Rooftop Gardening And Why They’re More Than Beautiful Green Spaces

Urban gardening is fast catching up in most Indian metros.

But there’s more to this seemingly hipster trend than the cosmetic value of having a balcony or terrace full of greenery to enjoy.

With the need to increase green spaces within ever-expanding cities becoming a high priority for urban dwellers, it’s a good time to look at some of the benefits of this beyond the aesthetic.

Energy Efficiency

Countries like Canada, Switzerland, and France already have laws requiring all commercial and residential buildings to have some form of rooftop garden, motivated mostly by environmental and energy conservation benefits.

According to some sources, the temperature in Tokyo could be lowered by 0.11–0.84° C if 50% of all available rooftop space were planted with greenery, resulting in savings of approximately 100 million yen.

Primarily, green roofs reduce the direct impact of heat on the roof surface, thereby reducing the energy required to cool or heat the building.

The same green cover protects the building from direct sunlight and heat, cooling it in summer and providing insulation that retains warmth in winter.

This not only reduces electricity costs but also provides a sustainable solution for conserving that energy in the long run.

Moreover, energy conservation also means fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

• Also View: Science up your home and kitchen gardens

Improved Air Quality

Your lungs will definitely thank you for the extra green space, increased oxygen supply, and clearer air quality.

Green cover, by nature, traps dust particles from the air, providing a place for them to settle, and evapotranspiration also helps cool the environment; together, this significantly reduces the presence of smog.

Cutting the distribution of dust in the air and, therefore, the levels of smog also decreases greenhouse emissions.

Plants also reduce and further filter pollutants and other particle matter in the air through the constant process of photosynthesis.

Therefore, the more rooftop gardens there are in any urban area, the greater the benefit.

Effective Management of Rainwater

Even though it is common knowledge that more trees lead to better rainfall and rainwater management, one of the seriously underrated advantages of rooftop gardens is their ability to contain stormwater runoff.

A green cover helps retain precipitation within the water cycle by absorption, which is then returned to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration.

A rooftop garden is perfect to make the most of the rain in a country prone to strong monsoons.

Plants use rain immediately and effectively, and also store excesses for later use.

It is said that up to 80% of rainfall may be retained through rooftop gardens.

Imagine the benefits of all that returning to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation!

Also View: Hydroponics – Farming the Future

Natural Habitats and Healthier Eco-systems

Rooftop gardens provide safe habitats for animals, birds, butterflies, and bees, amongst other creatures.

Where there is an increase in green cover or plant life density, one can expect an increase in the presence of these and other small animals, birds, and insects, which are essential to ecological balance.

A richer biodiversity has innumerable lesser-known benefits that positively impact the immediate environment.

Space Efficiency

Rooftops are among the most underused spaces in urban settlements.

Green roofs are an excellent way to make use of that space while also providing a number of sustainable, ecological benefits not just to the building’s residents but also to the neighbouring environment.

These green spaces could make for great areas for residents to enjoy the outdoors, socialise, and engage in recreation and other social activities.

Moreover, it provides an avenue for enthusiasts with a green thumb to contribute to a community effort towards urban gardening or agriculture.

Allied, Miscellaneous Benefits

The truth is, a rooftop garden does need attention, constant maintenance, and tending to.

However, this is a benefit more than it is a challenge.

Creating a mini ecosystem like this automatically opens the door to other sustainable habits that any urban dweller can engage in today.

For example, the rooftop garden is a perfect reason to start that community composting project to recycle and manage all the biodegradable kitchen waste generated in the building.

Second, for people living in apartments without the luxury of large, open spaces to garden, a rooftop garden is an efficient and effective solution.

Vertical gardening is another option worth exploring.

These use much less space than traditional gardening.

Rooftop gardens encourage other environmentally responsible practices, such as segregation of waste, proper disposal of plastic, and increased community responsibility to do their little bit to reduce their carbon footprint.