France is becoming increasingly serious about environmentalism. That country recently passed new legislation mandating that all new commercial construction projects must incorporate either green roofs or solar panels. Solar panels are increasingly familiar to us on rooftops but to date green roofs have primarily been a European phenomenon.
A green roof is one that is covered in plant life. We do have them here as well, particularly in New York City, but they are more common in Europe. Apart from their pleasing aesthetics, green roofs have many advantages. They provide substantial insulation, reducing energy costs for both heating and air conditioning by an average of 25%. In addition, green roofs help reduce water runoff during rainstorms, often provide food for building residents, and even make a good home for birds that otherwise have been displaced by urban development.
The new French law originally mandated green roofs alone, but was modified to allow solar panels as an alternative. In either case, the environmental advantages are substantial. Toronto, Canada implemented a similar plan about five years ago and estimates that it has already saved hundreds of millions of dollars in energy costs.
These new regulations place a new burden on building managers in France, but it is one that will pay for itself handsomely over time. France currently gets 75% of its electricity from nuclear power and it is not clear that it will be able to sustain this dependence over the long run. The new roof mandates are a step in the direction of safer, sustainable energy.
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New Roofs in France Must Be Green
Photo, posted June, 2009, courtesy of PhotoTouring via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.