Are "Green Roofs" the answer to everything?

This morning I attended the launch of a series of “green roofs” on a council estate in Kilburn. What’s a green roof? Well, basically it’s soil and plants instead of tiles or concrete. Now this is great news for a number of reasons. First green roofs provide fantastic natural insulation – warm in winter, cool in summer. Second they slow down rainwater run-off during storms, which helps prevent flash floods. Third they become a haven for birds and other wildlife. Fourth they increase the lifetime of the roof itself because it’s protected from damage by the earth. Fifth the plants and grasses soak up carbon emissions. But best of all, when you look at the entire lifecycle of a green roof it can actually be cheaper than traditional roofs. All those benefits and it’s financially beneficial. Green roofs are a fantastic example of how to rethink our urban landscape using sustainable methods and they’re quite simply delightful to look at. I wonder if I can persuade Budgens, the Holiday Inn and the PFI contractors that are refurbishing the Chalcots council estate to put in green roofs!