The Potential for Green Roofs in Hawai‘i

Published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Andrew G. Hashimoto, Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822. An equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing programs and services to the people of Hawai‘i without regard to race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. CTAHR publications can be found on the Web site . Modern urban landscapes include acres of rooftops that for the most part lie desolate and forgotten. As Thompson and Sorvig (2000) noted, at ground level the buildings that dominate these landscapes are alive and vibrant with shopping, commuting, plantings, and people, but at the roof level they are lifeless. Increased urbanization and density in Hawai‘i is creating more barren, harsh rooftops that detrimentally impact people, the economy, and the environment. In response to concerns about increasing urbanization, cities around the world have invested in green roofs. The Hawai‘i Legislature expressed interest in green roofs by passing Senate Resolution LRB 06-2901 (SR-86) in 2006; it called for the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources “to gauge the feasibility of rooftop landscaping and agriculture in urban districts.” This publication provides some basic information about green roofs, including their benefits and costs. Then, the potential for green roofs in downtown HonoThe Potential for Green Roofs in Hawai‘i