Green Roofs and Rooftop Gardens

Book excerpt: Green Roofs and Rooftop Gardens A detailed look at why and how urban rooftops are going green Living roofs cool the air, reduce water pollution, extend roof life, and cut energy costs. They also provide green space for city dwellers and habitat for birds and insects. Long popular in Europe, this building technique is now catching on in the U.S., most recently in New York City. Green Roofs and Rooftop Gardens tells the stories behind some of the city's most interesting living roofs and explains how such roofs are constructed, planted, and cared for. What's Inside Profiles of a wide range of NYC green roofs, including a rooftop farm in Queens, a high school classroom in the Bronx, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Visitor Center A history of how the technique evolved A detailed primer on construction methods Information on selecting, establishing, and caring for the special best-suited for living roofs Practical advice for creating a rooftop container garden or bringing a green roof to your school Book jacket.