I recently came across a interesting piece of research with some great
supportive findings for the money Green Roofs and Walls can save. By performing
well financially, they also have the added benefit of helping the planet by lowering
fuel used to make energy and saving on waste water costs and impact. The
summary of the research findings in "Evaluating Rooftop and Vertical Gardens
as an Adaptation Strategy for Urban Areas" conducted by Environment Canada and the Institute for Research in Construction National Research Council is outlined below.
The researchers measured the differences in temperature profile, heat flow, solar
reflectance, rooftop microclimate, soil moisture content and storm water runoff and
performance (energy) between a Green Roof and a control roof (modified
bituminous).