What is a green roof
Check Out These Environmentally-Friendly Roofs
What is a green roof?
Society has become much more eco-conscious in recent years and people are more eager than ever to reduce their carbon footprint in both their private and personal lives. In households, it’s often as simple as recycling waste rather than throwing it straight in the black bin. However, when it comes to any construction or renovation work it can be a little more complicated.
You may have heard the term “green roof” but exactly what is a green roof? In short, it’s an environmentally-friendly roof taken to the extreme, and one of the most exciting innovations in eco-conscious design. The finishing on a green roof is vegetation (grass, plant life etc.) and it’s built on top of the roof’s original weatherproofing. While this may seem unusual, there are a wealth of benefits to green roofs, especially in cities and other dense urban environments.
What is a green roof good for?
Green roofs can last as long time just like traditional roofs because they actually maximise the roof’s main functions such as keeping water out and regulating heat. Green roofs absorb both heat and water, and water can evaporate out through the fauna. This prolongs the existing waterproofing and provides additional protection against storm-water damage which can put extra stress on the drainage system during times of heavy downpours.
Temperature Control –
A green roof improves the energy efficiency of a property because it provides natural insulation. Most of the heat in a property is lost through the roof and green roofs go a long way to negating this. Green roofs reduce energy costs by keeping the heat in, but also allowing it to ventilate out when necessary.
Reduced UHI –
The Urban Heat Island effect (UHI) is the name given to the high temperatures caused by cities and dense urban areas which trap and absorb heat. Green roofs help to alleviate this and can even cool the city down through the flora’s natural processes of photosynthesis and respiration. These same processes also reduce the effects of CO2 pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and smog.
Wildlife –
Green roofs provide an undisturbed habitat for wildlife that dense urban environments have taken away. As well as the flora that is grown, the green roof can become a habitat for invertebrates and various species of birds. Some green roofs are even used as roof gardens to grow produce.
Communal Space –
A properly installed green roof can be a communal space for employees, residents, or the public that can boost health and morale. It’s also much more aesthetically pleasing than the traditional break room!
Noise –
Green roofs can reduce noise pollution from outside the building, making the environment inside feel much calmer and more secluded than traditional city spaces.
Green roofs are one of the most innovative uses of otherwise empty space, and a fantastic way to try and reduce the immense carbon footprint created by urban areas. With a wealth of practical and environmental benefits, what is a green roof if not one of the keys to a more eco-friendly future? Worried about roof maintenance? Check out our blog post on protecting your roof in the summer. If you have any more questions about roofing, feel free to get in touch.
