Native Roofs
We're creating more natural, efficient, and enjoyable cities by building native ecosystems on the roofs of commercial and residential buildings. These aren't your run of the mill green roofs; they're Native Roofs that replicate the grassland here before your property was. They bring the same savings, aesthetic value, enjoyment and environmental benefits as other green roofs while being easier to establish and maintain, and supporting an ecosystem under threat in North America.
What are green roofs? What are Native Roofs?
Green roofs are built up areas on a roof consisting of a drainage system, root membrane, growing medium and vegetation. Designs for green roofs can be simple as a layer of sedum and can be as complex as your imagination likes.
Our Native Roofs share the underlying design of green roofs, but their purpose is to mimic natural ecosystems by using diverse native plant species and including design elements that attract and support native insects and birds. In addition to providing habitat, they have the benefit of requiring less maintenance and irrigation than a typical green roof.
Benefits of Native Roofs
Both Native Roofs and green roofs bring a wealth of benefits to building owners, the city, the community and the environment. In our experience, a Native Roof pays for itself in energy and roof replacement savings alone within 15 years. In addition, it is estimated that over a 50 year time period, green roofs will deliver an average of over $38 per square foot in public benefits.
We also design our Native Roofs to:
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require less maintenance and irrigation. If properly established, they can require no irrigation outside of drought events.
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maintain their original design.
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provide habitat for native plants, insects and birds and support the native prairie ecosystem.
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raise public awareness and understanding of our natural ecosystem.
Support Our Native Prairie Ecosystem
One of the most biodiverse ecoregions in the world, the great plains of North America once stretched from Alberta's foothills all the way to Texas. Today only about 10% of Canada's Native Prairies remain as intact habitat; they are one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. Building Native Roofs in our cities is a small way to help preserve and raise awareness of this ecosystem.