Customer Reviews

Green Roofs in Sustainable Landscape Design

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The power to transform our cities from unhealthy, stressful, overheated environments to healthier, more sustainable communities is completely within our reach - and I believe this transformation can be achieved within a generation." ~ Steven Peck

For as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by the idea of roof gardens. But how exactly do you go about building one from scratch? In "Green Roofs" Steven Cantor gives detailed instructions and also provides interesting projects for consideration. A few of the pictures are comical - like the one on page 65 with a tree growing out of the top of a Vancouver building.

Some of the gardens are cozy and others are artistic. One of the rooftops looks like a forest. Another looks like a formal garden with lawn and pavement. No matter what you are looking for, this book has some great ideas. I especially loved the ideas with a water feature like the one at the Montreal Hilton in Montreal, Canada. I can recommend this book to landscapers or anyone who wants to have a little piece of paradise in a concrete jungle.

~The Rebecca Review

This book presents a comprehensive look at a wide variety of green roofs, including dozens of case studies. It provides in-depth information on the technical and biological design of each of the case studies, complete with species lists, substrate formulas, and drainage systems. Especially nice for its treatment of roofs that deviate from the too common sedum monocultures. The absence of information on modular systems, as pointed out by one reviewer, is only a minor inconvenience and doesn't detract from this well-done book. Beautiful photographs throughout. Inspirational.

Green Roofs in Sustainable Landscape Design

This is a gorgeous book, filled with information for the professional and serious amateur gardener or space planner. Ample technical information and plant lists to assist anyone considering the implementation of a sustainable green roof project. An inspiring and important addition to the genre.

Green Roofs, by Steven Cantor has been a terrific and long needed resource for our Green Roof projects. I am a Landscape Architect and too many times while reading it I said to myself "I wish I had read this before." Many situations that have been perplexing in our several projects are here coherently unwound. Examples of this are both technical (soils, waterproofing) and also process (approvals, team makeup, etc.)

I disagree with Andy S. that the book is behind current technology. It does discuss modular systems (his example) and is much more useful than a historical resource. The case studies are highly varied and detailed enough that one of them will apply well to almost any green roof project. In addition Cantor discusses the different point of view of construction, design, structure, operation, maintenance, planting, liability and management.

We find it especially useful to refer to clients and owners to facilitate decisions: whether and how to proceed at various points.

Andrew Spurlock
Spurlock Poirier Landscape Architects, San Diego