 |
| Toronto now requires up to 50% green roof coverage on multi-unit residential dwellings over six stories, schools, nonprofitĀ housing, and commercial and industrial buildings. |
The city of Toronto late last month passed a new green roof by-law that consists of a green roof construction standard and a mandatory requirement for green roofs on all classes of new buildings. The by-law requires up to 50% green roof coverage on multi-unit residential dwellings over six stories, schools, nonprofit housing, and commercial and industrial buildings. Larger residential projects require greater green roof coverage, ranging anywhere from 20ā50% of the roof area.
"The City of Toronto's leadership on all things green took another major step by making it obligatory to have green roofs for all types of new buildings," said Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, the primary champion of the new by-law. "This by-law is a major part of the solution to climate change, the creation of green jobs, and it represents a whole new mindset on how our cities approach the 20% or so of surface area that are roofs."
Chicago has the greatest number of installed green roofs, according to the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities' Annual Green Roof Industry Survey released last month. The mandatory by-law in Toronto may change that, resulting in approximately 50 to 75 new projects annually, according to GRHC president Steven W. Peck.
Toronto already requires green roofs on city-owned properties, has established a financial incentive of up to $5 per square foot for existing buildings, and is currently building a publicly accessible green roof on its city hall.
For more on the green roof by-law, visit: www.toronto.ca/building.
| Source: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities' Fourth Annual Industry Survey | |
| Chicago | 534,507 |
| Washington, D.C. | 501,042 |
| New York | 358,986 |
| Vancouver | 320,000 |
| Philadelphia | 196,820 |
| Baltimore | 150,032 |
| Montreal | 75,700 |
| Grand Rapids, Mich. | 74,784 |
| Princeton, N.J. | 56,250 |
| Newtown Square, Pa. | 48,130 |
Related Stories
| May 30, 2013
5 tips for running a successful BIM coordination meeting
BIM modeling tools are great, but if you can't run efficient, productive coordination meetings, the Building Team will never realize the benefits of true BIM coordination. Here are some helpful tips for making the most of coordination meetings.
| May 28, 2013
LED lighting's risks and rewards
LED lighting technology provides unique advantages, but itās also important to understand its limitations for optimized application.
| May 20, 2013
4 emerging trends in parking structure design
Survey of parking professionals reveals how technology is transforming the parking industry.
| May 17, 2013
5 things AEC pros need to know about low-e glass
Low-emissivity glasses are critical to making todayās buildings brighter, more energy-efficient, and more sustainable. Here are five tips to help AEC professionals understand the differences among low-e glasses and their impact on building performance.
| May 17, 2013
University labs double as K-12 learning environments
Increasingly, college and university research buildings are doing double duty as homes for K-12 STEM programs. Hereās how to create facilities that captivate budding scientists while keeping faculty happy.
| May 14, 2013
Advanced turbines generate 6X more energy than conventional models
US-based wind energy companyĀ SheerWindĀ just unveiled theĀ INVELOXĀ ā a tunnel-based wind turbine that can produce up to 600% more power thanĀ traditional wind turbines.
| May 8, 2013
Preventable curtain wall failures - AIA/CES course
In many cases, curtain wall failures are caused by fairly simple errors that occur during the fabrication and installation process. This presentation will highlight common errors and when they typically occur.
| May 7, 2013
First look: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill skyscraper designed to 'confuse the wind'
The 400-meter-high, 116-story Imperial Tower in Mumbai will feature a slender, rounded form optimized to withstand the area's strong wind currents.
| May 2, 2013
A snapshot of the world's amazing construction feats (in one flashy infographic)
From the Great Pyramids of Giza to the U.S. Interstate Highway System, this infographic outlines interesting facts about some of the world's most notable construction projects.
| May 2, 2013
BIM group proposes uniform standards for how complete plans need to be
A nationwide group of Building Information Modeling users, known as the BIMForum, is seeking industry input on a proposed set of standards establishing how complete Building Information Models (BIMs) need to be for different stages of the design and construction process.Ā
