I appreciated in the last lecture her talk about different types of natural roofs and their functions. It is one thing to have the idea of a natural roof but entirely another to really understand the system you are putting in place. She mentioned three types: Green roofs, Green roof hybrids, and Roof Gardens. Each has benefits and limitations. Basically the more intensive the green system is the more maintenance it requires but it is actually quite a bit better for the environment. But this problem forces designers and builders to constantly have to choose between cheap and green. And traditional North American development shows a remarkable lean towards the cheap. I believe what needs to be done is to make every garden design essential to the design of the building. This could be done in many ways but if it is an accessible space that is an undeniable promotion of function in the building the choice would be a no brainer. We would have better designs, greener buildings, and a connection to nature as a result.
- Brock
