Cities are inherently unnatural.
Cities are inherently unnatural. Their sunlight-absorbing concrete, asphalt and metal surfaces help create urban heat islands that are warmer than rural areas, and the wind-blocking effect of tall buildings and lack of trees and plants can concentrate pollution and make the air less breathable.
That's why, in a growing number of places, architects are turning rooftops into green spaces by planting vegetation. Green roofs also provide habitats for birds and other living creatures, as well as a way to treat and recycle used water.
They also make the urban space more pleasant for inhabitants. You can find a global database of green roof projects at www.greenroof.com. Here are a few of the more interesting green roof projects.
Green roofs, plants, conservation, energy, cities, current events, current affairs
Chicago's city hall has a sprawling green roof which covers the equivalent of a city block. Chicago claims to have more green roofs than any other U.S. city.
Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Tongyang, China, rooftop gardens provide inhabitants with fresh produce.
Andrew Michael Clements, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The wildflower garden roof at Mountain Equipment Coop, Toronto, Canada. Rooftops with gardens must be sturdy, since the weight can amount to 150 pounds per square foot.
Sookie (Flickr), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Greenery envelops the rooftop of a building on Lafayette Street in Lower Manhattan.
Alyson Hurt (Flickr). CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco has an undulating green roof that evokes the city's hilly terrain.
Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Not all green roofs are flat, Here's a pitched roof at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Va.
Ford Motor Co. via Standard YouTube License
The rooftop of a Ford Motor Co. truck plant in Dearborn, Mich., which covers 10.4 acres, has been called the biggest living roof in North America.
Ford Motor Co. via Standard YouTube License
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