Minimum Soil Over Green Roof

A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium planted over a waterproofing membrane it may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.

Minimum soil over green roof.

Green roof growing media is an integral part of a functioning. There will be a consistent layer of soil on the roof over the liner or root barrier and once the plants are in place the mulch can be carefully put around the plants. Systems with drainage mats. Over a 100m2 green roof with 10cm depth of growing medium the weight saved by using substrate instead of soil is considerable.

When designing a green roof there are several factors to take into consideration. Compared with green roofs systems using drainage plates or granular drainage this system is the fastest to install and creates the thinnest and lightest green roof assembly. A good rule of thumb is to grow a wide range of plants to offer food and shelter to as many insects as possible over a long period. Whether your planting bed is in the lawn green roof or a planter proper drainage is crucial.

It is the task of the designer to make adjustments in the green roof system accordingly e g. Container gardens on roofs where plants are maintained in pots are not generally considered to be true green roofs although. This is because they provide ecological benefits aesthetic value and creative urban architecture. While certain plants can survive inundation in a natural setting standing water or improper drainage will quickly de oxygenate and compact the soil in contained situations and kill your oh so carefully selected plants.

This of course can be reflected in the cost of building materials. Drainage thickness of growing media plant varieties etc. Some green roof builders have concerns that the lava rock could potentially puncture the liner but if applied correctly this shouldn t be a problem. Building a green roof is an ongoing experiment.

Soil structure for green roof media. Every roof is different and there are no templates to follow. Green roofs or living roofs have become popular over the years. Over conventional roofing assembly liveroof lite module liveroof engineered soil liveroof green roof plants minimum 95 soil coverage at installation minimum 40 mil polypropylene or epdm slip sheet edges overlapped seamed epdm tpo or pvc waterproofing membrane bonding adhesive insulation insulation adhesive moisture portals top view.

Green roof resourcesmost information on green roofs is aimed at big buildings but a few solid residential resources exist. First grab small green roofs.