Green Roof Runoff Impact

Environmental and human health benefits of green roofs include air purification urban heat island amelioration lower building energy costs increased urban biodiversity reduced stormwater runoff and improved stream water quality.

Green roof runoff impact.

Green roofs are unique in that they have the ability to capture and retain a volume depth of rain from each rainstorm. Research at penn state has shown that green roofs provide considerable reduction in the volume of stormwater leaving a developed site and they reduce the peak rates of runoff. Due to the volume reduction actual nutrient loadings from green roofs are less than asphalt roofing runoff or otherwise manageable at the downspout. Stormwater response of a green roof is indeed highly impacted by the climate conditions and by the green roof structure itself and this conditions make generalization a very difficult task.

Green roofs are lightweight engineered rooftops designed to promote the growth of vegetation while protecting the structural integrity of the roof. A green roof will typically intercept the first 5mm and more of rainfall providing interception storage. The technology addresses a wide array of environmental issues associated with urbanization. In the summer a green roof can typically retain between 70 80 of the run off.

Green roof runoff does contain concentrations of some nutrients and other parameters but values are in line with other planted systems.