As Kermit Says ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green’
If you could reduce your heating bills by growing grass on your roof would you? It’s currently not the norm, agreed, and the issue is more of an eco-friendly one than a practical one at the moment but if you were given the option, would you?
Green architecture is a growing trend and homes are being built that take advantage of a wide variety of different techniques that save water, reduce heating bills and save energy. Growing grass on rooftops is one of those techniques.
Simply placing containers on the roof of an office block is currently not accepted as a true green or living roof. Waterproof membrane is required along with an irrigation system, root barrier and drainage layers. It really is a roof covered with proper vegetation.
The benefits of having a green roof are a reduction in heating bills, a reduction in cooling bills, reducing rainwater run off, being able to filter pollutants and carbon dioxide and it creates a natural habitat for birds etc. Another way to create a green roof is to create a pond environment. This can be a good way to treat greywater.
So when we look out from tall office buildings is the sky line going to be dotted with green, lush vegetation? Well more and more this will be the case as more companies decide to reduce bills and their carbon footprint. Are we going to see more house builders using turf instead of tiles? Maybe not.
But more people are deciding to self build and as green techniques to save energy, reduce bills and save water become increasing popular maybe we will see more residential homes with green or living roofs.
For more information on Green Architecture please click here.
