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Philadelphia added 150,000 square feet of green roofs in 2010, helping it climb four spots in the annual Top 10 U.S. city list.
(Photo of the Free Library's green roof courtesy the Mayor's Office of Sustainability)

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), a national non-profit promoting the green roof industry, has announced the results of its 2011 Annual Industry Survey of Corporate Members which found that green roofs grew by 28.5% over the course of 2010, up significantly from 16% growth recorded in 2009; plus, Philadelphia came in at #4 on the annual list of top 10 U.S. Green Roof Cities.

Our favorite quote, from Steven W. Peck, Founder and President of GRHC:

“Government investment in green roofs for their stormwater, air quality, green space and city cooling benefits largely fuels the growth of our industry. Cities such as Chicago, Washington, New York, Portland, Seattle and Philadelphia continue to lead the way with incentives and regulations that recognize the many benefits from green roofs, including much needed green jobs in their communities.”

Notable green roofs in Philadelphia include the Free Library (seen above), PECO headquarters, the Comcast Center, Friends Center of Philadelphia and Morris Arboretum’s Horticulture Center.

Note: PECO and the Philadelphia Horticultural Society have teamed up to once again offer tours of PECO’s giant “living roof” on the third Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. starting in April and ending in October. The fee is $5 for Pennsylvania Horticultural Society members and $10 for nonmembers. Space is limited and pre-registration at least two business days before the tour is required.

Read the full survey report here (PDF).

Happy Earth Day — keep up the great green work, Philadelphia!

Green Roof Industry Grows 28.5 Percent in 2010 [Green Roofs For Healthy Cities]
Green Buildings Philadelphia [Mayor's Office of Sustainability]