Roof Gardens

Roof Gardens

Green roofs naturally reduce indoor heat (by as much as 30-40°F or "an average of 16.4 degrees Celsius per unit area") while increasing biodiversity and cleaning the air. Many flat or low slope roofs are appropriate for retrofitting or even containers options like flat trays of flowers or veggies fixed to the existing roof, or bringing potted plants onto a tall building to create a patio garden.

Benefits of Roof Gardens

Biodiversity

Every tiny bit of space can help boost biodiversity, even if that space is "hard to reach" for humans. Roof gardens might not help your neighborhood foxes, possums, racoons or hedgehogs, but they can definitely help your locals birds, bats, and other pollinators such as butterflies and bees.

Click the Pollinator Garden button to learn how to make your roof garden a pollinator habitat.

Combat Heat Island Effect

The heat island effect is making cities increasingly dangerous as global temperatures continue to rise. Any green space can help reduce this potentially deadly phenomenon.

Flood Control & Rain Harvesting

As flooding becomes an increasing threat to communities world wide, people are increasingly turning to permeable and water-wise infrastructure including green and blue roofs.

Urban Density

Higher density in communities can improve energy efficiency, and reduces emissions. By using our existing spaces more wisely we can enjoy our homes, businesses, and even bring a little extra biodiversity into our lives via this strategic space use.

North America

Canada

Considerations

Apps & Tools

Europe

UK

Maps

International

Europe

UK

North America

USA

Organizations

North America

Canada

Grants & Funding

Oceana

Australia

Western Australia

Native Plant Subsidy "Native plants provide natural food sources and shelter for native animals, are water wise and can help cool your home naturally. To help you create a waterwise garden, the City of Cockburn offers native plant subsidies to both residents and schools." 

Companies

Europe

Denmark