re: White Roofs & Lack of Vision Outside of Toronto
White, reflective roofs were all the craze back in 2011, without mention of green roofs or walls, such as in this old article we recently read about a new head office for an old automobile brand that’s focused on being ‘green’ (large windows, stormwater management, etc.) and features a white roof.
Honda opens new green headquarters in Markham - DesignCurial
While the City of Toronto began its Incentives for green roofs in 2006, many buildings like this one don’t reside exactly in Toronto, but Markham is so close.
How do building owners benefit from green roofs if there’s no “incentive”? The reality is there’s an almost endless list of benefits associated with them that’s hardly ever doubted by novices, aside from the daunting feelings some associate when pondering being innovative. The Incentive offered by Toronto is simply just the icing on the cake which inspires building owners to capitalize on a great rebate while the program is still being provided.
Don’t believe us? Check out the almost endless research available online today about green roofs beyond Toronto recently. We’ve tried our best to synthesize that for you today in our Global Research paper (HERE). This paper focuses on the most measurable impacts of green roofs and walls: energy efficiencies gained and energy costs reduced. You should also seek resourceful partners like Groof who prioritize your bottom line as well, finding and supporting you through programs like The City of Toronto’s incentives for green roofs, a different city’s program for stormwater, etc. Calculators for energy savings like this one by the ASU are also freely available: Green Roof Energy Calculator | Urban Climate Research Center (asu.edu)
Our inspiration-gallery (HERE) is our collection of the best green roofs and walls we’ve seen - they’re from all across North America, not just in Toronto where there’s both a bylaw and incentives framework. We’re grateful to The City of Toronto for sticking their necks out the last decade as the only North American city to provide building owners with this motivation and opportunity. This inspired the Groof co-founders to help boost the still immature field that is green roofs and walls in urban centres, whether in Toronto, or next door in Markham.
Incentives aren’t borders and green roofs (and walls) are all about community building. Communities like customers or employees will appreciate the extra lengths a building owner has gone to keep a building up with the times. On the topic of white roofs vs. green roofs, green roofs involve more work but there are multiple benefits that outweigh the lesser benefits of white roofs. Review this direct quote from this article about white roofs versus green:
“Although white roofs have good solar reflectance, their ability to reflect the sun decreases over time due to weathering and wear, which can lead to increased heat absorption. Therefore, they need to be cleaned periodically to remove dust and dirt that can reduce their reflectance. Also, no matter how well the roof material is maintained it will still lose its ability to reflect the sun over time.”
If you’re feeling low about your building not being located in Toronto, rise up to the challenge and remember: where there’s a will, there’s a way. In fact, Groof prides itself on remaining creative, whether artistically or commercially. For example, a company like the one mentioned in the article my have related buildings in Toronto - while this may not be within your own scope, if you have information that can help those on your outskirts, why not?
Similar to how Groof sees our own future, add more levers to pull on for the greater good of your company. You get what you give. So be kind!