Cities “going green” in a unique way.

• You can see it at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Clifton and at the Zimmer Auditorium on the University of Cinncinati’s campus. You may come across it on the top of some NY buildings and skyscrapers as well as the Apple store in Chicago. Many cities are “going green” and they are doing it with some of the only open plots they have left; the roof of the building.
• All of these buildings have green roofs, hardy vegetation planted in shallow engineered soil over a root-repelant, waterproof drainage system on a flat very low pitched roof. This can cut heating and cooling costs by providing natural earthen insulation, and reduce air and noise pollution because the plants create a filter.
• The plants soil also retains rainwater reducing what goes into storm-water and sewer drainage systems. Like many cities, Cincinnati is under legal pressure from the US EPA to reduce the amount of polluted water flowing into our rivers and what steams from city sewers and storm water systems.
• The goal to getting the river cleaner can only be achieved by reducing the amount of runoff, slow it down, and improve the quality of the water.

www.greenroofs.com