Green Roofs on Schools
Posted in Blog, Projects, Schools on July 1, 2022
Green roofs on schools are some of our favorite projects. We love all the benefits they bring to the environment, community, and students.
Schools that have green roofs get all the benefits that any green roof provides. These include building benefits like reduced heating and cooling costs, increased efficiency of HVAC systems, and increasing the life of a roof.
Green roofs also offer environmental benefits for both students and the surrounding communities. They reduce the urban heat island effect by providing plants to absorb heat and lower the temperature. Green roofs also assist in stormwater management by retaining precipitation and preventing runoff. They can also reduce the carbon dioxide levels and improve air quality in the surrounding area.
The biggest benefits, though, and the ones we love the most, are for the students. Accessible green roofs offer a classroom for children to enjoy dedicated green space in neighborhoods where it may be in short supply. These kinds of green roofs can also offer unique educational opportunities. The ability to study plants and wildlife on the green roof, exposing children to science and teaching them about the environment.
Beyond all of this, green roofs can provide important health and emotional benefits for children. Accessible green roofs provide a physical outdoor space for children to play and enjoy nature in the middle of a school day. In some neighborhoods, green roofs can also offer students a safe and secure location to unwind, which may not be possible in other neighborhood locations.
Since we were founded in 2005, we’ve had the distinct honor of providing soil for many green roof school projects, including the following two that are still thriving and providing important benefits to the school communities:
- The Ogden International School in Chicago: Completed in 2011, the school building has a 20,000 square foot accessible green roof, which features a learning garden and rooftop play space for the children at the school. It’s a truly unique space providing benefits for students, teachers, and the community.
- Selinsgrove Area Elementary School: Completed in July 2009, the green roof area is approximately 3,500 square feet and connects the existing school and a new classroom wing addition. It is viewable from an observation window for teaching purposes and from the student playground next to it. The green roof also helped to remediate stormwater management issues on the site.
Some of our recent school projects include the Georgetown Day School in Washington, DC, The Brearly School in New York City, PS40 in Brooklyn, Pharos Academy in New York City, and the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Sciences Center at Auburn University.
If you’re planning a green roof school project, we want to help. Our green roof soil products can help your realize your vision and create a life-changing space for school communities.
