On hot and sunny days, suburban and urban areas can be five to seven degrees warmer outlying areas due to an affect known as the "urban heat island effect." The problem can be solved by replacing the dark heat-absorbing roofing materials, found on most asphalt roofs, with light color roofing material made from recycled materials. Some are even made of plants and grasses. These environmentally-friendly roofing options can substantially reduce the urban heat island effect. Lighter colored roof surface materials helps to reduce the amount of energy needed to keep a home cool and can reduce peak cooling demands by up to fifteen percent on a city grid.Another interesting green option are "Living Roof Systems." They allow for the growth of rooftop vegetation, such as tall grass or vegetation, and it does not harm the man-made roofing materials on the underlying roof. These living roofs provide more than just energy savings, they can provide health benefits, including: reducing the urban heat island effect, lowering energy expenditures, purifying the air, and reducing storm-water runoff. Runoff from rainstorm water, which carries contaminants from paved surfaces and rooftops to our natural waterways, has been identified as a major source of water pollution. Living roofs can reduce these negative effects by absorbing up to seventy-five percent of rain that falls upon them.
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