Blue roofs are another tool in the box, with one caveat:
They need an update.
If you’re hearing a buzz about blue roofs today, there’s a good reason for that. They’re a great way to detain stormwater and reduce the impact of peak runoff after large rain events.
However, blue roofs might not be as effective as you think. While they do help to slow stormwater, they don’t actually treat or purify it in any way.
In most respects, you have the same problem you did before: dirty stormwater, laden with bird droppings and jet fuel, running right down the drain and into the environment. Heavy metals, diseases and all.
Blue roofs are more than a bandage, but they’re less than a real solution.
The true answer? Combining blue roofs and green roofs.
You heard us: two rooftop assemblies, stacked on top of one another. Blue on bottom, giving water from big events somewhere to go during peak runoff. Green on top, to purify that water by ensuring it first passes through plants, media and drainage layers.
Voilà: stormwater retention and water filtration, all in one fell swoop. Take that, Evil Stormwater Guy (a supervillain we totally just made up).
Interested in defeating him through our cutting-edge blue and green roof assemblies? We thought you might be.