A little green is coming to Red Hook.
This week, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez announced that the U.S. Department of Energy is supporting the implementation of a green roof initiative in the neighborhood. The Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation (SBIDC) plans to develop a 12,500-square- foot garden atop a Red Hook factory, demonstrating the cost effectiveness and environmental benefits of green roof design.
The Linda Tool & Die Corporation building in Red Hook is the first of Southwest Brooklyn IDC’s “Green Roof Project” and will demonstrate how the green roof design aids in the increase of energy efficiency and reduction of heat reflections that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
A green roof absorbs rainfall, which in turn allows it to reduce storm runoff by retaining up to 75 percent of rainwater. In New York City, where combined sewer overflows (CSOs) cause pollution in the Harbor Estuary, the use of green roofs present significant environmental possibilities.
