Baseline Analysis of Green Roof Distribution in New York City Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal, Ecology & Society
Sourced from The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is pleased to announce the publication of Examining the Distribution of Green Roofs in New York City Through a Lens of Social, Ecological, and Technological Filters in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Society. Co-authored with researchers from The New School, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Columbia University, the paper describes the development of a publicly-available dataset on green roofs in New York City, along with insights into potential drivers of where they are and what the distribution might mean for the benefits they can offer. Put into context with existing city data such as on heat vulnerability and combined sewer overflows, this dataset can inform green roof planning and policy in New York City.
Green roofs are a nature-based solution that can help the city adapt to a changing climate with increasing temperatures and more frequent and intense rainfall. Yet the research finds that as of 2016, green roofs were rare in New York City, found on less than 0.1% of buildings – mostly in midtown and downtown Manhattan, with few to none in most other areas of the city.
Dr. Mike Treglia, Lead Scientist for The Nature Conservancy’s Cities Team in New York said, “This effort established the first dataset of green roofs in New York City, which is a critical step for being able to understand where their benefits are being offered and for tracking changes through time. This information, as well as insights on the types of buildings we see green roofs on, such as public vs. private, is ultimately invaluable in working with policymakers, advocates and researchers to expand green roofs, particularly in areas where they are most needed.”
“If we are going to meet our goals for climate adaptation, sustainability and equity, we have to invest more in our green roofs alongside other green spaces.” said Dr. Timon McPhearson, Director of the Urban Systems Lab at The New School. “The unmet opportunity to transform the flat roof space in New York City is vast. Mobilizing city resources to expand green roofs especially in underserved neighborhoods could go a long way towards cooling the city, improving stormwater resiliency and providing new recreation spaces.”
“New York City's roofs were once upon a time all green, composed of a near-continuous forest canopy that ran from river to sea across the city's archipelago.” said Dr. Eric W. Sanderson, Senior Conservation Ecologist, Wildlife Conservation Society. “Although this paper shows we are far from the cooling, water-absorbing, biodiversity-full, leafy embrace of the past, understanding where we are and what we can do next is necessary to grow a greener and more resilient future.”
From the Living Architecture Monitor
