green roofs

Houston is seriously lagging other metropolitan areas when it comes to green roofs.  At last count, there are only three buildings in downtown Houston that have anything green on their roofs.  The vast majority are just blank, white, empty spaces.  Tremendous lost potential.

The picture below is looking east from the 44th floor of One Shell Plaza in downtown Houston. One building with a green roof.  

 

This is another shot looking east from the same vantage point.  None.  What a waste.  Even though Houston has a Democrat for a Mayor right now, and there has been an incentive of up to $200,000 per building to improve energy efficiency, not one green roof has been added since the incentive was announced in 2011.  

It's not really surprising. Ever since Houston built the Astrodome there has been a serious lack of forward thinking and bold design here. Houston is currently booming and an estimated 125 people move here every single day, yet there is still not much of a personality to this city at all.  A few quirky individuals here and there, but that's about it. It's a shame.  It will not be hard to leave when we retire within the next year or two.