What is a Green Roof?
A green roof is a roof of a building that is completely covered with plants and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing covering. This type of roof also include the extra layers like a root fence and drainage and irrigation systems.
The word green roof may be used to specify roofs that use a few form of green technology, like cool roof, a roof with solar thermal collector. Green roofs are also referred to eco-roofs and living roofs.
The use of green refers to be environmental friendly. Green roofs have also many purposes like absorbing rainwater, creating a home for wildlife, also green roof provides insulation. Green roofs also helps to lower down the temperature of cities and less the affect of heat.
Types of Green Roof Systems
There are two different types of green roofs. The names are intensive roofs and extensive roofs. The intensive roofs are thicker and can support different variety of plants. These are heavier and need maintenance. The extensive roofs have light layer of plants and are lighter than an intensive roofs.
Environmental Benefits
These types of roofs look beautiful and also very useful for environments. Green roofs reduce heating and protect properties against storm water. They filter the pollution and helps to lower the diseases which are related to breath like asthma. They also filter heavy metals from the rain water. It also increases the agricultural place.
Financial Benefits
Green roofs have also financial benefits. it increase the roof life time noticeably It also increase the value of real estate. European Countries have very active in promoting green roofs. The countries are Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Sweden, the UK, and Greece. Green roofs are also becoming very popular in Chicago , Portland, Atlanta and other cities of united state.
