Green Roofs CDAE 170

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Green RoofsCDAE 170

• By Holly Crimmins, Teddy Dobbin Justin Geibel

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What are they?

• Green Roofs or eco-roofs are roofs planted with
  vegetation or soil that grow on the actual roof.
• A green roof can also be a roof that encompasses
  solar panels
• They are not roofs made with green shingles

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How do they work?

• Most use a specially formulated lightweight
  compost or soil as a growing medium
• Depth of soil or growing medium ranges from 6
  inches on extensive green roofs to 4 feet on
  intensive green roofs
• Provide aesthetic value to buildings and a green
  space for people to enjoy
• Vegetation and soil effectively collect rainwater
• Green Roofs protect rubber roof membranes from
  water and sun damage

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Different Types of Green Roofs

• Extensive
• Designed to be lightweight, maximize the
  environmental benefits
• Soil or growing medium is usually 6 inches deep
  or less, generally planted with native species
• Usually not accessible to the public

• Intensive
• Generally designed as public green space for
  building tenants or general public
• Heavier than extensive roofs because they require
  more soil
• Can support wider variety of plant life, but
  require more maintenance (irrigation control,
  soil quality, etc.)

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What plants are typically grown on green roofs?

• Plants must be tougher and less
  nutrient-dependent than most garden plants
• The most successful green roof plants are
  low-growing, shallow-rooted perennial plants that
  are heat, cold, sun, wind, drought, salt, insect,
  and disease tolerant
• Annuals and Perennials are most often utilized in
  the landscape design of green roofs
• The types of plants chosen depend significantly
  on regional weather patterns, soil depth and
  quality, landscape design, roof size, and
  irrigation systems

Example of a useful perennial Petrorhagia
Commonly used annual - Phacelia campanularia
Perennial - Campanula rotundifolia
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What do they do?

• Advantages
• Clean the air by absorbing greenhouse gases like
  carbon dioxide
• Provide space for the plant wildlife habitat
  that has been displaced by building
• Decrease the temperature on a roof
• In a city this can reduce the urban heat-island
  effect
• Decrease heating and cooling loads on a roof and
  the building. More energy efficient building.
• Manage and utilize stormwater, and filter toxins
  and pollutants out of water
• Utilize recycled materials that would otherwise
  be put in landfills

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Some disadvantages

• The cost of replacing the roof with a green roof
  on it can be expensive
• Faulty waterproofing can cause extensive roof
  damage.
• A green roof can place a heavy load on a structure

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History of Green Roofs

• Date back thousands of years.
• 500 B.C there were green roofs in the Hanging
  Gardens of Babylon
• Germany has been building modern green roofs for
  over 30 years
• Germany provides indirect and direct subsidies
  and ordinances for the installation of green
  roofs
• Reduction of storm water taxes
• mitigation for the provision of open space
• Direct monetary subsidy to developers who use
  green roofs
• Canada is working on a Green Roof Initiative to
  hopefully provide compensation/initiatives of
  some sort
• New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Portland OR,
  Seattle, and Washington, D.C., are looking into
  different types of incentive programs.

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Green Roofs at UVM

• University Heights North Complex

• Davis Center on the 2nd level of the west side

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Sources

• http//www.hrt.msu.edu/faculty/Rowe/Green_roof.htm
  
• http//www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-ess-p2-p2
  week-greenroofresources.doc
• http//www.garlandco.com/green-roof-history.html
• http//www.greenroofs.com/Greenroofs101/industry_s
  upport.htm
• http//www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a
  rticle?AID/20070826/NEWS01/708260306/1009
• http//media.www.vermontcynic.com/media/storage/pa
  per308/news/2006/01/31/News/University.Heights.Com
  pleted-1545711.shtml
• http//www.mngreenroofs.org/types