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In the current landscape of sustainable architecture, one of the most promising and avant-garde concepts is that of “green roofs”. In a context where urban expansion has given rise to environmental and coexistence challenges, green roofs emerge as an innovative and effective response. These plant systems installed on top of buildings not only transform the appearance of cities, but they also pave the way for a series of environmental and social benefits.

Green roofs as public policy in the world

In 2008, the European Commission established the criterion of awarding annually the title of “European Green Capital” to the city that demonstrates an outstanding commitment to adopting sustainable initiatives to improve its environmental environment. The first city to receive this recognition was Stockholm. It was followed by Hamburg in 2011, Vitoria Gasteiz in 2012 and Nantes in 2013.

In 2014, the award was awarded to Copenhagen. This city implemented strategic plans for sustainability and the fight against climate change, with a central focus on the mandatory nature of “green roofs” in the new buildings. Copenhagen has achieved a remarkable 40% decrease in its emissions over the last quarter of a century. In addition, it has made it a requirement to include green roofs in its buildings, promoting a more sustainable architecture by incorporating vegetation, plants and gardens into built structures.

Green roofs as a strategy with multiple benefits

We support the notion that the formulation of urban strategies that integrate novel approaches for the use and improvement of roofs, roofs and terraces can have an obvious positive impact on the environment, since this higher dimension of the city has the capacity to:

• Mitigate pollution, by functioning as true environmental filters.
• Combat the heat island phenomenon, while providing effective thermal insulation, improving the thermal efficiency of buildings and cooling the air in urban microclimates.
• Retain a significant proportion of rainfall, which helps to optimize the operation of drainage systems by ensuring a more consistent flow of water.
• Collecting and storing rainwater, which translates into independence in the supply of water in situations of drought or scarcity.
• Act as natural barriers to noise, achieving an internal building noise reduction of up to 40 or 50 decibels.
• Provide green areas that promote biodiversity and that can serve as spaces for recreation and recreation, improving health and quality of life by connecting with nature.
• Provide a habitat suitable for horticulture, food production and the creation of lush gardens, all without requiring significant maintenance and with rigorous control of water consumption.
• Add value to properties.
• Contribute to positive aspects of the landscape appearance of the urban environment.
• Restore a habitat for native or migratory species, revitalizing biodiversity that has been lost or is endangered in urban environments.
• Participate in the formation of an interconnected network of biological corridors that reorganize food chains and habitats for diverse species.
• Provide alternative spaces for growing fresh food, supporting food safety and autonomy.

In the near future, it is very likely that this trend of green roofs will extend to all Argentine cities, and its implementation can be highly beneficial if it is adapted to the climatic, environmental, natural, social, economic, cultural and constructive conditions specific to each location, rather than being a mere superficial or capricious reproduction of experiences taken from other contexts.