We’ve listed a myriad of ways that green roofs benefit building owners and residents, but did you know that they are also great at reducing damage from hail or severe storms? This is especially important in Denver, which has seen massive hail storms over the past few years.
Because of the additional layers of protection, as well as the soft layer of topsoil or plants, many green roofs sustain very little damage after a large hail or thunderstorm. Traditional roofs can see cracks and leaks causes by hail or sleet, as well as damage from powerful winds.
Denver developer Mickey Zeppelin, was an early pioneer of green roofs in the Denver area. Their properties have seen a massive difference in roof damage after massive storms shook the area in May 2017, with green roofs needing little to no repair work beyond replacing a few plants (1).
Hail damage can cost a homeowner an average of about $6,000, but the price can be as high as $10,000 depending on the amount of work that is needed (3). Commercial damage repair can be even higher depending on if the hail storm has cause leaks or needs the whole roof to be replaced. Green roofs can help being added protection at a fraction of the cost of roof insurance over the lifespan of the building.
The United States has seen an increase in severe weather over the last decade. In 2017 alone, there were 16 natural weather events whose losses totaled over $1 billion (2). Many of these were hurricane or flooding events, and since green roofs also reduce flooding by retaining stormwater, we think they’re a pretty good solution to reducing the damage of severe weather events.
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