Green roofs are growing in urban and suburban areas and it’s not simply a passing fad. It’s here to stay, and for good reason. Not merely will it really look better than a traditional roof, it offers many environmental, functional, and budgetary benefits. Take the time and find out the many advantages Circular Modular Green Roof offer.
Smart Stormwater Management
Green roofs moderate the flow rate of stormwater, reducing the runoff so less water is directed into storm drains and sewer systems. The plant material used for green roofs absorbs stormwater, releasing it back into mid-air through condensation and filtering the heavy metals in rainwater.
Typically, green roofs intercept between 15 and 90 percent of rooftop runoff, depending on type of growing medium and plant cover.
Better Roof Durability
Think of a green roof as a shield for your roofing material. It makes sense considering that the lifespan of a roof is determined by the materials used to construct it and the ones materials’ ability to withstand UV light, the contraction and expansion that naturally occurs with temperature changes, and damage by wind or storms. By installing a green roof over your roofing system, you’re protecting it from the elements.
Summer and Winter Insulation
During the hotter months, green roofs offer insulation against heat. The reason being green roofs release moisture as part of the natural evaporation and transpiration that occurs with the roof’s plant medium. Visualize it like a big “swamp cooler” pad draped across the roof, easing heat and helping reduce air-con costs. During colder months, green roofs absorb heat from mid-air, keeping the building warmer and assisting to lower heating costs.
Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Developed cities have their own climate and it’s generally warmer than the less developed surrounding areas. This really is called the urban heat island effect. Green roofs help mitigate this result using its inherent evapo-transpiration capacity. In other words, the natural processes which take place in the roof’s plant material give a cooling influence on the ambient outdoor temperatures. In mixture with tree- and plant-filled landscaping, a green roof can greatly lessen urban island effect, making today’s increasingly hotter summers more bearable for many.
Increased Bio-Diversity
With every new building and development, we’re eliminating our natural environment and with it go plant and animal life, as well as the soil matrix, essential to the entire health of the environment. By planting a green roof, you’re enabling beneficial animals and insects to do their jobs, pollinating food crops, controlling pest populations, dispersing seeds, or perhaps making our day more wonderful with their presence. Carefully selected plant material for your green roof can help recreate lost natural environments and support biodiversity.
Effective Sound Insulation
Green roofs are good sound insulators. The growing medium over a green roof reduces lower sound frequencies, while the plants block higher frequencies. Used tandem, these elements help create a more peaceful environment for all who work or are in the building.
Enhanced Urban Aesthetics
Green roofs are beautiful architecturally. It hides less attractive rooftops, antennae and HVAC elements, and give a visual respite from the hard surfaces of urban life. Green roofs also instill the impression of calm that comes with surrounding one’s self with nature.
Good Long-Term Value
It’s true – green roofs require a huge investment in the beginning, but as time passes, it is are more cost efficient than most other roofing alternatives. Green roofs can last up to 50 years and offer up to 50 percent in savings for heating and cooling instead of traditional roofing systems. Property values can be favorably impacted for buildings with green roofs.