Garden roof-tops to green up London

The Environment Agency (EA) is encouraging developers and landlords in London to green up their roof-tops as a way of mitigating the effects of climate change.

Speaking at the World Green Roof Congress this week, representatives from the EA will outline their vision of vegetation covered roof-tops across the British capital.

Roof gardens, according to the EA, provide natural insulation, slow down water run-off, help to reduce the risk of flooding, and reduce the urban heat-island effect.

Additionally, they provide an important habitat for wildlife and make the city a nice place to live.

A number of buildings in Canary Wharf and Cannon Street already boast green roofs, and several more are being planned across the city, including at the eco-friendly power station in Battersea.

The campaign for more green roofs in London is being supported by Mayor Boris Johnson, and his environmental advisor, Richard Blakeway.

It resonates with Johnson’s approach to the environment of promoting improvements to green and open spaces, rather than difficult to understand technical carbon based quick fixes.

The EA has acknowledged that green roofs do cost more to build and maintain, and that there is currently no national policy encouraging them.

However, Canary Wharf’s green roof saves its owners £5,000 per year in heating costs, whilst green roofs in Toronto save the city over £10 million, and in Chicago, where the concept has been fully embraced, over £100 million per year is saved.

Landlords wishing to plant a roof garden can consult a new online guide on the EA’s website.