Roof Greening
Through the Lancaster County Roof Greening Project, the Lancaster County Planning Commission will facilitate the installation of vegetated or “green” roofs on roughly 79,000 square feet of roof space in the City of Lancaster and surrounding County. The Roof Greening program is funded through the PA Department of Environmental Protection Energy Harvest Grant to help expand the use of green roof technology in Lancaster’s urban areas.
For up to date information on the Roof Green program please visit www.lancasterroofgreening.org
The Primary Goals of the Roof Greening Program are to
- Demonstrate the many benefits of roof greening
vegetated roof - Dansko
- Educate local contractors
- Develop the capacity of local businesses to respond to increased demand for this innovative technology
Partners
- Lancaster County Planning Commission
- Millersville University Department of Earth Sciences
- Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority
- Lancaster County Career and Technology Center
- Lancaster County Conservation District
- Sierra Club
- Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network
Environmental benefits
- Energy conservation – Provides insulation and lowers cooling costs for the building
- Reduced storm water runoff – Captures 70-100 percent of the precipitation that falls on it. This reduces the volume and speed of storm water runoff leaving the site, helping to prevent sewer overflows while protecting rivers and streams.
- Urban cooling – Green roofs reduce the heat island effect. This phenomenon describes urban and suburban temperatures that are 2 to 10°F (1 to 6°C) hotter than nearby rural areas. Elevated temperatures can impact communities by increasing peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution levels, and heat-related illness and mortality.
- Extend life of roof
- Improved air quality.