GREEN ROOF
EDUCATION
Green Roofs used in education provide numerous benefits. A sustainable future starts with giving our children the tools they will need to solve complex environmental challenges. Learning about green roof ecology gives students a better understanding of how ecosystems function in the cities in which they live. Green roofs also provide learning opportunities in all subject areas and the documented health and emotional benefits of connecting with nature. While educators and parents' interest in installing them on school rooftops continue to grow, persistent funding and construction challenges remain.
Green Roof Educational Initiatives in nyC
NY PS41
The Green Roof Environmental Literacy Laboratory, the largest public school green roof in NYC. This laboratory, completed in 2012, provides students with hands-on opportunities to learn about ecology, urban farming, chemistry, and biology.
The High Line
Educational programs at the High Line take an interdisciplinary and place-based approach, partnering with schools to offer hands-on explorations both during the school day and after-school, with a mix of in-classroom workshops and park visits. These programs serve nearly 10,000 students annually, including through afterschool programs and school partnerships.
Kingsland Wildflowers at Broadway Stages
Kingsland Wildflowers at Broadway Stages Green Roof & Community Engagement Center is a green oasis located in an industrial area along Newtown Creek in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Since the first section of the green roof was installed in 2016, it has become a crucial component of the community’s overall environmental restoration efforts and a vibrant community and educational space.
Green Bronx Machine
The Green Bronx Machine is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and academic performance of Bronx students through food education and urban farming.
Project TRUE
Located at the Bronx Zoo, Project TRUE is a youth development program where students conduct field research in NYC with a team of college students and scientists from Fordham University and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
City Growers
City Growers is a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging farm-based learning in NYC children through field trips, afterschool programs, and other initiatives.
Grow NYC
Grow NYC promotes environmental programming for New Yorkers of all ages through programs like Greenmarkets, composting, and community gardens. Its education division offers field trips to Greenmarkets and the teaching garden on Governors Island, as well as long-term curriculum programs.
Brooklyn Grange
Brooklyn Grange offers a season-long Beekeeping Education Program that takes students through a full year of beginning beekeeping, from building hives and installing brand- new packages of bees to harvesting honey and preparing for winter. Youth programming at the farm is available through City Growers.
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What is the DEP Green Infrastructure Grant?The Green Infrastructure Grant has helped fund over 30 green roofs since its inception in 2011. This grant program, funded by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is an incentive for private property owners to retrofit their NYC rooftops with green roofs.
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What are the Green Infrastructure Grant eligibility requirements?As of 2019, a green roof retrofit must be 3,500 square feet, have a minimum of 1.5 inch soil depth, and manage at least 1 inch of rainfall. Visit the DEP’s website for the most up-to-date eligibility requirements.
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What will the grant cover?Funding is for the design and construction of green roof retrofits on private property. The amount is determined by the green roof area (GRA) and soil depth. The grant will reimburse $10 to $30 per square foot for an eligible green roof.
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What are the steps to submit an application?Private property owners within New York City's five boroughs are encouraged to apply for the Green Infrastructure Grant. Prior to submitting an application, schedule a preliminary meeting with a DEP representative to ensure the project is viable and to discuss timelines. Be prepared to review the structural integrity of the roof, the project size, and which sewer drainage area the building is in, as these are essential for the project to move forward.
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What else should I know before considering an application?Property owners must execute a funding agreement with the DEP. Included in the funding agreement is a Declaration of Restrictive Covenant, which requires the property owner to commit to maintaining the green roof for at least 20 years. The funding agreement and the Declaration are available on the DEP’s website and should be reviewed by the property owner and their legal counsel prior to submitting an application.
Green Roof Curriculum
Green Roofs Teachers Guide: Pre- Kindergarten Through Grade 5
Lesson recommendations range from a pre-kindergarten green roof sensory tour to second-grade wildlife-corridor mapping to fifth-grade green roof model-making. It includes activities for both green roofs and classrooms.
Architecture--it's Elementary!
Through a multidisciplinary architectural curriculum and supported by local architects, children will gain an appreciation of their built environment and the buildings, towns, and cities that make it up.
Students learn about landscape architect’s projects and then create their green roofs using a shoebox.
Using 3D Printing and Modeling to Enhance a Green Roof Lesson
Students use model buildings to compare rain runoff between a control building without a green roof and an experimental roof that has soil seeded with grass seed.
Grades 1-5
Grades 5-8
A classroom program developed by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) to engage and educate middle school students about green roofs and their environmental benefits.
Students explore whether rooftop gardens are a viable option for combating the urban heat island effect. Can rooftop gardens reduce the temperature inside and outside of homes?
A Students Guide to Green Roof Invertebrates
This guide is meant for student analysis of green roof samples. It encompasses the most
common arthropod orders present on green roofs in New York City but do not include all
possible taxa; and is a dichotomous key split into two sections: winged arthropods and wingless
arthropods.
Intensive and Extensive Green Roofs
Created by New School students, these fun and interactive guides will introduce ecology concepts and green roofs to 5th and 6th graders.
Grades 9+
Groups learn about the concept of green roofs by designing a 5,000-square-foot green roof for a fictional row house in Brooklyn. The design and presentation components are in an RFP format, providing an authentic, real-world assignment.
Additional Resources
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Green Roofs Teachers Guide: Pre- Kindergarten Through Grade 5
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Using 3D Printing and Modeling to Enhance a Green Roof Lesson
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A Students Guide to Green Roof Invertebrates