Green roofs and rooftop gardens
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 102-103) and index.

This volume introduces green roofs or living roofs, a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. Green roofs can serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and mitigate the heat island effect. The editors have included profiles of a wide range of green roofs in New York City, including a rooftop farm in Queens, a high school classroom in the Bronx, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Visitor Center. They have also provided a history of how the "green roof technique" evolved and information on construction methods, on selecting, establishing, and caring for the plant species that are best suited for living roofs.