What is a green roof?
A green roof (sometimes referred to as a living roof) is a roof that contains soil and plants. A green roof can beautify a building or help a building blend into the natural environment. There are several environmental benefits of a green roof…
What are the benefits of a green roof?
- ENERGY SAVINGS. Green roofs add to the thermal mass and shading of your roof, which combat the enormous potential for heat gain during the summer. Homes with green roofs are able to maintain a constant mild temperature year round. This adds up to a bunch of savings on the energy it would take to cool your home mechanically.
- REDUCE STORMWATER RUNOFF. Water coming off most roofs ends up running down the driveway and into the street picking up pollutants along the way before it is spilled into local water ways. Since the plants soak up rainwater a green roof greatly reduces the amount of water running off your roof.
- INCREASE LIFESPAN OF ROOF. The soil cover of a green roof protects the roofing membrane from the sun and increases its lifespan 2 to 3 times what it would be without a protective green roof on top of it.
- INCREASE EFFICIENCY OF PHOTOVOLTAICS. During hot days roofs heat up much more than surrounding areas and the excessive causes roof mounted PV panels to run less efficiently. A green roof greatly reduces the temperature on the roof and will increase PV cell efficiency.
- SAVE LAND AND HABITAT SPACE. In urban areas land is in high demand. With a green roof you can have plenty of ground to grow vegetables, enjoy a natural view, or contribute to habitat space even on small parcels of land.
- REDUCE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT. In urban areas, exposed roofs and hardscape increase local temperatures on hot days. By providing more planted space, such as greenroofs, this overheating will be reduced making the climate around your home more enjoyable.
- IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS. Greenroofs are an effective way of adding plantmass to urban areas which is greatly needed to filter pollutants in the air and sequester carbon dioxide.
Check out our projects that have a green roof:
Elfin Forest Interpretive Center
Green roof resources:
