Green roof technologies

Rumen Conev, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre; S. Norman Goodyear, Nova Scotia Agriculture College; Tracey Mackenzie, Nova Scotia Agriculture College; Jeff Morton, Nova Scotia Agriculture College; Richard Côte, University of Guelph

Growing demand for green roofs in urban areas make this project evaluating new or underutilized plants for green roof plantings a timely one. Dr. Rumen Conev partnered with researchers in Nova Scotia to assess performance of 37 species under real-life green roof conditions. Species invasiveness and winter survivability has also been evaluated. Positive results across many test species is providing green roof designers with a larger palette of green roof materials, in particular, a number of low maintenance plant species that perform well under harsh conditions.