Green Roofs About Green Roofs A green roof

Green Roofs

About Green Roofs • A green roof system is an extension of the existing roof which involves a high quality water proofing and root repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants. • Green roof systems may be modular, with drainage layers, filter cloth, growing media and plants already prepared in movable, interlocking grids, or, each component of the system may be installed separately. Green roof development involves the creation of "contained" green space on top of a human-made structure. This green space could be below, at or above grade, but in all cases the plants are not planted in the "ground'. Green roofs can provide a wide range of public and private benefits.

Principal Green Roof Technology Components Source: National Research Council, Institute for Research in Construction http: //www. greenroofs. org/index. php? option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=40

Two types of green roofs • Extensive green roofs range from one to five inches in soil depth, normally consist of mosses, herbs and grasses, and are built primarily for their environmental benefits rather than public access. • Intensive green roofs require at least a foot of soil depth, an elaborate irrigation and drainage system, and require maintenance. Intensive green roofs contain trees and shrubs and are typically designed to be publicly accessible.

Green roofs differ from a rooftop garden or a container garden • because green roofs are an extension of the actual roof. • This “extension” is created by using – a specially designed root repelling membrane – a drainage system – a lightweight growing medium, – and plants appropriate for the size and depth of the green roof.

Some of the benefits green roofs provide • include – storm water management (through retention/filtration), – water and air quality improvement, – SMOG reduction – increased life expectancy of roof membranes – noise reduction – increased energy efficiency – and biodiversity preservation.

Green roof implementation has been growing • Green roof implementation has been growing across Europe since the 1980 s. Stimulated largely by state grants and municipal planning policies, countries such as Germany now benefit from over 10 million square metres of greened roof space. • Although leaks have been a fear and sometimes a deterrent for developers considering a green roof – this is a misperception. Improved green roof technology has produced reliable products such as waterproof membranes and root-repelling agents, which prevent roots from penetrating the roof deck

Greenhouse on roof is greenroof ?

Garden Shed - Raleigh, NC

http: //www. asla. org/land/050205/greenroofcentral. html

Green Roof links • • • • • Building Biology and Ecology Institute (NZ) Building Biology Australia Centre for Green Roof Research (Penn, US) Committee members only Eco Media Fytogreen Australia Green Building Council of Australia Green Roofs For Healthy Cities - US Green Roofs US industry link Healthy Buildings Australia International Journal of Building and Environment Restless Treehouse Sustainable Cities Network Sustainable insight bookstor Sustainable Melbourne Urban Design Forum Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab http: //www. greenroofs. org/ http: //www. urbanag. org. au/Greenroofs_Australia. html • • • GREEN ROOFS AUSTRALIA (GRA) • GRA HOME GRA COMMITTEE SITE GRA MEMBERS NEWSLETTER

Green Walls