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Abstract
One major selling point for green roofs has been their relatively modest cost compared to those for traditional rooftop gardens. This paper will attempt to verify such claims by comparing typical construction costs of traditional residential rooftop gardens in New York City with costs of typical green roof construction. The goal will be to present a complete cost estimate for a rooftop garden using traditional design methods and compare with the costs for a green roof design. Categories of costs will include waterproofing/roofing, pavements, planters, plant materials, soil/growing media, irrigation, overhead structures, special features and maintenance. There will also be a discussion of a hybrid design in which a combination of construction techniques is used, perhaps more suitable for a dense urbanized environment like New York City’s in which accessibility to the public is a crucial requirement. New Yorkers typically want to use the amenities provided on a rooftop garden, rather than merely view a completed installation. There will also be some discussion of building code and regulatory requirements, which although they vary in other cities, are always a factor to be considered, and have major implications for both design and construction costs.
One major selling point for green roofs has been their relatively modest cost compared to those for traditional rooftop gardens. This paper will attempt to verify such claims by comparing typical construction costs of traditional residential rooftop gardens in New York City with costs of typical green roof construction. The goal will be to present a complete cost estimate for a rooftop garden using traditional design methods and compare with the costs for a green roof design. Categories of costs will include waterproofing/roofing, pavements, planters, plant materials, soil/growing media, irrigation, overhead structures, special features and maintenance. There will also be a discussion of a hybrid design in which a combination of construction techniques is used, perhaps more suitable for a dense urbanized environment like New York City’s in which accessibility to the public is a crucial requirement. New Yorkers typically want to use the amenities provided on a rooftop garden, rather than merely view a completed installation. There will also be some discussion of building code and regulatory requirements, which although they vary in other cities, are always a factor to be considered, and have major implications for both design and construction costs.
Date
5/2005
5/2005
Author(s)
Steven Cantor
Steven Cantor
Page(s)
Keyword(s)
green roof; rooftop garden; costs
green roof; rooftop garden; costs