A bit of vegetation between so much cement. A little respite in the city. An ecological way to build. The ceilings green they are all that and much more.
It is a technology that is becoming more popular every day due to its incredible benefits for the home, the community and the environment. The best thing is that it is possible to replicate it in your home if you know how.
Here we tell you everything you need to know about the subject.
You will love discovering all the possibilities that green roofs offer!
What are green roofs?
So far everything sounds great, but the truth is that you may not have fully understood what we mean when we say “green roof”.
Specifically, it is an artificial system that offers a natural green space, created by adding plants to a growing medium made up of layers that perform different functions, such as irrigation, drainage and root barrier.
This system is installed on the roofs of buildings, which are partially or totally covered with vegetation, either on soil or in an appropriate culture medium, using technologies that improve the habitat or save energy consumption, that is, they comply with an ecological function.
Don’t get confused: Not all roofs that appear green meet the requirements to be true green roofs. It’s not about the color, or even if they have vegetation or not. It is a whole system finely designed for ecological use.
In fact, in some cases the term green roof is also used to designate the use of other “green” technologies, such as photovoltaic solar panels or photovoltaic modules. Other names for green roofs are living roofs and green roofs.
Benefits of green roofs
The best thing about green roofs is that their benefits span three levels: individual, communal, and environmental. In other words, everyone is favored by the application of this type of technology in the home.
These are the main benefits of living ceilings:
for the inhabitant
– The existence of a green roof decreases the exposure of waterproofing membranes to large temperature fluctuations, which can cause micro-cracks, and protects them from ultraviolet radiation.
– Reduce air conditioning and heating costs: as we said, due to the greater insulation they improve the air conditioning of the building
– serve as stormwater management tool: the water is stored in the substrate, in the drainage and the retainer of water, and is then taken up by plants from where it is returned to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation.
– Transform dead spaces into a yard enjoyable.
– Can be used for grow fruits and vegetables.
For the community
– Reduces the “heat island” effect: Through dew and daily evaporation, plants on vertical and horizontal surfaces are able to cool cities during the hot summer months. The light absorbed by the vegetation is converted into thermal energy.
– They reduce pollution and improve air quality: plants on green roofs can capture air pollutants and atmospheric precipitation.
– They reduce noise: they have excellent noise attenuation, especially for low-frequency sounds. An extensive green roof can reduce outside noise by 40 decibelswhile an intensive, can reduce it 46-50 decibels.
– They prevent sewer overflow: They retain up to 65% of rainwater, a flow that is discharged within the following 5/6 hours, avoiding overflows in the sewers. In this way, they reduce the risk of flooding.
– Improve aesthetics and provide a green space.
For the enviroment
– Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: help reduce the distribution of dust and particles throughout the city, as well as the production of smog. In addition, they filter pollutants and CO2 from the air.
– They provide a wildlife habitat: They can support a wide variety of plants and invertebrates. They provide a habitat for various species of birds. They can act as a springboard habitat for species migration.
– They allow the use of recycled materials: modern green roofs use a high proportion of materials recyclablehelping to reduce the overexploitation of natural resources and air and water pollution.
How to make a green roof in 6 steps
Although it is more used in buildings, the green roof can also be applied in houses with relative ease. Of course, the ideal is to have it carried out by a specialist. But if you are going to do it yourself, the most important thing is that you keep two things in mind.
On the one hand, the angle with which a green roof can be installed. It is not recommended to do it on a slope greater than 10° without the help of an expert.
On the other hand, it is important to take into account the weight. Simple green roofs weigh between 60 and 150 kilograms per square meter. • So if you’re not sure your roof can hold that weight, see a specialist.
Knowing that, you can know how to make a green roof by yourself:
- Step 1 – Consideration of Green Roof Layers
Home green roofs need three layers:
1. waterproof membrane
2. The substrate
3. Vegetation
- Step 2: Waterproof Membrane
Most roofs usually have a waterproofing or waterproofing membrane. Green roofs require an additional layer of waterproof material that is also resistant to plant roots.
