The birthplace of the skyscraper has something new to be proud of: the city-funded green roof as community stimulus. Chicago is home to over 200 green roofs, covering 2.5 million square feet, more than any other U.S. city. They sit atop Mayor Daley’s City Hall, Target, the Apple store, and a McDonalds. But they’re not just for large institutions anymore. Thanks to the City of Chicago’s Green Roof Grant Program, they’re literally sprouting up everywhere. And the results are more than environmental, they’re inspiring community development and local commerce across the city. The city program awards $5000 grants to twenty particularly promising residential and small commercial projects each year, which to date have included automotive garage-turned organic grocery store True Nature Foods and a slew of residences both old and new.
The program is unique in its commitment to small businesses and individual residences as catalysts for sustainable communities, giving them the resources and funding they need to be beacons of green design and ecological stimulation with commercial effects (increasing local economies, awareness, and individual pride in “greening” their environments). The green roofs are not only environmental solutions, but allow businesses to further their commitments to sustainability and residents to be examples of good design for the surrounding community. Now that’s the kind of government involvement we like to see.

Here’s to the Windy City!

by Emily Pilloton

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