Business View Magazine | August 2019

20 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE AUGUST 2019 stems from a killer marketing campaign and your green roof can get the work done for you. One of the other benefits that you can attain as a business owner by having a green roof is acquiring LEED credits. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits can boost business as word spreads. When other businesses and customers know that you have these credits, your business can grow and become extremely valuable to them. It can also boost your resale value. By installing a green rooftop, you can acquire up to 15 LEED credits. The Effects of Community and Environmental Impact Having a green roof at your place of business will also inevitably impact your community and the environment. As our world changes and develops, more communities are invested in caring for and making a difference in our environment. A green roof improves air quality, reduces noise, and reduces the negative effects of carbon monoxide. Depending on the type of green roof you install, your rooftop can even become a habitat for a variety of wildlife. If the community is aware of these things, and its impact on the environment, you can be sure business will grow. In many urban areas where cities are block to block full of buildings and people, a green roof can combat what is called the “urban heat effect.” This is when conventional rooftops absorb and trap the heat and the heat then radiates back into the surrounding atmosphere. This creates more heat and harmful air currents and hikes the price and usage of A/Cs. Your green roof can greatly reduce this effect and create cleaner and friendlier air for your block, your customers, and other surrounding businesses. Extensive and Intensive Green Roofs There are two main options when it comes time to consider which green roof you want to install for your business. An extensive green roof is low maintenance and the cost is usually lower as well. This type of roof may only need to be maintained once or twice a year. The depth of the roof is about 3-5 inches with a maximum weight of about 25 lbs. per square foot. The type of plants grown on an extensive roof usually include mosses, herbs, grasses, succulents, and sedums. An intensive green roof costs a bit more because the depth ranges from 7-24 inches and the maximum weight can hit 80 lbs/square foot. The type of plants grown on an intensive green roof require a bit more maintenance as they are flowers such as perennials, shrubs, trees, and gardens. Intensive green roofs provide a park-like atmosphere with benches and larger patches of lawn. If installing an intensive green roof, be sure to upkeep your landscaping with proper lawn- edging methods. This means you will have to maintain your green roof more often, and if needed hire landscapers for lawn-edging, trimming, and maintaining proper plant and lawn growth A Green Roof Means Growth A green roof can grow your business immensely because of its tremendous impact on the building itself, customers, community, and the environment. It’s the perfect way to save money, cut costs, and invest in the future. Utilize the information above on how a green roof can grow your business and begin to observe the long-lasting and positive changes. . . . Courtesy of Jules Hopkins at House Tipster www.housetipster.com