Q: My leaky flat-roofed front porch is quite irritating. I remember there was a push in Chicago to put plant-covered roofs on some of their buildings. I thought maybe you would know how to create a green roof.

A: I’m not a green roof expert nor am I an architect but my first guess is that your porch roof would not be a good site for this. An eco-roof has to be designed as a system, not as an add-on. This is mostly due to the weight of the soil and the need for meticulous waterproofing. Living roofs are very popular in Europe. Atlanta City Hall East has one you can visit.

One good resource is GreenRoofs.com.

English Nature Reashearch Reports