Ideally, this should be in a single sheet that covers the entire surface. Heavy-duty 1-millimeter-thick pond covers, which you can find at garden stores, are ideal. They are fixed to the ceiling with conventional sealant.
Advice: mark the drains and outlets so you can open them before placing the next layers of your green roof.
Excess water must be able to run off the roof. Drain outlets must be opened from the green roof container frame to allow water to drain into the roof gutters.
Drainage is very important: the roof must not be saturated so that the drainage outlets are free. use layers of pebbles to avoid blockages. You can also place them on the edges of the green roof to prevent vegetation from spreading.
The depth of the substrate determines the vegetation that will grow on it. Most green roofs are 3 to 8 inches deep. The substrate needs to be light and low in nutrients.
Avoid using regular garden soil, as it is heavy when wet and has a very high organic matter content that promotes the growth of undesirable vegetation.
If you decide to make your own substrate, a good combination is to use 70-80% inorganic material, such as tezontle or ground brick, and 20-30% organic material, such as compost.
The most exciting part of making a green roof is the planting. You can design it to attract certain types of plant and animal species or to reflect local biodiversity.
Many landscape suppliers offer living roof seed mixes specially formulated to withstand weather and elevation conditions.
The maintenance required by an ecological roof is minimal. You should only check the above points once or twice a year to make sure it survives.
What are the best plant species for a green roof?
Beyond the fact that there are many plants that can be used, there are some more convenient than others. According to the manual prepared by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology of Argentina (INTA), these are some of the most convenient plant species to plant on a green roof.
The gomphrena Celesioids It is a species native to the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, JujuyMissions, Tucuman, Santa Fe and Salta. It is an excellent colonizer. That means that it produces many seeds and, therefore, in favorable conditions, it reseeds itself. It requires little irrigation (although it does not tolerate extreme drought), and it is a species of low mortality, that is, it does not frequently die or wither.
This plant grows in Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Jujuy, mendoza and jump. It reproduces by means of stolons, quickly managing to cover shady areas with medium humidity. In the face of drought, the stolons are left without leaves, but they resprout when conditions are favourable. It is a kind of beautiful flower, which can grow at ground level (or in this case, the ceiling) and low mortality.
- 3. Senecio ceratophylloides
This plant with thick leaves and a sharp appearance grows in the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, La Pampa, Río Negro and San Luis. It has a good growth rate at low temperatures, which is why it is one of the recommended species to use when the roof is installed in autumn-winter. It does not require much water, although it does not tolerate extreme drought.
The portulaca grandiflora It is the species indicated for those who want a roof that is not only green, but flowery. It grows in many Argentine provinces, especially in the north. It is suitable for very hot regions, since its growth rate is high with high temperatures and it behaves well in the face of drought. In winter, however, when temperatures are low, it has a higher mortality rate and disappears from green roofs.
The Portulaca gilliesii It is an excellent colonizer by producing suckers, which means that it can spread successfully to cover a roof. It is one of the species with the highest growth rate in the spring and summer period.
During the months of low temperatures, there is no growth, but the surfaces colonized by these species are covered with a reddish matte. It is one of the recommended species to use when the implementation of the roof is in summer. It withstands extreme heat and drought very well, but not extremely cold weather.
The sedum mexicanum It is native to Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. It grows in bushes, it presents low colonization, but it proliferates a lot in summer and with high temperatures. In winter it maintains the green mass but does not grow. It supports extreme drought and has low mortality.
sedum It is a family of plants with many varieties. sedum Acre, sedum Album, sedum kamtschaticum Y sedum rupestre are species that have similar characteristics such as low mortality and resistance to drought, and each of them is original from a different corner of the world: from Europe, from Africa, from the different regions of Asia.
As we can see, the Green Roofs become an interesting proposal in favor of the city and its inhabitants. And without a doubt, it is an attractive offer in any construction, as well as an outstanding argument when it comes to marketing a entrepreneurship.