Why Green Rooftops are Sprouting Around the World
Sourced from JLL
Whether it’s carefully cultivated gardens or urban farms, a growing number of green roofs are growing atop buildings across the world’s cities.
The market for green rooftops is set to grow by US$8.8 billion by 2025, according to a report from Technavio, a market research firm. It found that Germany, the U.S., Japan, Canada, and Singapore are the largest markets for green roofs.
Amid a broader push from companies and governments driving toward net zero goals, for which the built environment can play a critical role, the rising number of green roofs stems in part from new financial incentives and regulations.
Toronto, for example, introduced laws for new buildings or extensions greater than 21,000 square feet back in 2009. Since then, developers have had to cover between 20 percent and 60 percent of their buildings with vegetation – and while they can opt out for a fee, fewer than 10 percent choose to do so, according to data from Toronto’s City Hall.
Other cities have opted for more flexibility. In San Francisco, 15 percent to 30 percent of roof space on new buildings must incorporate solar panels, green roofs or both.
“Local government policy has and continues to be the major gamechanger as more cities aim to improve air quality, protect against flooding and heat stress during heatwaves, and build nature back into the urban environment,” says Isabel Scruby, Planning, Development & Heritage consultant at JLL.
It’s a far cry from when green roofs first appeared 50 years ago. Back then it was often charities or housing cooperatives leading the charge in German cities such as Düsseldorf and Stuttgart, today considered Europe’s green roof capital.
From the Living Architecture Monitor
