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Building Green Roofs
Green roofs have been used for centuries worldwide to help insulate buildings against the elements. As part of the emergence of a culture more sympathetic to environmental protection, green roofs have grown in popularity due to their numerous advantages:
- Improved energy efficiency of buildings linked to more effective insulation;
- Reduction of the heat island effect (see Objective 17);
- Increased soundproofing;
- Rainwater retention and the reduction of flows to drainage networks;
- Filtration of air and rainwater by plants and the substrate;
- Possible use as green spaces for relaxation or urban agriculture.
Green roofs consist of layers of substrate, on which vegetation grows. Extensive green roofs are characterized by their relative lightness, a thin layer of substrate and good durability. Intensive green roofs make use of a drainage and irrigation system and involve a thick layer of substrate. They can support a larger variety of plants, shrubs and trees and can withstand frequent use by the building's inhabitants.
While green roofs are an effective innovation that is well adapted to the needs of Québec's climate, there are certain constraints to their installation on existing residential buildings, most notably the load-bearing capacity of their structures. It is also important that the integrity of heritage buildings not be compromised.
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Implementation measures
- Support the work of planning advisory committees and call upon the Comité d'architecture et d'urbanisme (Architectural and Planning Advisory Committee) to review projects likely to have a significant effect on Montréal's urban landscape, such as major public and private projects, especially those in the Centre
(see Objective 7).
- Provide the City with mechanisms for ensuring architectural quality, particularly for municipal construction projects: urban design guidelines, an architectural competition policy, awards for excellence, etc.
- Ensure that all municipal buildings and all development projects constructed in partnership with the City meet performance standards for environmental sensitivity and energy efficiency during their construction, operation and maintenance.
- Develop and implement incentives to encourage the integration of energy-efficient methods and environmentally-sensitive architectural innovations, such as green roofs, in new construction or renovation projects.
- Apply regulatory controls to review medium- and large-sized commercial projects in order to control their architectural quality and urban integration.
- Oversee the insertion of new buildings in established areas with appropriate regulatory instruments that will take into consideration the dominant characteristics of the existing built environment, for example:
- Building alignment, setting and lateral setbacks;
- Typology and level of building entrances;
- Proportions and location of openings (doors and windows);
- Typical architectonic or volumetric elements such as cladding materials, balconies, cornices, stairs, the shape of roofs and the modulation of facades.
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