Every business owner always has money and growth on their mind. The big question they are constantly asking is “what can I do to grow my business and increase revenue?” One of the best ways to have more money for your business is to save more money and attract the attention and affection of consumers. Consumers care about the environment and as a business owner, you should too. A green roof is the pathway to capturing the hearts of the public, giving back to the environment, and saving yourself money for future business growth. Installing a green roof for your business can really do wonders for your growth, finances, and public standing. Read on to discover how a green roof can grow your business.
What is a Green Roof?
A green roof is the installation of greenery on the top of your building. A green roof will be made up of plants and soil and will replace standard or traditional roof. This new garden-like roof becomes the covering for your building. Changing the infrastructure of your building is not needed when it comes to growing vegetation on your green roof. Most rooftops don’t have much of a function except to act as a covering for a building. A green rooftop changes that and brings use and functionality to your roof and the effects are far-reaching and beneficial for business.
The Benefits for a Business Owner
One of the greatest benefits of having a green roof is that it lasts longer than a traditional roof. An average for the lifespan for most green rooftops is about 60 years. That means the cost of maintenance or installation of a new traditional roof goes way down or becomes completely non-existent. Having a green roof, although initially can cost a pretty-penny, will almost always guarantee that you will save enormous amounts of money in the long-run.
A green roof reduces the use of the A/C in the summer and also can reduce heating costs in the winter. With a green rooftop warm air will no longer be trapped in the blacktop portion of your roof. Instead, nature takes its course and preserves a balance in heat and air flow. It’s like having insulation made by nature for your roof without the costs of adding more synthetic material to insulate your building. In the end you save money in order to pour it back into the other parts of your business that you deem necessary.
Not only does a green roof minimize energy costs but a green roof can grow your business by increasing worker productivity. A green roof can become a sanctuary of rest and refreshment for your employees. Some business owners choose to include benches and patches of lawn for picnicking. By doing so, studies show that worker productivity increases and there is motivation and incentive for working hard to take a refreshing green rooftop break. Happy employees mean business will boom and customer interaction will also increase.
A green roof can grow your business by saving you money by avoiding the installation of intricate and complicated drainage and irrigation systems. The installation of a green roof means that rain and storm waters will be absorbed into the vegetation of the roof, therefore reducing the need for intense drainage and irrigation structures. This can save your business vast amounts of money and the headache of worrying about leaks and storm management.
Just picture it now, with a green roof your conventional building will be transformed from a typical boxy business building into an eye-catching and pleasing community attraction. This will be sure to drive customer visits. The more consumers that know about your green roof, the likelier and higher the chances are that word will spread. These days growing your business all 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 (Leaderships 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 range from 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.
