Research Firm Predicts Growth in Green Roof Market

BOSTON — Lux Research, an independent research and advisory firm specializing in emerging technologies, recently released a report on market trends involving green roofs and walls. The report predicted the market for green roofs and walls would balloon into a $7.7 billion market by the year 2017.

Green walls and roofs can reduce overall temperatures of a building and reduce the heat island effect. The heat island effect is a measurable difference in temperature that occurs in urban areas with minimal green space. Concrete and other building materials tend to absorb heat at a higher rate than plant matter, creating patches in cities where temperatures are higher than in the surrounding areas. Covering roofs and walls with plant matter keeps urban areas cooler and more livable in addition to lowering the cooling costs of the buildings themselves. The green surfaces also help to control grey water runoff. Green surfaces grant structures an additional layer of insulation, which also helps to control heating and cooling costs.

Lux Research determined that mandates and incentives in various countries would help drive the growth in the green roofs and walls market. Green roofs are currently much more prevalent than green walls, as they can be added to a standard roof without many major structural changes in most cases. The research company reported green roofs would account for $7 billion of the emerging market, providing a $2 billion boost to suppliers of polymeric materials like geosynthetic fabrics and waterproof membranes. These materials are used to keep the water absorbed by green roofs from coming into contact with the roof deck itself, which could damage the building materials.

The report predicted green walls would also grow to a $680 million market, providing an associated market for $200 million worth of materials such as self-supporting polyurethane foam growth media. This material serves as a substitute for dirt and features a high level of air space and high water-holding capacity, both of which are very desirable for growing plants.

The company explained that one of the main factors restraining growth in the industry was the relatively high cost of installing green surfaces compared to alternative measures that can achieve the same or similar goals. The report added that large internationally known cities were the largest drivers of growth, as developing areas would have to see larger economic benefits to get involved in the markets.