St. Petersburg City Council member Brandi Gabbard believes that innovation can help reduce localized flooding and building energy use. The Council unanimously approved a new business item to further explore blue-green roofs by considering density bonuses for developers that incorporate the technology into new multifamily residential developments.
What are Blue-Green Roofs?
A blue-green roof is a specialized building system that integrates a living vegetation layer with an underlying water-retention void to transform standard rooftops into functional infrastructure. This can also reduce the urban heat island effect, which occurs when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas.
Gabbard explained that the system can not only help manage stormwater runoff but also increase green space in the community. She was inspired to investigate blue-green roofs after a trip to San Francisco, where she saw the Salesforce Transit Center’s 5.4-acre park on its roof.
The item will be presented to either the Health, Energy, Resilience and Sustainability Committee or the Housing, Land Use and Transportation Committee. Gabbard hopes to discuss the idea further in the fall, depending on scheduling.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
