Over the last decade, green roofs — that is, rooftops planted with living vegetation — have been touted for their environmentally friendly benefits. But while they certainly help prevent rainwater runoff and provide extra insulation, a new study shows that the sustainable rooftop garden might not be the best solution for fighting climate change.
Indeed, if you want to save energy and the earth, you should probably paint your roof blanc. A reportpublished in the Energy and Buildings Journal found that white roofs are three times more effective than either green or black ones in combatting climate change. That's because they reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere instead of absorbing it, and therefore reduce interior temperatures of the rooms below.
In light of these new findings, we hope to see more buildings crowned in white. Until then, check out these projects in our database with white rooftops.