Living roofs are also known as green roofs. Living Roof is a trend in which you use the roof of your house as a substrate to grow plants. This trend has been so common in Europe for the last 40 years. In North America, the trend is also growing very fast in the last 10 years. Through this method, you use the roof of your house as a substrate for vegetation purposes.
If you are a house owner or intrepid architect, you always need unique roofing details. Different materials are available like shingles, Clay tiles, wood shakes, and metal roofing for that purpose. The idea of living roofs is also very common nowadays and is trending.
Living roof categories:
Depending upon the ponds of Vegetation, the living roofs are divided into main 3 categories. These categories define the depth of the plantation and the maintenance level. The main three types of living roofs according to https://constructors911.com are intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive.
The intensive Roofs can handle Vegetation of about 80 to 150 pounds. On the other hand, the extensive roofs can handle the Vegetation of about 10 to 25 pounds per square foot. At the same time, the semi-intensive living roofs lie in between the extensive and intensive roofs.
In simple words, intensive living roofs are more like rooftop gardens in which you require proper maintenance, Irrigation, and feeding on time. The plants that grew into 7 to 24 inches of soil require proper maintenance and Irrigation on time.
For the Intensive green roofs, a great deal of labor is required. On the other hand, extensive groups are more self-sufficient. The plants grown in these roofs are 1.6 to 5 inches of soil, and they need weeding once a year. If the house roof is not easily accessible, extensive roofs are the best option.
Intensive living gardens are recommended for commercial buildings. The roof of the commercial buildings are free, and you can use them for the vegetation purposes like the Chicago City Hall. Well, the extensive roofs are good for the resident’s roofs. Running a proper living garden on the roof slope of 40 degrees is required.
Why are living roofs recommended?
Strom water management:
Living roofs are recommended because the direct exposure of the sunlight on the roof can help you in many practical purposes. In addition, the living roofs serve as Stormwater management and natural insulation of the roof as the soil can absorb water naturally.
The soil can absorb a large portion of the stormwater on the rooftop, and there will be no water accumulation. However, in the usual traditional House roofs, a lot of water accumulates on the roof that damages the coating of the roof in the longer term.
Insulation:
On the other hand, a living roof’s very good purpose is Built-in insulation. It helps directly to the house owners or the building owners, as you will see a major change in your electricity bills through it. In dry weather conditions, the roof’s insulation can be increased up to 25 percent in the winters. The heat losses are reduced in the winters through insulation by the wind up to 50 percent. While in the hot summers, the electricity consumption demands can be reduced up to 75 percent.
The roof’s temperature is close to the surrounding temperature, but it provides insulation to the house. Living roofs also benefit the surrounding by reducing the UHI (urban heat island). Due to the sheer pavements, a lot of heat waste is generated by the energy losses that result because of high-temperature changes in the cities. Living roofs help to control global warming and other climatic changes.
Why are living roofs not recommended?
One of the disincentives in the greenhouse roofs is the high-cost values. The Vegetation on the roofs may cost you $10 to $20 per square foot. This is more expensive than the regular shingle cozy $1.20 per square foot.
For the conventional roof, you don’t require time to time maintenance. You don’t need to worry about the proper care at the starting while in the living roof for a new roof; proper maintenance is required in the starting years. The cost of maintenance is high for the living roof.
Conclusion:
Living roof or green roof ideas are trending in the upcoming years worldwide. Living roofs provide you with many benefits on the personal and commercial levels. On the other hand, the efficiency rate of the green roofs is not high as it is very costly, and proper maintenance is required. For this purpose, on a personal scale or for the buildings, you should consult the roofers; they will guide you on which type of living roof will suit you.
