2024 Theses Master's

Elevating Urban Landscapes: Policy Strategies for Advancing Green Roof Integration in New York City

Zheng, Haoxiangyu

Urban sustainability, particularly through the lens of green roofs, presents a pathway towards mitigating urban environmental impacts. This thesis report assesses New York City’s (NYC) green roof policies by comparing them with international standards observed in Shenzhen, China, and Copenhagen, Denmark. The comparative analysis highlights not only the potential of green roofs to enhance urban livability but also the imperative for robust policy frameworks to support their adoption.

NYC’s current green roof framework, driven by incentives such as tax abatements and grants, aims to alleviate the urban heat island effect, manage stormwater, and improve air quality. However, the effectiveness of these policies is uneven across the city, with a significant bias towards wealthier areas. This uneven deployment points out a necessity for policy enhancements that ensure equitable access to green roofs across all boroughs, especially within vulnerable communities.

Internationally, Shenzhen and Copenhagen offer compelling models of government intervention and community integration. Shenzhen’s approach, characterized by stringent policy enforcement and substantial subsidies, contrasts with Copenhagen’s mandatory implementation on new buildings; it is supported by a well-established socio-political framework for sustainability. Accordingly, this study suggests enhancing NYC’s green roof initiatives through a multifaceted approach: by implementing a structured policy framework with enhanced government oversight for green roof installations, supporting small, community-focused projects to foster broader public integration, and introducing a tiered incentive system that rewards environmental performance. Additionally, it recommends broadening stakeholder engagement in the planning and maintenance of green roofs to reflect the diverse needs of all neighborhoods and expanding educational outreach to increase both public and private investment in green infrastructure. These strategies are aimed at transforming urban environments into more sustainable, resilient, and equitable spaces through the strategic integration of green roofs.

By adopting these recommendations, NYC can not only improve its green infrastructure but also set a benchmark for urban areas worldwide, reimagining the role of nature in urban settings to foster sustainable, resilient, and equitable cities.