What’s growing on your roof?

A brief introduction to Green Roofs by Sarah Murphy

Green Roofs, Living Roofs, Eco-roofs

• are living, vegetative roofing alternatives

• cover impervious surfaces with permeable plant material

• can become net producers of energy, clean water and air

Advantages of Green Roofs

• Green roofs retain rainwater,– reducing the requirement for drainage ponds

and minimizing storm drain.  – Depending on the typical weather patterns, up to 90% of an

area’s typical rainfall can be absorbed by a green roof. • Green roofs reduce the surface temperature of a roofing

membrane –   As a result, life expectancy of the membrane can reasonably be

expected to double.  • Green roofs cool the surrounding air through respiration,

which can reduce “urban heat island” weather patterns.  • A green roof will provide substantial noise insulation. • A living roof provides additional land area, allowing for more

biological diversity. • Green roofs can absorb airborne toxins and produce oxygen

Intensive v Extensive Greenroofs

• Intensive green roofs are landscaped gardens on roofs, intended for human interaction

• These roofs have been engineered to hold heavy loads, including deep soil and sometimes trees

• These include underground parking garages, and typically have a slope under 3%

Intensive

Intensive v Extensive Greenroofs

• Extensive green roofs have between 3-6 inches of soil

• Ideal plants are drought tolerant, rocky-alpine natives

• constructed on roofs with slopes up to 33%, and can be retrofitted onto existing structures with little or no additional construction

• The average weight of a fully saturated minimum extensive greenroof is 17 pounds per square foot

Extensive

Construction

Plant Material

• Succulents are ideal since they can thrive

in drought periods

-Prostrate growth habits

-light-weight

• Sedum and Delosperma are just a few examples of suitable plants

Delosperma echinatum

Sedum mexicanum

Soil

• Light weight and porous

• Low organic matter• Components can

include:

-pumice, expanded shale, coconut coir,

broken brick, ect

Questions?

• Check out:– www.greenroofplants.com– www.greenroofplants.com

– Email me: sarahmurph@gmail.com