When living in an apartment, having access to the roof to create a rooftop garden is well worth it. There are surprising benefits to doing so, including cost-savings, growing your own veggies, and hosting interesting parties. The residents of a city like Chicago love using their rooftops.
Let’s learn more about the benefits of creating a rooftop garden.
- Energy Savings
Adding a lawn or plants to your roof provides energy savings for the people living below. Even apartments two levels down might benefit too. The good people at the National Research Council of Canada determined in a study that on the hottest days, a roof can reach over 150-degrees Fahrenheit. However, tests on a similar roof that had a roof garden with ample shade didn’t even reach into the 80’s.
The resulting air-conditioning requirements fell by over 70 percent due to the reduced heat levels on the roof and how it affected the building’s interior. While your results may vary, it’s clear that there is considerable energy savings (and cost savings) to be had. The money saved can be used to hire maid service Chicago to clean your apartment and then you will have more time to spend relaxing on your deck.
- Cleaner Air
Air quality, both on the roof and elsewhere, improves when a city has plenty of rooftop gardens. The plants help filter out harmful air particles and escaped gases through the process of photosynthesis.
It’s also possible that dust levels and problems with smog in industrial-based cities are better managed with green roofs, which in turn lowers greenhouse gas emissions reaching the atmosphere. A cluster of green roofs in a city is required to achieve the most benefit, as it creates a form of ‘herd immunity’ through group filtration.
- View Within a View
Your cityscape view may be impressive, but try adding trees, plants, and greenery on the roof. Now go sit out on your comfortable lawn patio furniture and enjoy your view, within a view. Look out over your garden and the city beyond it. It’s a whole different experience!
- Indoor Noise Reduction
Noise pollution in cities is a major problem. If you live near airplane flight paths, this noise can come in from above, penetrating the roof and adding to what’s heard inside an apartment.
Happily, the deep soil, water, and plant vegetation work together much like foam soundproofing does. It absorbs the sound waves, reflects and deflects it outwards from the roof. Adding a rooftop garden can, therefore, avoid the need for sound-absorbing foam to stick on the walls or ceiling in your home to reduce the din.
- Reduced Runoff During Storms
Stormwater is a major issue for the city. The water is dirty and difficult to clear, clogging up storm drain systems. When stormwater hits a roof, not only do the plants get some added moisture, but the foliage helps clean the water before it runs off the side. Some of the water absorbed by the plant life later evaporates or rises into the atmosphere using something called evapotranspiration. Infrastructure works, and city costs are reduced because of less strain on the city’s drainage systems too.
Whether the attraction of a rooftop garden is to create a different experience when wanting some alone time or you’re looking to impress friends and family, it’s difficult to argue with the concept. There are many benefits for people who don’t have a garden of their own and the initial costs are matched with cost savings later.
