Installing A Green Roof-What, All Do You Need To Know

Posted by Emily Grace on November 7th, 2019

Modern buildings are taking a turn for better and utilizing the available space for eco-friendly designing. If you have ever been to a green rooftop, then you must know how it feels to stroll on a roof with not just a few plants but large plant carpeted areas.

The rooftop covering of plants does have aesthetic value, but there are many other benefits of a green roof. Such roofs provide better insulation during winters and much better cooling in summers, protect from harmful UV rays and potentially increase the lifespan of the roof. Environmentally, green roofs produce a lot less CO2 which lowers the urban island warming effect.

Can you have a green roof? 

Not all roofs can be converted to a green roof, which is why you need to understand the loadbearing capacity of your roof. There are a lot of numbers to calculate, such as dead load on the trusses, vegetated roof components, roofing membrane, and live load of snow, ice, and water that often saturates the growth layer. In short, a green roof is a lot of work, but it is worth it.

Other than a strongly constructed roof, the whole structure must also have the right wind uplift, drainage pitch, fire rating, and flashing details to support the vegetated roof.

The good news is, you can easily integrate a green roof into your building plan, professional roofers can better advise you on what changes need to be made. The best time to retrofit a green space to your roof is when any roof work is needed. A Sandy Springs roofing contractor can easily inspect and tell you if your house roof is fit enough to be converted to green space.

Types of green rooftop systems

There are several kinds of green rooftops, usually, that include areas with small shrubs, grasses, and other such low-maintenance plants. Such roofs are called extensive green roofs that require the least depth of soil.

Another common green roof type is the intensive green roof that includes common garden plants and small trees up to the height of 4 feet. For such green roofs, a robust load-bearing roof is required that can support at least 18 inches of soil. This green roof type is the most beautiful and is something you might want to consider if you have a roof that is often visited by people.

Green rooftop installation methods

Mat systems-After properly waterproofing the entire roof, a Sandy Springs roofing contractor will lay down a root barrier layer. Then mat system plantings that are grown at an offsite are installed. You can think of the entire process as installing grass sod on a new lawn. Rolled mats of plants are unrolled on the roof to provide instant green coverage.

Built-up systems-This method is more like planting a garden that starts with a waterproof roof membrane, a root barrier, and a growing medium.

Modular systems-These systems are becoming increasingly popular because of the convenience they offer. A modular system is composed of large custom-built trays with plants that are grown offsite and just transferred to the roof.

A greener roof can look visually pleasing and help the environment at the same time. If you have not yet considered a green roof, it’s time you do.

Resource Box: Green roofs can be a valuable addition to your property. Professional roofers can inspect and guide you on how green roofs work. Mr Roofer is one of the best Sandy Springs roofing contractor for the job.