Why green roofs should be the new standard in local property development

ALL throughout the world, the trend is toward everything going green. Green cars, green fuel, green energy and, yes, even green concrete. Green technology has pervaded many aspects of our lives, by necessity and by design.

What actually started as a necessary reaction to the global warming problem has become a very important field, which encompasses practically all efforts to mitigate environmental risks in different areas of concern.

Environment-friendly “green” inventions are often in the areas of energy efficiency, recycling, safety and health, and renewable resources. In property development, there is what’s aptly referred to as the green-roof.

Actually, the green-roof concept is not a new thing in the booming global high-rise and condominium market. It actually originated in Europe way back in the 1970s. However, the Asian property development arena has just recently embraced the concept, and places like Singapore and Hong Kong have already made conscious initiatives to make green roofs a development standard.

I believe that, considering their multifaceted benefits, green roofs should also become a property development standard, particularly for residential and office buildings, here in the Philippines.

Benefits of green-roof technology

Have you ever noticed how it is cooler under a tree’s shade than under an umbrella or a canopy or a waiting shed? This is so because trees and other plants serve as living air conditioners. They pump moisture into the air which, in turn, creates a cooling effect as the droplets evaporate. This is basically what green roofs do.

A green roof is simply a layer of plants grown on a rooftop. Also known as roof gardens, green roofs are especially beneficial in tropical countries. They provide shade and remove heat from the air, reducing the temperature of both the roof surface and the surrounding air.

Because green roofs absorb heat, they act as insulators for buildings, thus reducing the energy needed to provide internal cooling or air-conditioning. And because green roofs lessen demand for air-conditioning, they decrease associated air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions.

This isn’t all. Green roofs have other benefits, such as rainwater management, improved insulation, improved ecology, noise reduction, and the obvious aesthetic benefits of flowering plants and small trees.

The state of green roofs in the Philippines

One of the very first structures in the Philippines to incorporate the green-roof concept is the Sky Garden at the SM City North Edsa. Although still very few property development projects in the country incorporate green roofs, and its natural offshoot the green walls, I am really glad to note that there are already several green roofing suppliers plying their wares here. There is Sika Philippines, Lafarge Republic, Specserv Inc., Eastern Wire Manufacturing, and the aptly named Green Roof Enterprises and Green Roof Philippines.

Although most local property developers have at least one major project that incorporates green roofs and walls, the country still needs a lot more green-oriented development projects.

Considering the fact that a green roof is highly beneficial to a residential or office building, we can just imagine the environmental benefits of a whole cluster of green-roofed buildings in a township or city. For one thing, green roofing clusters of buildings in a city will help drastically reduce the heat island effect. A heat island is a city that is significantly hotter than its surrounding areas due to human activity.

I am happy to note that some local government units have taken up the cudgels for the promotion of green roofs and walls in their respective areas.

I recently read a news item about how the Quezon City government passed an ordinance giving tax discounts to homeowners with green roofs and walls. Owners of residential, commercial or industrial buildings in Quezon City can take advantage of up to a 20-percent discount in real property taxes if they allot their building’s roof or walls as space for plants. Good work, I must say. I just hope that other local government leaders in the country follow Quezon City’s lead.

For years I have been a staunch advocate for the environment. The most fulfilling projects I have been fortunate enough to be involved in have always had something to do with environment protection and conservation. This is the reason why I feel strongly about advocating green-roofing technology in our cities.

We definitely need to build better cities—that not only pursue our national development initiatives, but also help in conserving and protecting the environment. Highly urbanized areas like Metro Manila are the ones that need the positive effects of trees and vegetation the most. The problem has always been the fact that modernization has greatly taken the number of areas in the metropolis where we can plant trees and replaced them with concrete structures.

The good news is that green-roof technology has the capacity to greatly change the game. The premise is simple. If we can no longer plant on the ground, then let’s plant on the roof.