Abstract: 【Objective】With the development of urban construction, the greening of roofs has become an important form of expanding green spaces; however, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in runoff is an issue. Selecting a monomer matrix material that does not influence the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in rainfall runoff is the key technical problem to be solved to increase the popularity of roof greening.【Method】Six substrate materials were selected as the research materials and their physical and chemical properties were compared. The characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in rainfall runoff from the different substrates were studied using a simulated rainfall experiment. 【Result】The delayed runoff yield of peat soil was the best, with the runoff reduction rates of coir and peat soil being 25.97% and 23.44%, respectively. The nitrogen and phosphorus concentration trends in runoff from the organic substrates were similar. The first flush of nitrogen and phosphorus from the rice husk carbon contained the highest concentrations, coir contained the second highest, and peat soil was the lowest. Vermiculite had a good adsorption effect on ammonia nitrogen in rainfall and the initial concentration reduction rate was 46%. Vermiculite and ceramsite had a good adsorption effect on total phosphorus in rainfall. The nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loading of rice husk carbon runoff was the highest of the organic substrate materials. The total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen pollution loadings were 256.18, 98.90 and 157.29 mg/m², respectively. 【Conclusion】Different substrate materials had different effects on the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in rainfall runoff. Coir, peat soil, perlite and vermiculite were suggested for use as substrate materials to create green roofs in Shanghai.