Green Roof Defined

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.

Green roof defined.

Container gardens on roofs where plants are maintained in pots are not generally considered to be true green roofs although. Green roofs consist of vegetation and growing media placed in layers installed over an existing roof structure. This green space could be below at or above grade but in all cases it exists separate from the ground. Green roofs are also known as vegetative or eco roofs.

There are two basic types of green roofs. A roof covered with vegetation designed for its aesthetic value and to optimize energy conservation. 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. These roofs will have grasses ground covers flowers shrubs and even trees.

Green roofs can help reduce energy costsfor a building by acting as another layer of insulation between the inside and outside of the roof. These are not typical point loaded roof gardens as their live load is evenly distributed partially or fully over the roof surface. 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. 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 roofs can provide a wide range of public and private benefits and have been successfully installed in countries around the world. 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. Green roof development involves the creation of contained green space on top of a human made structure. 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.