Australian municipal governments are taking a keen interest in the City of Toronto’s new by-law, which mandates green roofs on all major new buildings in this Canadian city.
The landmark green roof by-law was decided 36 votes in favour and two against last Friday, May 29 and is the first in North America to mandate green roofs in addition to providing standards for their construction, placing Toronto among other cities with similar by-laws in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan.
The implementation of Toronto’s green roof by-law has been achieved after more than a decade of widespread community consultation and pilot programs involving key players in the property industry such as building owners, property developers, city authorities, academics and local residents.
A study by Ryerson University in Toronto calculated an estimated city-wide temperature reduction of 2 degrees Celsius in summer months if only 8% of Toronto’s city roofs are greened. Other benefits include millions of dollars savings in city storm-water management and building energy bills, reduced fossil fuel energy use, improved productivity for office workers, and improved health and psychology for building residents.
Toronto’s new green roof by-law was also developed with assistance from members of the North American Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), with president, Stephen Peck noting that the mandatory rooftop greening applies to residential buildings of six stories or more and buildings with a Gross Floor Area above 2,000m2.
The Toronto by-law requires up to 60% green roof coverage on multi-unit residential buildings, on schools, non-profit housing, and commercial and industrial buildings.
Green Roofs Australia Inc is encouraging Australian councils to better understand what such mandating means in terms of support for faster green roofs and green wall development in Australian cities.
Queensland members of Green Roofs Australia Inc can learn more about the Toronto green roof by-laws (and have discussion on similar by-laws for Brisbane and other Queensland cities) at their next meeting at 5.30pm on Tuesday, July 20, 2009.
A half-day seminar and discussion on the by-law is being organised as part of the “Cities Alive” congress tour to Toronto in late October 2099.
More information on the “Cities Alive” tour is available by emailing Green Roofs Founder and Queensland executive, Geoff Wilson, on wilson.geoff@optusnet com.au or by phoning +61 (0)7 3411 4524.
Posted by green roofs on July 27, 2009 at 7:18 pm
This is definitely a good use of available space. It helps the environment and provides for the future of mankind. Kudos!!
Posted by Tour to kerala on August 3, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I am totally agree.
Posted by Rajasthan Tourism on September 2, 2009 at 9:20 am
indeed this is very good deed for mankind and envionment….
Posted by Antonino Giglio on September 9, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I read the news few weeks ago and it is a great news! We should get Australian councils to do something similar. We do need the government support to make green roof mandatory on certain kind of buildings like commerial ones.
Posted by Dora on September 27, 2009 at 4:44 am
Green Roofs are an excellent contribution to helping deal with environmental issues and they look great in my opinion.