I think that roof top gardens should be considered in more depth in Winnipeg but I also believe that we need to have other green space on the ground. Do we really want to live in a city where all of our green space is on our roofs and not on the ground? Green roofs have many great benefits and I think we need to incorporate them into our designs. We, as future designers, need to start considering green building in a huge way. Some benefits of green roofs include:
Amenity and Aesthetic: recreational space, public and private, high quality in high density.
Environmental: biodiversity and wildlife value, stormwater management, air pollution, urban heat island effect.
Economic: increased roof life, cooling, insulation and energy efficiency, green building assessment and public relations.
We need to stop taking up spaces with parking lots and building over all of our green space. Parking lots can easily be built underground leaving room for parks etc creating a healthier, happier Winnipeg.
-Desiree McKay
