Green Roof Defined

This green space could be below at or above grade but in all cases it exists separate from the ground.

Green roof defined. Green roofs can help reduce energy costsfor a building by acting as another layer of insulation between the inside and outside 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 it may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems. Green roofs can provide a wide range of public and private benefits and have been successfully installed in countries around the world. This is most noticeable in intensive green roofs since there is a thicker and more consistent layer of soil which provides a higher insulating value.

Green roofs consist of vegetation and growing media placed in layers installed over an existing roof structure. Intensive green roofs are widely used on commercial buildings where owners want to have large green areas that incorporate all sizes and types of plants. A green roof is a green space that is created by adding various layers of plants and a growing medium to the top portion of a traditional roofing system. These roofs will have grasses ground covers flowers shrubs and even trees.

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 roof development involves the creation of contained green space on top of a human made structure. Green roofs are also known as vegetative or eco roofs. There are two basic types of green roofs.

Note that it is not like a traditional roof garden in which planting is done in free standing containers as well as planters that are placed on an easy to access roof terrace. A green roof is a layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system that is installed on top of a flat or slightly sloped roof. A roof covered with vegetation designed for its aesthetic value and to optimize energy conservation. These are not typical point loaded roof gardens as their live load is evenly distributed partially or fully over the roof surface.