Comments on: Tina Profiles: Sarah Murphy Founder of Canopy (Green Roofs)

By: renato moore

renato moore — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:59:40 +0000

hello my name is renato i would like to talk to sarah about a green roof….can anyone have her contact me at natom69@aol.com

By: MH

MH — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:17:15 +0000

Greenroof Canopy installed a green roof on my (Park Place) front porch last year & it was money well $pent! From a drab flat porch roof to a vibrant, very low-maintenance “yard” — a great view improvement from the 2nd floor.
~

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:55:57 +0000

Thank you Tina for the great write up! I want to answer a few questions:

Greenroofs do cost more then a traditional roof up front, but they are capital savings tool; eliminating the need to replace your roof every 10-15 years, reducing cooling and heating costs, and decreasing the site’s stormwater runoff. Greenroofs for Healthy Cities, a non-profit dedicated to promoting greenroofs, launched a GreenSave Calculator, which will help you see how long it will take for your investment to pay off.
http://www.greenroofs.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=626&Itemid=116

Prices do vary, but a 600 sf greenroof usually costs between $12-14 a square foot. DDOE is offering a $3 per square foot subsidy currently for buildings in the Combined Sewer Overflow Zone:
http://www.dcgreenworks.org/storage/dcgreenworks/documents/ddoe_subsidy_flyer.pdf

I have seen some great DIY greenroofs on sheds and garages, most people want to hire a professional for their main residence. CANOPY brings in a structural engineer to confirm that the roof can hold the weight, installs a root barrier over the membrane, provides a gravel perimeter (since 90% of roof leaks occur in the flashings) and plants succulent plants that won’t require irrigation, with a warranty.

Please contact me if you have any more questions,

Sarah Murphy
sem@greenroofcanopy.com

By: MPinDC

MPinDC — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:38:56 +0000

There is green roof grant program through DC DDOE; a green roof would also lower heating/cooling costs. Still it would take some years to recoup the costs.

I’d love to have a green roof on my porch but it is not likely to be allowed in a historic district.

By: dc_publius

dc_publius — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:54:04 +0000

They look pretty drab to me. I would rather have a roofdeck with potted plants/grill/etc. Probably the same amount of money and much more usable.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:34:07 +0000

aha. so $7000 for a 500 sq ft roof. and thats the low ball. throw in that the roof may need additional reinforcements and you are probably talking 10 grand. Its a shame cause I mean I love the environment and all but I cant justify that kind of money for some dirt and grass on my roof. thats my kids college money! I am sure if there was a budget friendly company that offered a generic. less pretty green roof to the average dc rowhome dweller for 2 grand you would see a hell of a lot of green going up. would be great for our waterways and how cool would it be to look on google satellite and see all that green

By: hipchickindc

hipchickindc — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:21:19 +0000

Thor, I imagine the reason you can’t just put soil up on your own roof is the same reason you shouldn’t just put chairs on top of your roof and start using it as a roof deck. You’re adding additional weight that was not intended in the original purpose.

By: Tina

Tina — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:57:40 +0000

Sarah and I actually didn’t talk very much about cost, but I do recall her saying a low end estimate is about $14/sq foot.

Also – Vonstallin, they can do work on pitched roofs. The one at Tabard (in the second photo) is at a 45 degree angle. It just requires some additional reinforcements.

By: Thor

Thor — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:55:49 +0000

Also, why can’t you just put some soil on your roof and grow your own stuff?

By: Thor

Thor — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:50:38 +0000

What happens when your roof needs a repair?