subtropical climates can be found: Eastern half of Texas Louisiana Arkansas Alabama Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Georgia Kentucky most of Florida Virginia southern West Virginia The climate in many of these states can vary and be extreme. Benefits (Performance ratings) Reduces stormwater volume (50%–85%) Improves stormwater quality through load reduction Saves water by rainwater harvesting Reduces heat island effect Lowers surface temperatures by 40–50 degrees Fahrenheit Energy savings can reach 15%–30% Reduces noise for building occupants Increases the life of the roof and reduces roof maintenance Contributes to biodiversity and creates habitats for birds and invertebrates Filters air pollutant particles Increased storm event safety Neighborhood diversity Aesthetic value Reduces need for retention ponds and ditches Costs Initially, vegetated roofs can have a high short-term capital but the long-term energy and maintenance savings outweigh them. Even the U.S. Green Building Council and some new advances in green roofs suggest that green buildings don't necessarily have to cost more than a conventional one. Successful examples Project name: Shadow Wood Preserve Green Roof Demonstration Location: Ft. Myers, FL, USA Size: 2400 sq.ft. Project name: Charles R. Perry Construction Yard, University of Florida Location: Gainesville, FL, USA Size: 2600 sq.ft. Project name: Student Union Expansion at the University of Central Florida (UCF) Location: Orlando, FL, USA Size: 1600 sq ft References External links https://books.google.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/books?hl=en&lr=&id=KNktsuZMtboC&oi=fnd&pg=PA125&dq=soil+diseases+humid+subtropical+regions&ots=RVN_l-UXUA&sig=MUA4wZo4IVPddW6FS8KcNbyqwUA#v=onepage&q=warm%2C%20rainy&f=false http://www.epa.gov/region08/greenroof/pdf/green%20roof.pdf Roof gardens Sustainable architecture Sustainable gardening Sustainable building Types of garden Landscape architecture Hydrology and urban planning Environmental engineering Landscape ecology