What is Green Roofing?
A green roof is a system that uses vegetation and a growing medium as the finish of the roof cover instead of just the weathering materials. The vegetated coatings sit on top of the conventional waterproofing layer of the building. The use of vegetation in construction dates back to early times. However, it is only in recent years that they have become a best and accessible alternative to traditional roof surfaces due to their environmental benefits and significant cost savings on cooling and heating.
Types of Green Roofing
Primary, there are two different types of green roofing Intensive Green Roof, and Extensive Green Roof and both types are differentiated by the amount of vegetation utilized. While extensive green roofs can support more than 25 pounds of vegetation per square foot and the intensive green roofs can hold 150 pounds per square foot. Another most important factor that differentiates these styles from one another is the amount of labour required to maintain them. Intensive green roofs, as the name suggests that take a lot more work to manage, as they involve keeping the multiple kinds of plants separate and maintaining an actual garden. On the other hand, Extensive green roofs are left to grow naturally and without restriction, taking care of themselves as they would in the wild and only requiring yearly weeding and fertilization.
Benefits of Green Roofing.
There are a variety of reasons why an individual would want to pursue a green roofing system, both for the community and the home. Apart from introducing a creative dimension to the ordinary roof, the green roof provides financial and environmental benefits.
Reduces heating and cooling costs
According to Ontario Wealth Management, a green roof can improve a building’s heat retention in winter and cooling in summer. This could reduce your heating and air-conditioning costs that help you make some savings on your power bills.
Increases property value
Keeping a well-managed green roof would increase the market value of a property, especially now with the climate change-fueled demand for eco-friendly houses.
Fresh air
The vegetation on your roof will draw carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air while producing oxygen. This will enable you to contribute towards cutting down on your carbon footprint and supplying fresh breathing air.
Aesthetic Beauty
Well-maintained green roofing will improve the appearance of your house and the entire area.
Sound Proofing
Your green roof can protect your household against the urban noise.
Negatives of Green Roofing
The only downside of a green roof is the upfront cost of installation. A green roof is more expensive to install than a normal roof, because it’s heavier, so the underlying roof structure will need to be strengthened to cope with the extra load.
The cost of a green roof system varies between $15 and $25 per square foot for intensive green roofs, and between $10 and $20 for extensive green roofs. Most of the cost comes from the soil and growth concentrates, as well as the plants. This cost increases depending on whether you’d like your plants to be individually planted as opposed to pre-grown via the vegetation mat, and may also affect the ability and convenience of getting the materials needed. While none of these components is particularly hard to find, transporting them to your location may be expensive.