Typically, the rooftop of an urban hotel is a missed opportunity when it comes to potential power generation or the lessening of the urban heat island effect. San Francisco wants to change that. Earlier this year the city made adding solar—for electricity or heating—a requirement for new buildings 10 stories or less. Hotels are included. The ordinance states that the solar zone shall be located on the roof or overhang of the building, or on the roof or overhang of another structure located within 250 feet of the building or on covered parking installed with the building project. San Francisco is the first major U.S. city to have such a requirement that requires a building owner to set aside 15 percent of rooftop space for solar.
This past week I spoke with Steven Peck, Founder and President of Toronto-based Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), about new legislation approved by the San Francisco Planning Commission that builds on the existing solar roof mandate. That legislation gives building owners more flexibility in how they use their rooftop space. It allows them to implement two square feet of green roofing instead of one square foot of solar panels if they wish. The proposed legislation is anticipated to seek a final approving vote by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors later this year. If approved, the ordinance will take effect January 1, 2017. Peck says he is confident that the green roof legislation will pass. “It gives developers more flexibility to deal with solar requirements,” he says.
It was several years ago that San Francisco co-hosted GRHC’s annual international green roof conference, Cities Alive. According to Jeff Joslin, Deputy Director of the San Francisco Planning Department, the new legislation came about as a direct result of the Cities Alive conference.
Many Advantages to Green Roofs
If you happen to have a small footprint on your rooftop, solar panels or green roofing are not going to have a huge positive impact but multiplied over many buildings the impact can be significant. A green roof will provide some insulation and reduce the amount of heat entering the top floor of a building. There can be some energy savings. Green roofs aid in storm water management and in some cases are even used for greywater recycling. “A green roof can be part of an integrated water management system,” Peck says. As a base for solar panels, a green roof can even help make solar panels more effective, research has shown. Solar panels become less effective the hotter they get and a green roof can lessen temperature around the solar panels.
Green roofs can become one of the amenities of the building. “Visitors can go up on the roof,” Peck says. “It is usually 50 percent landscape and 50 percent planted area. It allows for a lot of flexibility of that roof space. You get an opportunity to provide functionality for your guests. That can translate into potentially higher occupancy. In lease situations it can translate into higher rent and less rent turnover. A green roof brings added value. It is a bottom-line benefit. It can be the signature marketing aspect of your property.”
Peck cited the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver, B.C. as one example of a hotel benefiting from its green roof. The rooftop features an herb garden. Vegetables and even hay are also grown there. Guests can request a guestroom with a garden view or reserve a Terrace Room with a private patio leading directly out to the garden.
Already, more than 15 cities require energy benchmarking. It will be interesting to see whether or not more cities actually require allocation of rooftop space to solar and/or green roofs.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Planning Advertising for 2016?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2016. Many excellent spots are available on the website, in the weekly e-mail newsletter, and Green Lodging Survey. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2016 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 4,981. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There is a “subscribe” form in the upper left area of the Green Lodging News home page.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,715 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 791 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
