New study shows for the first time the distribution of green roofs in New York City
Green roofs cover less than 0.1 percent of New York City buildings, with more than half concentrated in wealthier areas like Midtown Manhattan and downtown, according to a new study. Source: Treglia et al/Ecology and Society 2022
Vegetated roofs — known as green roofs — can help cities adapt to changing climates by absorbing rainwater, lowering local temperatures, and providing insulation to reduce indoor heating and cooling costs. However, green roofs cover less than 0.1 percent of New York City’s 1 million buildings, according to a new analysis.
published in Ecology and Society, the paper provides the first comprehensive dataset of green roof distributions in New York City, as well as insight into the underlying drivers, and their potential benefits.The dataset is publicand can inform green roof policy decisions in New York City.
Previous efforts to understand the location of green roofs across the city have been fragmented.Thanks to co-authors for data compilation and geospatial assessment Greg Yeatman and colleagues Center for International Geoscience Information Network (CIESIN) At the Columbia Climate Institute, this research was able to fill in the gaps in the data. The analysis is based on aerial and satellite imagery collected in 2016 and relies on machine learning and human input to locate green roofs.
“Companies and building owners have installed green roofs to retain rainwater, but there is no central registry for these installations,” Yeatman said. “Detecting roofs from images is an ideal way to locate large and small facilities without the need to survey building owners.”
Comprehensive dataset will help policymakers better understand who is receiving Benefits of Green Roofs As of 2016, these areas were concentrated in more affluent areas like Midtown Manhattan and downtown, and over time, said the study’s lead author Mike Treglia of The Nature Conservancy. Track changes.
“This information, along with insights into the types of buildings where we see green roofs, such as public versus private, will ultimately be invaluable for working with policymakers, advocates and researchers to expand green roofs, especially in areas where they are most commonly needed ,” Treglia said.
Brooklyn Farms grows more than 100,000 pounds of produce annually on its 5.6-acre rooftop farm. photo: Nick is normal
The report includes surveys of green roof policies around the world that show links between policies and green roof implementation. As New York City implements policies such as Local Laws 92 and 94 of 2019 and offers incentives such as property tax breaks that can support the installation of more green roofs, data on their distribution is key to informing future jobs.
“We must invest more in green roofs and other green spaces if we are to achieve our goals for climate resilience, sustainability and equity,” said co-author Timon McPhearson, professor of urban ecology at the New School. “The opportunity to transform flat-roof spaces in New York City is enormous. Mobilizing city resources to expand green roofs, especially in underserved neighborhoods, can go a long way toward cooling the city, improving stormwater resilience and providing new recreational spaces.”
The researchers developed the dataset and wrote the paper in collaboration with members of the New York City Green Roof Researchers Consortium, convened by Audubon in New York City. The dataset is publicly available, and the methods used to develop it documented in the paper can be transferred to other cities, both nationally and internationally, to build a similar understanding of green roofs elsewhere.
Other co-authors on the new study include Eric W. Sanderson of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Emily Nobel Maxwell of The Nature Conservancy.
Adapted from a press release from The Nature Conservancy.
CIESIN’s work is supported by the National Science Foundation-funded Coastal Oceans Program.
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