Green Roof Building Advice

Green roofs consist of a number of layers including a waterproofing layer drainage layer substrate and planting.

Green roof building advice.

You want to ensure that any roofing insulation is compatible with green roofs. A variety of plants that grow well in a soil depth of five to seven inches are good to use including certain perennials ornamental grasses herbs shrubs and sedums. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of. You might have to add more joists strengthen existing ones or add bracing.

Green building advisor is the one stop source for builders remodelers architects homeowners looking for expert advice on green products strategies proven construction details. Try dry habitat perennials and. As the popularity of vegetated roofs grows in the u s building teams are finding new methods for greening rooftops. Album delosperma could be tried in a sunny frost free area.

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 it may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems. Common sedum species used include sedum acre s. While the basic components of a sloped green roof are similar to that of a flat system building teams must pay particular attention to water management erosion control. Choosing the right plants.

Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout a building s life cycle from siting to design construction operation maintenance renovation and deconstruction. Green roofs which are planted and seeded tend to perform better in the long term. Green roof insulation becomes more of a factor on new build commercial projects with intensive roof systems. Pro advice get a structural engineer to tell you what your existing roof needs to support the weight of a green roof.

A recent trend is to adapt green roof technology for low and steep slope applications. Here green roof installer rob gaffney adds a second layer of rubber roofing membrane as a root barrier to prevent damage to the roof. 1 2 in addition green roofs can reduce building energy use by 0 7 compared to conventional roofs reducing peak electricity demand and leading to an annual savings of 0 23 per square foot of the roof. Green roof temperatures can be 30 40 f lower than those of conventional roofs and can reduce city wide ambient temperatures by up to 5 f.

The best green roofs in the long term tend to be ones that a re planted and seeded. Ferns such as polypodium vulgare and asplenium trichomanes could be used in dry shady conditions. Container gardens on roofs where plants are maintained in pots are not generally considered to be true green roofs although.