Grey to Green Conference (August 2014): Research Links Green Infrastructure to Health and Economic Benefits
Green Cities: Good Health
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has announced that Dr. Kathleen Wolf, professor at the College of Forest Resources of the University of Washington, and director of the Green Cities: Good Health project, will be a keynote speaker at the Grey to Green Conference presenting her research team’s latest work on the economics of improved health resulting from living green infrastructure investment and protection in Toronto, August 25, 2014.
“We’ve reviewed thousands of scientific sources, and the evidence is in – experiences of nearby nature in cities are associated with improved human health and wellness. Parks, trees, and gardens are indeed beautiful, but our work on economic values is showing that ‘vitamin N’ could become a therapy to reduce health costs,” said Dr. Wolf.
Dr. Wolf’s group of researchers are at the leading edge on the subject of living green infrastructure health and economics.
2014 Grey to Green Conference
Research on living green infrastructure such as urban forests, green roofs, and green walls is demonstrating a wide range of health benefits and related positive economic impacts, the subject of this year’s Grey to Green Conference in Toronto.
“As we gain a better understanding of the relationship between green infrastructure and human health it will become increasingly easier to monetize these benefits in terms of public health care,“ says Steven Peck, Founder and President, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and Chair, Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition. “This conference will help designers and planners understand how to plan and design healthier buildings and communities.”
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) is a membership-based industry association developing the green (vegetative) roof and wall industry in North America. GRHC’s mission is to increase the awareness of the economic, social and environmental benefits of green roofs and green walls, and other forms of living architecture through education, advocacy, professional development and celebrations of excellence.
To Learn More:
For information on the Conference Agenda and Registration visit www.greytogreenconference.org.
Also, visit www.greenroofs.org for more information.
To read a story about Dr. Kathleen Wolf posted previously on the Green Infrastructure community-of-interest, click on Urban Forestry / Urban Greening Research: What are the Benefits of Nature in Cities and Towns?