Green Rooftop

Reinforcing our Commitment at becoming a Green and Smart city

With this initiative, our goal is to promote great opportunities for those in need. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential. Learn more about our work by getting in touch with our team today.

Get a Green Roof

What is a Green Roof?

Our Roots

A green rooftop is a system that has an extension to the existing roof which involves at least high quality of water proofing, root repellent system, drainage system, filter cloth, light weight growing medium and plants. The Environmental Protection Agency has defined green roof as “vegetative layer grow on a rooftop".

Having a green roof means that the system may be modulus with regards to;

the drainage layers,
filter cloth,
growing media &
plants

These factors are thus already prepared in movable, often interlocking grids or loose laid/built up whereby each component of the system are installed separately.

To have a green roof development consists of the creation of contained green space on the top of a human made structure. This green space could be below, at, or above grade, but in all cases it exists separate from the ground. Green roofs can provide a wide range of public and private benefits and have been successfully installed in countries around the world.

This concept has been well developed in Europe especially in the Netherlands and these technologies have been very well established through out the continent. This outcome has become positive due to the government legislation and financial support. Green roofs technologies not only provide the building owners with a proven return on investment but also represent opportunities for significant social, economic, and environmental benefits especially in cities

Green Roof details

Green Roof Installation

Green Roof details

How does it work?

Usually in the Netherlands having a green roof and living walls are booming business. . Many respected architects, project-developers and housing associations integrated the concept of green roofs in their designs as common practice. The Dutch are well-known for their outstanding architecture and have countless green buildings. Urbanization of the Netherlands is a factor to be considered in many ways, creating opportunities for innovative products. As such the Dutch government is actively helping innovation and supporting the industry.

Benefits

Energy efficiency

reduce the amount of energy needed to moderate the temperature of a building as roofs are the site of the greatest heat loss in the winter and the hottest temperatures in the summer.
research published by the National Research Council of Canada found that an extensive green roof reduced the daily energy demand for air conditioning in the summer by over 75%

Increased Biodiversity

Sustain variety of plants and invertebrates and provide habitat for various bird species
Maintain high levels of productivity during periods of environmental variation than those with fewer species (ecosystem)
Stabilized ecosystem ensure the delivery of ecological goods (e.g. food, construction materials, medicinal plants) and services (e.g. maintain hydrological cycles, cleanse water and air, store and cycle nutrients)- Economic
Visual and environmental diversity can have positive impacts on community and psychological well-being (social)

Improve Health & Well-being

Decrease demands for health care as there is a reduction in pollution and increase water quality
Service as community hubs, increase social cohesion, sense of community and public safety.

Urban agriculture

Can reduce a community’s footprint through the creation of a local food system
Service as a source of community empowerment, give increased feelings of self-reliance and improve levels of nutrition

In Short

Protects the roof construction and thereby extends the lifespan of your roof.
A bitumen roof can heat up to 80ºC during hot summers and cool down to -20ºC during winters. This is a difference of up to 100ºC. With a green roof, the difference is no more than 35ºC, which results in less shrinkage and expansion.
The roof is kept free of UV-radiation and there is less vapor effect. Calculations show that a green roof already pays for itself after 4 or 5 years through a reduction in energy costs.
Rainwater is drained gradually, which prevents overload of the sewer system.
It gives your (corporate) building or home a sustainable image.
Easy application and maintenance.
Sound absorbing.
Suitable for roofs with a slope of 0 to 45º

Characteristics

Products

Green roofs usually works along with the Neighbourhood Development concept known as LEED and is thus link to;

Reducing Site Disturbance, Protect or Restore Open Space
Landscape Design That Reduces Urban Heat Islands, Roof
Storm Water Management
Water Efficient Landscaping
Innovative Wastewater Technologies
Innovation in Design

Price

The cost of rooftops depends on the type and factors such as the depth of growing medium, selected plants, size of installation, use of irrigation and whether they are to be accessible or inaccessible- intensive, semi-intensive, or extensive. Intensive green roofs typically require greater investment but confer the benefits of accessibility. An installed extensive green roof with root repellent/waterproof membranes may be installed for $10-$24 USD per square foot. However, as Gementee Rotterdam mentioned the construction of green roofs is encouraged with a subsidy scheme, which comes to 15 euros per square meter of green roof.

While green roofs typically require a greater initial investment, it is important to keep in mind that they can extend the life of the roof membrane and reduce the heating and cooling costs of your building. Speak to a qualified Green Roof Professional about the range of costs and benefits for different green roof systems and designs.

Installation

Green roofs can be installed on roofs with slopes ranging from 1 to 35 degrees. At more than 35 degrees extra provisions are required to prevent sliding. Steeper roofs dry out faster due to the faster runoff of rainwater. If the additional provisions to counter sliding tear through the waterproofing roof membrane this will increase the risk of leaks. For rainwater retention, a slope of up to 7 degrees is most efficient.

In order to make green roofs walkable or to create a standing spot, a paved surface must be installed.

Roof Adjustment

In the Netherlands, flat roofs are generally calculated to be able to carry a load of 1 kN/m2 for the gravel layer. In existing situations the gravel layer can almost always be replaced by an extensive green roof without extra reinforcement measures. A saturated green roof with a thickness of around 7 cm will remain under the permitted carrying capacity. It is necessary to review case by case whether extra reinforcement construction is required when installing thicker green roofs or for intensive green roofs in existing and in new housing developments.