New York City should require green roofs

Green roofs, which are roofs that are partially or completely covered in some form of vegetation, are tremendous assets to neighborhoods and the environment. They can be used to sound-proof buildings by acting as a sound insulation barrier, as Brooklyn Steel did. They can also cut energy usage, reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality and reduce the urban heat island effect, which refers to a phenomenon where cities have higher average temperatures than surrounding areas. In addition, they offer green space for urban farming, which is the model over at Brooklyn Grange, a network of commercial rooftop farms in New York City. Read more