Planting Down Roofs

  
In the course of your day how often do you look up at the skyline? Food, water, and shelter are the three elements of basic survival, and yet we do not spend much time thinking about shelter. Unless we are without it, it’s broken, or we are on an architecture tour, we tend to ignore the rooftops that populate our lives. With a few notable exceptions, like the movement from thatch to tiles to prevent fire hazards in 1212, based on an edict by King John of England, the evolution of roof technology isn’t that exciting. Things are changing however, and it’s time to start looking up, and thinking green.

A green roof (i.e., vegetated roof or roof garden) is a roof with vegetation planted over a waterproofing membrane. In Europe, green roofs are already abundant, yet their popularity is just beginning to grow  in the United States — particularly in crowded urban settings and cities. In Washington D.C., universities, advocacy groups, Federal Agencies, and condominiums are installing green roofs. Chicago has built one for its city hall, Philadelphia has installed them on schools, and Los Angeles on restaurants. They offer many substantial environmental and economic benefits, including:

• Reduction in a building’s energy, heating and cooling costs
• Minimization of storm water runoff,  city sewer fees, and the urban heat island effect
• Filtration of pollutants and heavy metals from rain water and from ambient air, including CO₂
• Extension of the life of a building’s roof
• LEED credits

What do green roofs mean in relationship to Deloitte?  Recommending that our clients consider installing green roofs on buildings is one example of the many ways we can help our clients achieve their sustainability objectives.  Helping our clients reach their greening goals is one objective I keep in mind while developing and defining the Energy & Natural Resource Management service offerings, as part of the Sustainability & Climate Change IMO. I’m not suggesting that we literally get our hands dirty and plant gardens on top of our client’s roofs, but we should be talking to our clients about how to take advantage of the benefits. And while it may seem backwards, starting at the top, by greening their roof, may be a great foundation for the rest of their sustainability efforts.

 
Greg Aliff
U.S. Energy & Resources Leader
Deloitte LLP