Green roofs—also known as eco-roofs or living roofs—are gaining popularity worldwide as an effective and aesthetic means of increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
While these innovative greenspaces are undoubtedly cool to look at, incorporating vegetation into one’s building structure serves a wide range of functional purposes, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating wildlife habitat, and growing produce for urban gardens.
There are also physiological benefits—according to Living Roofs, “access to green space can bring about direct improvements in a person’s heart rate and blood pressure, and can aid in general well-being.” In other words, if you’re contributing to the green roof movement in any capacity, you’re basically improving lives. Kudos! And if you’re not, well, here’s some info on how you can get started.
Extensive vs. Intensive Green Roofs: Which One Is Right for You?
Green roofs are characterized by depth of medium and required maintenance, which means the type of space you decide to build will depend largely on the space and amount of upkeep you’re able to perform.
If you’re looking for a smaller, lower-maintenance space, an extensive green roof is probably your best option. Extensive green roofs are designed to be self-sustaining, without the need for a permanent irrigation system. The vegetation medium for an extensive green roof is typically six inches or less, which makes it ideal for species like sedum, delosperma, euphoria, and sempervivum.
Intensive green roofs contain a wide variety of vegetation, requiring professional maintenance and advanced irrigation systems. The vegetation medium for an intensive green roof design is usually six inches or more, which lends itself well to urban gardens and park-like landscapes that support larger-scale vegetation, such as trees, shrubs, and grasses.
Basic Green Roof Construction Design
While green roof design varies by space, landscape, and design preference, all green roofs share eight basic elements:
- Structural Roof Support
- Vapor Control
- Thermal Insulation
- Roofing Membrane
- Drainage Layer
- Filter Fabric
- Growing Medium
- Vegetation
Here, we will focus on the right products to use for two of the most critical elements of a green roof—the drainage layer and filter fabric. Because the drainage layer is what allows water to flow from the roof, having the right fabric is key to protecting your structure during heavy rains and storms. And for waterproofing, we’ll also examine the importance of installing a root barrier—especially when it comes to intensive green roof design.
For Adequate Green Roof Drainage, Choose Enkadrains & Enkamats
Enkadrain® is a three-dimensional drainage board consisting of geotextile fabric that reduces hydrostatic pressure in soil by allowing water to navigate to the polymeric core. It’s designed to preserve the surrounding soil and keep the structure dry by guiding the water to another discharge system. Enkadrains can be a lightweight alternative to traditional sand and gravel drains.
There are many different options within the Enkadrain product line, we’ve put together a simple guide to help you determine which product is best for your sloped green roof. Follow this link to view the Enka Solutions resource page.
Root Barriers for Green Roofs
Installing a root barrier will help protect your green roof waterproofing membrane from damage—especially if your green roof system is intensive. Root barriers are available in multiple thicknesses to accommodate the different needs of your garden. Below are some helpful tips on installing a root barrier.
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Bring Your Green Infrastructure to Life with Americover
Green roofs and green infrastructures can be life savers in terms of energy efficiency, air quality and even state of mind, but they can quickly become the exact opposite if installed incorrectly or if the contractor doesn’t use high-quality materials.
Americover has been trusted by contractors for over 25 years and counting. Our team of geomembrane and geotextile experts can help you find the best green roof solutions for your project and have the materials delivered straight to the job site. Contact us today at 760-388-6294 or follow this link to complete our contact form.
For Contractors and Distributors
We offer special pricing, volume discounts, short lead times, and a dedicated account manager who will work with you to get exactly what you need. If you would like to speak with a representative, contact us at 760-388-6294 or follow this link to start a live chat with our team.