A beautiful way to fight climate change

June 5, 2007: “Green roofs have really captured many people’s imagination as a beautiful way to fight climate change and save money.” The words come from Steven Peck, Founder and President of Toronto-based Green Roofs for Healthy Cities-North America, which has more than 1,300 members among North American municipal governments and green roof businesses.

“Green roofs deliver more public and private benefits than any other green building technology. This is why we anticipate continued strong growth of the North American green roof industry”, he said.

According to Mr Peck there was 25% expansion in 2006 of the green roof industry of Canada and the United States. In the intensive green roof sector (where larger plants are incorporated into rooftop designs) the expansion was 110% in 2006, he said.

“The green roof industry is growing rapidly in response to the pressing need for cleaner air, better storm-water management, improved energy efficiency an more usable green space in our communities,” Steven Peck said.

Strong growth of North America’s rapidly expanding green roof industry is expected to stimulate similar growth in Australia.

• Pictured: A lack of green urban spaces prompted a group from Dalhousie School of Architecture — Asher deGroot, David Gallaugher, Kevin James, and Jacob Jebailey — to create a whimsical artistic response: a grassed walking-wheel, which hints at sculptural possibilities for turf on every angle. This (and other marvellous photos) was taken by photojournalist André Forget. Pic sourced from Inhabitat.

COMING EVENTS:

1. February 25 and 26, 2008: First biennial “Introduction to Green Roofs” course at Brisbane Technology Park, Eight Mile Plains, Queensland. Register interest with Geoff_AT-nettworx.info
2. February 27 and 28 2008: Second annual “Green Roofs for Australia” conference, at Brisbane Technology Park, Eight Mile Plains, Queensland. Register interest with Geoff_AT-nettworx.info
3. April 30- May 2, 2008: Sixth Annual “Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities” conference in Baltimore, United States – at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel and Baltimore Convention Center. Information here.

About these ads