Value Of Green Roofs

Benefits of a green roof.

Value of green roofs.

A green roof has many benefits at economic ecological and societal levels. Although there are no precise definitions of them an extensive green roof has a shallow growing medium usually less than six inches with a modest roof load limited plant diversity minimal. They can reduce heating by adding mass and thermal resistance value also can reduce the heat island by increasing evapotranspiration. Green roofs are also known as vegetative or eco roofs.

Green roofs can be dense for heavier vegetation like the image above or kept to a depth as small as 3 and filled with drought tolerant plants like this extensive roof below seen with the deeper garden roof assembly called intensive. They provide shade to the top of a building evapotranspiration. An extensive green roof can reduce sound from outside by 40 decibels while an intensive green roof can reduce sound by 46 50 decibels peck et al. Although installation of a green roof usually involves higher upfront costs than a traditional roof there are many economic benefits that can make up for this.

Green roofs can increase a building s marketability. Green roofs improve and reduce energy consumption. Green roofs are part of climate proof construction. Green roofs reduce the temperature of the building and the surrounding air in multiple ways.

Thermal reduction and energy conservation. Green roofs have excellent noise attenuation especially for low frequency sounds. The plants in a green roof absorb water through their roots and then use surrounding heat from the air to evaporate the water while some roofs can reach temperatures of up to 90 f in the summertime these two features can allow. They fall into three main categories extensive intensive and semi intensive.