An architect in New York City wants to build mountains for skiing and hiking on top of big box stores, which I think is a great idea although rife with problems. I think the unused space on top of these mammoth buildings can be utilized for better purposes than HVAC systems and gravel. In some situations, the store may be able to make money of this space if rented/leased to organizations who want an urban farm or park, such as Grange Farm in New York City.
A better solution is requiring new buildings to implement environmentally-friendly features to offset the effects of large spaces in urban settings and the use of LARGE parking lots. According to Michigan State’s Green Roof Research Program, benefits include storm water retention to decrease runoff and reduce erosion, increased energy efficiency, and longer life span of the roof. What I found interesting is that Germany is the leader in green roofing.
Plus green roofs are beautiful. Take a look:
Grange Farm in NYC
Chicago’s City Hall
ACROS Fukuoka, in Fukuoka City, Japan
(I would love to visit Japan)
Catherine R. Hofmann 
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