What is particularly fascinating about our current urban situation is that we, as a city, understand that we contribute heavily to air and sound pollution yet we are also aware of green roof technology and all of the health and societal benefits that come along with it. Green roofs, while being cool to spend time on or look at, provide several quantifiable and intangible benefits to our living space. The big concern is that if our city known for its affluence and liberalism, why don’t even a substantial portion of New York City rooftops have grass or other plants on them?
New York City was founded and developed very closely to a group of values that still define our city today. One value that the city maintains that also allows it to prosper amongst other global cities is its pragmatism. This city has always done things for money, results, and efficiency – artistic and environmental value come second. Our initial questions are not if we can make something look nicer or offer more plaza space – they are more along the lines of how much rent will a studio apartment cost per square foot or what is the quickest way to get to the Financial District? These types of priorities have shaped our city into the extremely practical municipality it is today. What is interesting to see, however, is that this pragmatism that has brought the city so far may actually have entrenched New York into inefficient designs and methods.
Naturally, it is going to take one or many reasons to change. The cause for green roofs is growing and the reasons for it are mounting. New Yorkers are still as concerned with monetary factors, as they should be. However, new factors such as living with better air quality and sleeping better at night have become more important to the average New Yorker’s living experience. No longer are New Yorkers willing to compromise their living experience for cheap apartments – a new standard is forming and green roofs are going to be an instrumental part in fulfilling those standards.
