[green roofs]

an ordinance requiring all new buildings & housing constructions to have roof gardens is welcome news! the said green roof ordinance, authored by quezon city councilor, franz pumaren, is now being deliberated for third & final reading. once approved, "owners of newly constructed structures will be compelled to include in their plans at least 30 percent of the roof deck for plants and trees either with extensive or intensive soil layer." 

according to Green Roofing Options - Buildipedia.com™, a roof garden is "one of the best ways to counteract an environmental phenomenon called urban heat island effect, in which the proximity of urban buildings makes cities several degrees warmer than rural areas." aside from highlighting the pros of having a green roof, the list of material requirements needed for constructing it is discussed further in the article. 


although initial financial investment for green roofs  is rather steep, in the long run, the benefits far outweigh the cost. as mentioned in the article, "not only do green roofs help to combat urban heat island effect, they are energy-efficient and can be quite useful, particularly if they include vegetable 

gardens and fruit trees.

here's how a green roof looks like :

i know market!market! mall has an organic vegetable rooftop garden,

ms cecille zamora blogged about her own version of a green roof @ chuvaness.com,

and  that both the makati & pasig city hall officials adopted the same in their own buildings.

may this "green" initiative carry over to other neighboring cities & municipalities nationwide.