According to a study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California and the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, having a white colored roof is actually better for the environment and cheaper than having a green roof covered with plants.

According to a study by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California and the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, having a white colored roof is actually better for the environment and cheaper than having a green roof covered with plants.

The study compared the cost and effectiveness of 22 commercial flat roofs, and found that although both green and white roofs have benefits, over the course of 50 years a white roof costs less, and is better for slowing climate change.

The researchers found that both white and green roofs are better than the more common black roof because black roofs absorb heat, (1,1,4) while white roofs reflect the light and heat from the sun.

Benjamin Mandel, a graduate student researcher at Berkeley Lab is quoted as saying: “We leave open the possibility that other factors may make green roofs more attractive or more beneficial options in certain scenarios. The relative costs and benefits do vary by circumstance.”

Green roofs work to insulate the interior of the building from hot and cold temperatures outside, which saves money on heating and air conditioning utilities, but the initial cost of installing the plants made it the most expensive option.