Science Behind Green Roofs

Form and function consul tancy desig n engine ering project management and expert w itness of green roofs and green walls since 1980.

Science behind green roofs.

This is a relatively new phenomenon and was developed in germany in the 1960s and has spread to many countries since then. Green roofs help reduce the urban heat island effect a condition in which urban environments absorb and trap heat. A green roof s plants remove air particulates produce oxygen and provide shade. Vegetated rooftop habitats can serve as stepping stones to create corridors connecting other patches roofscape or at.

Vegetation and soil act as a sponge absorbing and filtering water that would normally plunge down gutters wash through polluted streets and over tax sewer systems. Modern green roofs are made of a system of layers placed over the roof to support soil medium and vegetation. Edged by solar panels the roof s seven hills are lined with 50 000 porous biodegradable vegetation trays made from tree sap and coconut husks. Typically a green or living roof is constructed of several layers including a waterproof membrane a root barrier a drainage layer a growing medium soil is too heavy and plants.

Background rooftop gardens also called living roofs or green roofs have many advantages including providing more space for agriculture adding beauty to the cityscape and increasing air quality. An estimated 1 7 million plants fill the trays their roots interlocking to create an extraordinary oasis for birds insects people and other creatures. Green roofs mitigate water runoff and sewer overflows. Green roof service green roof technology is the leader in providing integrated architectural design state of the art engineering project management of installations and maintenance solutions of living green on any impervious area throughout the world and.

This paper presents an economic perspective on roof color choice using a 50 year life cycle cost analysis lcca. Low maintenance green roofs can be designed to serve as refuge for species such as. Natural habitats can serve as templates for green roofs designed for biodiversity. A green roof s plants remove air particulates produce oxygen and.