Meghan Schwend World Changing Post #3

World Changing Response #3

Meghan Schwend

Green Roofs and Green Facades (Page 256-257 of World Changing)

In cities, space is limited and so are places of outdoor recreation that are abundant in the suburbs. One solution to this, is building green roofs on flat-topped buildings. When planted with grass, these roofs can be used for gardening, playing in, and anything else that one would do with a backyard. This gives city-dwellers a significant amount of added space and freedom. In addition to improving life from a recreational standpoint, green roofs defend their respective buildings against harmful UV damaging UV rays, not to mention creating oxygen. These roofs can be low maintenance when planted with indigenous plants that are appropriate for the climate. No added water source is needed in most cases; the foliage is watered by rainfall.

Much like green roofs, green facades protect the building’s exterior surfaces by blocking UV rays. Climbing ivies, supported by trellises can grow anywhere on a building, aesthetically improving the building’s exterior. In addition to these, green facades can lower homeowner’s cooling bills by acting as an added layer of insulation.

Green roofs and facades are two relatively easy ways that homeowners and city building owners can improve the aesthetics of their structures. Both work in ways beneficial to the environment to improve human’s quality of life. Green roofs give tenants an extra living space to enjoy, while green facades naturally regulate homeowner’s home temperatures. I believe that in the near future, dense cities worldwide will understand the benefits of these to green practices and will implement them in future building designs, as well as use them in already erected structures.