Those who are keen on investing in New York property but want to be as green as possible may be able to enjoy the best of both worlds, it has been reported.

A survey by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a non-profit group based in Toronto, has found that New York is among the US cities where the practice of putting green roofs on buildings is growing fastest, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Such roofs are covered in plants such as water-absorbent sedum, helping to reduce the effects of urban heat-trapping and capturing water to reduce storm water run-off.

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities said that there has been a 30 per cent increase in such roofs in the past year.

While the majority of these have been civic or commercial buildings, they are also appearing on private homes, with a new tax incentive pilot scheme launched by New York state governor David Paterson aimed at increasing the use of these roofs in the state and the city.

The popularity of buying property in New York for Britons was emphasised this week by Royce Pinkwater, senior vice president at Sotheby’s International Realty.

He told Forbes: "The Brits are among our top buyers in New York."

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