Growing a Green Roof Movement in America

Metropolis blogger Joseph G. Brin interviews Charlie Miller, P.E., of Roofmeadow, to find out why green roofs have been slow to catch on in the United States.

1 minute read

February 27, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Anonymous (not verified)


While Charlie Miller, P.E. may be an internationally recognized green roof pioneer, his Philadelphia operation, Roofmeadow, is modest. Joseph G. Brin sits down with Miller to ask why green roofs are such a hard sell in America. Miller laments:

"It's hard to sell simple, elegant ideas. People [Americans] are in love with technology."

Miller was, himself, once a skeptic of green roof technology, but a 1997 trip to Germany set the engineer/geologist on a new course. Over the past 15 years he has labored to make, what he calls, "lifted landscapes" palatable to Americans through the combination of design, policy, and science expertise offered by his firm. The primary obstacle, he points out, is the liability of heavy, potentially leaky landscapes atop buildings, particularly older structures.

Sharing in Miller's frustration over the slow progress of the American green roof movement, Brin suggest we reach out to the Germans:

"Couldn't they just send us a .dxf (CAD) file of their favorite roof section?"

Thanks to Jessica Brent

Sunday, February 26, 2012 in Metropolis

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Tunnel for pedestrians, bikes, and buses in Lyon, France lit up with purple lights.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free

Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Missouri state Rep. Chris Brown speaking in government chamber.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies

A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

7 hours ago - Missouri Independent

Pedestrians crossing a rainbow painted crosswalk in New York City.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program

The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.

7 hours ago - Urban Milwaukee