Awareness, adoption and willingness to pay for green roofs in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland

Green roofs provide a wide range of co-benefits, including reducing stormwater runoff, improving air and water quality, supporting biodiversity and decreasing energy consumption for heating and cooling. These features make green roofs essential for the sustainable development of smart, resilient cities. Despite extensive research on their benefits, adoption remains limited, largely due to unclear public perceptions and limited understanding of citizens' willingness to pay (WTP) for green roof installation and maintenance. Gaining insights into public interest and WTP is crucial for urban planners and policymakers to incorporate green roofs into future urban development plans.

This study examines public perceptions of green roofs and other nature-based solutions (NbS) in Edinburgh, Scotland, and assesses residents' WTP for their adoption. A survey disseminated through social media platforms and in-person flyers yielded over 300 responses. The data were analysed to identify trends in awareness, interest and WTP, associated with different socio-economic and demographic indicators.

Key findings reveal a high level of awareness about NBS and recognition of green roofs as effective solutions to major environmental challenges, such as high energy consumption, air quality issues, water retention and biodiversity loss. Many respondents expressed WTP for green roofs, particularly through council tax contributions for public infrastructure, though only 25% showed interest in installing a green roof on their own property. Barriers to adoption include unsuitable building conditions, high installation and maintenance costs, and limited knowledge about green roof implementation. More than half of respondents indicated that they felt as though their buildings were unsuitable for green roof installation or they were not in a place to make this decision (i.e. not the property owner or living in a shared block of flats where external features are managed by an external company). However, if these barriers were not present, there would be a preference for supporting green roofs on public and private spaces in cities.

Additionally, a comparative analysis with findings from an affiliated study conducted within Mediterranean regions was conducted to identify potential cultural and economic factors influencing regional variations in WTP for green infrastructure in cities. Preliminary analysis demonstrates that the perceptions on the benefits of green roofs differ, driven by differing priorities and challenges associated with regional climatic conditions (i.e. passive cooling in Mediterranean regions versus heat retention and rainfall management in Edinburgh’s temperate oceanic climate).

This study has implications for the adoption of green roofs within the UK and Europe, highlighting several barriers which need to be overcome before widespread adoption can be achieved.