules are made from 100% recycled plastics. Reground post-industrial and post-consumer recycled plastics are diverted from landfills. Additionally, green roofs help to extend the life of roof membranes, keeping them on the roof and out of landfills longer.

Noise Reduction

Plants, soil, and air trapped in the soil are great acoustic insulators. Tests indicate that green roofs can reduce indoor sound by as much as 40 decibels, which is of great benefit to occupants of buildings affected by airports, industry, trains and traffic.

Fire Prevention

Succulent green roof plants help reduce the risk of fire and provides a natural barrier for preventing the spread of fire from adjacent buildings.

The LiveRoof® system is class 1A FM fire rated. See our Technical Resources section for more details.

Water Conservation/Reduction of Storm Water Runoff

The soil in green roof systems acts like a sponge and absorbs excess rain water. Research has shown that extensive green roof systems can reduce runoff by up to 90+% annually (varies with climate, soil and pitch of roof).

Green roofs reduce the impact of each new building on the municipal storm drainage system and surrounding watershed. They reduce flooding, erosion and artificial heating of water which helps preserve fisheries and other aquatic life.

Green roofs reduce the need for on-site storm water management systems and according to Seattle based Magnusson Klemencic Associates, under certain conditions, can offset the cost of a green roof by 30 to 60%. When combined with an effective rain garden (bioswale), green roofs can make it possible to have zero discharge of rainwater from the site, therefore saving money by not having to connect to the storm sewer system.

Green roofs filter water prior to returning it to the aquifer. They buffer acid rain and remove nitrate pollution as water slowly percolates through the soil. What runoff remains will usually occur hours after peak flows, providing additional time for sewer systems to handle the runoff burden from impervious surfaces.

Habitat Restoration

Construction displaces natural habitat. Adding a green roof system to your structure can effectively replace that green space and provide habitat for many of the native species; including honey bees, ground nesting birds, and beneficial soil organisms.