http://www.miller-mccune.com/science-environment/cooling-the-asphalt-jungle-5947/ Nationally Acclaimed Politics, Science and Culture Coverage Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:00:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.miller-mccune.com/science-environment/cooling-the-asphalt-jungle-5947/#comment-937 Pari Sanati Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:03:43 +0000 http://blog.miller-mccune.com.s72010.gridserver.com/?p=5947#comment-937 You are right ANONYMOUS! It's not just about getting the growing media on a roof. It takes a team of experienced professionals to get the job done CORRECTLY. But the two are really different technologies (green roofs vs. white roof). A green roof gives you so many more benefits, from creating found space in our urbanized communities, to increasing biodiversity, helping manage stormwater runoff, helping solar and HVAC systems work more efficiently, reducing energy use, reducing sound, and much more! I don't think a white roof embodies that many benefits. Although it does provide SOME of the benefits I've listed, the end result of a green roof, in my opinion, far surpasses that of a white roof. You are right ANONYMOUS! It’s not just about getting the growing media on a roof. It takes a team of experienced professionals to get the job done CORRECTLY. But the two are really different technologies (green roofs vs. white roof). A green roof gives you so many more benefits, from creating found space in our urbanized communities, to increasing biodiversity, helping manage stormwater runoff, helping solar and HVAC systems work more efficiently, reducing energy use, reducing sound, and much more! I don’t think a white roof embodies that many benefits. Although it does provide SOME of the benefits I’ve listed, the end result of a green roof, in my opinion, far surpasses that of a white roof.

]]> http://www.miller-mccune.com/science-environment/cooling-the-asphalt-jungle-5947/#comment-935 william hughes-games Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:18:00 +0000 http://blog.miller-mccune.com.s72010.gridserver.com/?p=5947#comment-935 Many of the benefits mentioned may be true but net removal of carbon from the atmosphere is not one of them. So you grow a cover crop, vegetables or even bushes and small trees. The only way this is going to result in an overall continual removal of carbon from the atmosphere is if, for instance, you char the resulting vegetative material and incorporate it into terra preta somewhere. Otherwise, very quickly you have accumulated all the carbon the roof can hold and the system is then mature with no net carbon removal capacity. Many of the benefits mentioned may be true but net removal of carbon from the atmosphere is not one of them. So you grow a cover crop, vegetables or even bushes and small trees. The only way this is going to result in an overall continual removal of carbon from the atmosphere is if, for instance, you char the resulting vegetative material and incorporate it into terra preta somewhere. Otherwise, very quickly you have accumulated all the carbon the roof can hold and the system is then mature with no net carbon removal capacity.

]]> http://www.miller-mccune.com/science-environment/cooling-the-asphalt-jungle-5947/#comment-934 Anonymous User Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:02:16 +0000 http://blog.miller-mccune.com.s72010.gridserver.com/?p=5947#comment-934 Has anybody analyzed how much embodied energy is required to retrofit a building to add a green roof? It's not just getting the dirt up there. It requires a suitable moisture barrier, an irrigation system, and in many case additional structural reinforcement.Is there a tipping point where it makes more sense to just paint the roof white and call it good? Has anybody analyzed how much embodied energy is required to retrofit a building to add a green roof? It’s not just getting the dirt up there. It requires a suitable moisture barrier, an irrigation system, and in many case additional structural reinforcement.Is there a tipping point where it makes more sense to just paint the roof white and call it good?

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