Going Green on Top

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Monday, 28 March 2011 18:46

Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 2011 — As Kermit the Frog told warned us years ago, it’s not easy being green, and partially or completely covering the roof of your home or building with growing vegetation isn’t a simple task. As human beings, we are not passive to the color of things: We continually respond in various ways to the hues before us throughout out lives, from the flags of our countries to the shade of a person’s eyes. And lately, it seems that ‘green’ is becoming the color of the day. Also known as a ‘living roof’, a green roof, properly created and planted over a waterproof membrane, as opposed to roofs that are colored green or where plants might be maintained, and which don’t meet the specs of ‘green’, can serve a number of purposes, such as absorbing precipitation, providing insulation, and helping lower air temps if located in an urban area. There are two roof types: Intensive, which are thicker and can support a greater variety of plants, but are heavier and require more upkeep, and Extensive – which feature a lighter cover of vegetation, and are therefore ‘lighter’ throughout. The term green roof is also used to indicate roofs that use some form of green technology, ranging from so-called ‘cool’ roofs to those with solar thermal collectors. Green roofs can reducing heating use (and costs) by adding mass and thermal resistance, reduce cooling loads, and even help reduce outside temps, especially in highly populated urban areas. A green roof can also reduce storm water runoff, provide a natural habitat, and filter pollutants and CO² from the air, which in turn helps lower the risk of disease and allergy-causing contaminants. And there’s more: A green roof will increase agricultural space, insulate the building for sound, and as a result, increase both the life span of the roof and the overall value of the real estate below it. Research being done at the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis is uncovering information we need to know to create and maintain a green roof properly. For example, in colder climates (like Minnesota), it’s not the cold weather that can cause problems maintaining a green roof; often times it’s the summer droughts that are the culprit. Another concern is the type of plants that are used. Those interested in starting a green roof should find an expert who can help them select the type of plantings best for their environment. Meanwhile, University of Minnesota scientists and their colleagues across the country are working together to find plant species that will work well in both cold and dry conditions. In addition to water conservation, reduced energy use, biodiversity and sustainability, there’s one other valuable discovery that’s been made: Where green roofs are installed, birds and bees return in profusion. SOURCE: Various < Prev   Next >