Value Of Green Roofs

Green roofs can increase a building s marketability.

Value of green roofs. Green roofs are also known as vegetative or eco roofs. 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. Green roofs are part of climate proof construction. A green roof has many benefits at economic ecological and societal levels.

They can reduce heating by adding mass and thermal resistance value also can reduce the heat island by increasing evapotranspiration. A green roof provides a rainwater buffer purifies the air reduces the ambient temperature regulates the indoor temperature saves energy and encourages biodiversity in the city. 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. Increased r value a measure of the resistance of a material to heat flow of the roofing system along with reduced temperatures on the.

Green roofs reduce the temperature of the building and the surrounding air in multiple ways. 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. Green roofs have excellent noise attenuation especially for low frequency sounds. 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.

They fall into three main categories extensive intensive and semi intensive. Thermal reduction and energy conservation. They provide shade to the top of a building evapotranspiration. A 2005 study by brad bass of the university of toronto showed that green roofs can also reduce heat loss and energy consumption in winter conditions.