Green Roof Concept

The 3 types of green roof.

Green roof concept.

The green roof concept has seen wide spread acceptance within the construction community. Modern systems help mitigate the heat island effect create habitats filter pollutants sequester carbon and even increase agricultural and amenity space. Green roof design while the practice of building green roofs is centuries old it has experienced a renaissance as the structural philosophy of the future. This way urban spaces can remain urban while maintaining greenery on top to protect us our health and the environment.

In the most basic sense green roofs are a layered combination of vegetation and membrane over a building that can help insulate and provide water management. Green roofs for healthy cities grhc is the north american industry association for the green roof and wall sectors. A vegetated roof also known as a green roof living roof or eco roof is a planting system where materials and plants are installed on the top of a building. With the green roof concept energy saving and nature saving processes are leveraged into an active lifestyle by adding plants directly to the roofs of buildings.

Also known as ecoroofs green roofs comprise five basic layers. A living green roof reduces the costs of heating and cooling encourages the local wildlife and naturally filters the rain water it receives. The intention of the green roof concept is to take otherwise heat producing areas such as rooftops and plazas and provide a cooler environment. The roof deck a waterproof membrane soil filter fabric several inches of lightweight soil mix and drought tolerant plants.

A vegetated landscape built up from a series of layers that are installed on a roof surface as loose laid or modular that is installed layer by layer on the roof or as pre prepared layers in trays green roofs are constructed for multiple reasons as spaces for people to use as architectural features to add value to property or to achieve particular environmental benefits for example stormwater capture and retention improved species diversity. Green roofs have been popular for decades in many european cities especially in germany and are gaining popularity in the united states. Green roofs are new technology of green building represented by the vegetative layer of the roof. A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium planted over a waterproofing membrane.

The vegetation is designed to be independent as a result of selecting plants capable of developing into a stable ecosystem. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.