SurveyReport2012FINAL1.pdf

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annual green roof industry survey for 2012

may 2013


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Supporting international market development through the World Green InfrastructureNetwork(WGIN). (www.worldgreenroof.org)

Publication of TheRise of Living Architecture Commemorative Edition, a coffeetable book which contains the ideas of more than 50 expert leaders. (available at

www.greeninfrastructurestore.com)

Annual Survey MethodEach year since 2004, GRHC has conducted an independent, voluntary survey of its Corporate

Members, collecting data on the growth and composition of the green roof industry across

North America. GRHCsCorporate Members voluntarily and confidentially provide

information on their projects:

square footage, location, whether the building is public or private, and green roof typeintensive, semi-intensive, or extensive.

The data is collected and duplicate entries are removed from the data set by comparing the

type, size, and location of each project. The square footage of green roof installations is

aggregated by major metropolitan regions, to give the top metropolitan regions data. Annual

growth rates are derived by averaging the square footage recorded by a representative sample

of Corporate Members from year to year, not square footage totals which vary depending on

the number of submissions each year. This method provides a more accurate value for the

growth rate than square footage totals.

The full data set is made available to all of our Corporate Members as a membership benefit,

with specific location and project attribution removed.

This survey data does not capture all market activity because not all GRHCsCorporate

Members participate. This year, 25 Corporate Members supplied data for the survey. We

estimate that the data in this report understates market activity by anywhere from 25 to 50 per

cent. However, it does provide insights into the composition of an industry that continues togrow rapidly, despite the difficult economic times. This report provides highlights of the survey

findings.
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Annual Survey FindingsThe North American green roof industry grew by a remarkable 24% in 2012 over 2011, in

keeping with the strong growth rates the industry has experienced over the past decade.

Our members recorded 982 projects (totalling 5,588,098 square feet installed) in 2012, up from870 (totalling 4,577,935 square feet installed) in 2011.

As in past years, there were a similar amount of public and private green roof projects

reported. There were 2,005,990 square feet of private projects and 1,696,011 square feet of

public projects, with the remainder unspecified. To put this in perspective, the market

penetration goal discussed at CitiesAlive 2012in Chicago is one billion square feet of green roof

completed over the next decade.

The total square footage reported below is obtained by multiplying the average member growth

rate by the total square footage reported for the previous year. This provides a more accurate

estimate of the square footage installed than the number reported by members in the survey

which is always significantly lower as discussed in the methodology section.

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012SquareFootageInstalledPerYear

Year

Estimated Growth of the North American Green Roof

Industry


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Results by Metropolitan RegionThe chart below shows which North American metropolitan regions installed the most square

feet of green roofs in 2012. For the second straight year, a green roof boom in Washington,DC has given it the top spot. Rounding out the top 5 are Chicago, New York City, Toronto,

and Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, the jurisdictions with the most green roof installations are

also those who have embraced policies to support implementation.

The next chart shows the top metropolitan regions in the US for green roofs installed. We can

see new growth in markets such as Cincinnati, Nashville, Hampton Roads region in Virginia, and

in three large metro regions along the West Coast.

0200,000400,000600,000800,000

1,000,0001,200,0001,400,000

Top 20 North American Metro Regions - Green

Roofs Installed in 2012 by GRHC Corporate

Members in Square Feet


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The chart below illustrates which Canadian metropolitan regions installed the most square feetof green roofs in 2012. The City of Toronto, bolstered by its Green Roof Bylaw, has again

come in first place.

As in past years, the number of extensive green roofs (six inches of growing medium or less)

installed outnumbered the amount of intensive green roofs (over six inches of growingmedium) or semi-intensive (areas of both types). See below.

0200,000400,000600,000800,000

1,000,0001,200,000

1,400,000

Top 15 US Metro Regions - Green Roofs Installed in

2012 by GHRC Corporate Members in Square Feet

050,000

100,000150,000200,000

250,000300,000350,000

Top 5 Canadian Metro Regions - Green Roofs in

2012 by GRHC Corporate Members in Square Feet


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Policy Developments and Industry GrowthIn recognition of the many public benefits that green roofs provide, public policy has helped to

fuel the growth of the industry and recognize the many public benefits that green roofs provide

communities. Appendix II shows a large selection of public policy that has been implemented

across North America in support of green roofs.

The public benefits of green roofs may include:

Stormwater managementquality and quantity; Increased biodiversity; Moderation of the urban heat island effect; Improvement of air quality; Improvement of aesthetics in the public realm; Local and regional job creation; The addition of new amenity spaces; Urban food production and enhanced food security.

