This article summarizes much of Green Roof Diagnostics’ (GRD) approach to applied research. Of the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic), this article focuses primarily on the last pillar: economic sustainability via a recent case study where one developer was able to save US$540,000 by utilizing rooftop detention technology.

Living in greater harmony with the environment requires that we do our best to understand the environment and design solutions that provide the most benefit and create little or no harm. Technology – such as via monitoring, smart controls, and modeling – contribute immensely to both that understanding and design.

Stormwater continues to be the #1 reason for installing a green roof. This article seeks to clarify some of the most common terminology related to green roof stormwater management, specifically: retention vs. detention.