Summary: Roofs covered in plants have become popular in France, and while they're also beautiful and nice to have for rooftop parties, they also reduce energy use. France approved a bill last week that requires there to be solar panels or plants on every new commercial building in the country. These roofs, covered in wildflowers and other plants, keep heat in the buildings, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning and heating all at once. Spanish researchers conducted experiments on the impact, the results of which tell us that foliage on the roofs can help reduce loss of heat by 60%, while also acting as a passive cooling system. Green roofs also reduce runoff by absorbing rain water, and keep the air fresher by ridding it of pollutants. "Green roofs cost more to install and maintain, and their price and complexity deter many homeowners and developers. Yet a 2008 University of Michigan study found that their benefits, including a longer-than-average lifespan, more than offset the extra up-front investment." -direct quote from article.
Analysis: Green roofs are both beneficial to the environment AND to the business owner. There's literally no reason not to install them at this point except that the company is too lazy. I really feel like Americans could also benefit from this if we started doing this in our cities. Hopefully we learn from other countries for once on this issue. This involves world history because if we continue to let pollution just kind of happen all around us, our environment is going to get worse, and we need to understand that as a society and improve upon it.
Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2015/03/150328-green-roofs-france-buildings-energy/
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