In addition to policy support, the growth of the green roof industry can also be attributed to

some extent to the Green Roof Professional (GRP) accreditation program. There are now

more than 550 dedicated GRPs across North America. Through training and a third party-

managed accreditation exam, the GRP program:

01,000,0002,000,0003,000,0004,000,0005,000,000

Type of Green Roofs Installed in 2012 by

GRHC Corporate Members in Square Feet


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Enables professionals to differentiate themselves in the marketplace; Establishes a high-level of professionalism and improved multi-disciplinary collaboration; Increases customer confidence in green roof technology; Results in better green roof design and installation practices;

Protects the industry from the inevitable failures that result from inappropriate design,installation, and maintenance practices.

The GRP Online Directory is accessible to the public atwww.greenroofs.org.

ConclusionAs it has every year since GRHC began conducting the Annual Green Roof Industry

Survey, the green roof market in North America grew significantly in 2012, despite difficult

economic times. Many cities across North America have recognized the public benefits of

green roofs and have taken various policy measures to encourage their widespread installation.

However, there is still enormous potential for growth of new green roofs on tens of billions of

square feet of buildings across North America. GRHC encourages municipalities, regions,

states, and provinces to adopt policies in support of green roofs and green walls in order to

build healthier, more sustainable and resilient communities.

GRHC would also like to thank its many Corporate Members for their ongoing commitment to

supplying data for this annual survey and recognize the contribution of the more than 550 GRPS

in the marketplace, who are contributing to the growth of the industry. The combination of

government support, member outreach, and an increasing number of motivated green roof

professionals is a very positive sign for the future of the green roof industry.
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Appendix I GRH s Professional Training oursesFull-Day Courses

Green Roof Design 101: Introductory Course

Green Roof Design & Installation 201Green Roof Waterproofing & Drainage 301

Green Roof Plants & Growing Media 401

Half-Day Courses

Advanced Green Roof Maintenance

Ecological Design for Green Roofs

Green Infrastructure: Policies, Performance, and Projects

Green Roofs, Walls and Energy (to be launched at CitiesAlive 2013)

Green Walls 101: Systems Overview and Design, 2ndEdition

Introduction to Rooftop Urban Agriculture, 2ndEdition

Integrated Water Management for Buildings & Sites I, II, III, and IV

Energy, Green Roofs and Walls

(Energy, Green Roofs and Walls and Integrated Water Management IV to be launched at

CitiesAlive San Francisco 2013)

Appendix II Selected Cities and Their Dedicated Green Roof Policies

Portland Ecoroof Incentiveestablished 2005 Minneapolis Stormwater Utility Fee Creditestablished 2005 Chicago Green Permit Programestablished 2006 Washington DC Green Roof Rebate Programestablished 2007 Philadelphia Green Roof Tax Creditsestablished 2007 Anne Arundel County (MD) Stormwater Management Tax Creditestablished 2008 State of New York Green Building Construction Actestablished 2009 Toronto Green Roof Bylaw and Eco-Roof Incentive Programestablished 2009 Onondaga County (Syracuse, NY) Green Improvement Fundestablished 2010 Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Regional Green Roof Initiativeestablished 2010 Austin (TX) Green Roof Density Bonusestablished 2011 Nashville (TN) Green Roof Rebateestablished 2012 Richmond (VA) Fast-Track Permittingestablished 2012


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considerations and maintenance for green roof assemblies. It establishes design and implementation best

management practices for plants and growing media in green roofs.

Green Walls 101: Systems Overview and Design Training Manual (2010) . Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

This updated version of our Green Walls 101: Introduction to Systems and Designcourse discusses design

and construction best practices for green facades and living walls, as well as the latest research findings

on the environmental benefits of these technologies.

Integrated Water Management for Buildings and Sites Training Manual(2010). Green Roofs for Healthy

Cities.

Developed jointly by GRHC andAmerican Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC)committee

members, this course provides technical and economic information on the design and performance of a

fully integrated site and building water management system based on the Net Zero Water concept.

Introduction to Rooftop Urban Agriculture Training Manual (2010).Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

This coursethe first of its kind in North America at the time of its launch in December 2010

discusses multiple approaches to growing food on rooftops through design and maintenance principles,

and case studies drawn from across North America.

Living Architecture Monitor(1999-present). Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

The Living Architecture Monitor is GRHC`s quarterly magazine. It features in-depth interviews with leaders

in the green building movement, opinions, research, as well as detailed case studies and new

developments in the green roof and wall industry.

The Rise of Living Architecture(2012). Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

The ROLA is a limited-edition tabletop book that profiles more than 50 of the hundreds of leaders that

have created the base and molded the foundation of living architecture.

AcknowledgementsThis report was prepared by Paul Erlichman, membership coordinator and Steven W. Peck, GRP,

Honorary ASLA, founder and president, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.
http://www.asic.org/http://www.asic.org/http://www.asic.org/http://www.asic.org/

Documents

SurveyReport2012FINAL1.pdf