Benefits of a Green Roof

Taking root on rooftops, Green Roofs are an attractive way to save energy, control run-off and help the environment.

What is a Green Roof?

It's a growing roofing system often made up of layers of sedium, placed over an existing roof structure. Sedium is a hardy, low-profile, leafy plant. The growing material is often placed in a special framework, which is laid over a waterproof membrane. Pipes are installed to channel away excess water. Depending on the supporting structure underneath the roof, the top layer may include small shrubs, vegetables and herbs, even a water feature.

What does a Green Roof Cost?

Like an upgraded kitchen, there is no payback in dollars and cents. Benefits are in non-monetary areas. For a simple green roof, you can expect to pay about three times the cost of a steel roof. An 800 square foot roof would come in around $11,500.

Benefits of a Green Roof

1. Moderate heat gain, not only for your building, but for the space around you. One German source says a healthy urban climate could be achieved by greening only 5% of all roofs and walls within a city.
2. Cut greenhouse gas emissions by shading buildings, improving insulating value and reducing air conditioning.
3. Reduce smog by absorbing pollutants.
4. Reduces storm water runoff by absorbing much of the rain and delaying the runoff. Thus reducing the risk of sewage overflows and flash floods.
5. Provides increased sound and heating insulation, reducing your heating and cooling cost.
6. Extends the life of the roof membrane by blocking the sun's UV rays and reducing extreme temperature fluctuations.