Hoboken, N.J.,promotes green roofs by easing approval process

Hoboken, N.J. Mayor Dawn Zimmer wants to encourage the installation of green roofs in her city.

She is leading by example by using the roof of City Hall as a showcase and making the approval process easier for building owners to install their own green roofs. A main motivator for Hoboken’s drive for more vegetative roofs is to relieve pressure on the stormwater/sewer system.

The city has a combined stormwater/sewer infrastructure that backs up during heavy rainfalls. The cost of a green roof is expensive at$15 to $30 per square foot, so Zimmer wants to offer tax incentives to help defray the cost. The installation cost is also easier to bear when the potential for extending the lifespan of the roof and reduced heating and cooling costs are factored in.

Zimmer wants to do more to capture runoff before it enters the sewers by encouraging commercial and residential owners to install rain gardens.