For a green roof, both smaller and larger roofs are suitable; the roof of a residential house, but also the roofs from, come for this Carports, Garages and other smaller buildings in question. Green roofs are also being created more and more frequently in commercial properties.
This is how you can green your roof
The most suitable for a green roof are flat roofs or roofs with a slope of a maximum of 15 degrees, because they do not require any major measures to prevent the earth and plants from sliding down impede. However, greening is also possible on steeper roofs, but then special protection is required.
Several plastic sheets are placed on the roof to prevent water and the roots of the plants from penetrating the roof. A substrate is then distributed on the top film, which serves as a water and nutrient store for the plants and at the same time ensures that excess water can drain off. The substrate consists of topsoil mixed with lava, pumice, expanded clay or similar materials. Then you can plant or sow.
The types of green roofs
There are three different types of green roofs. In the Extensive greening only low mosses, herbs or grasses are planted on the roof. It is very easy to care for, because the plants only have to be watered at the beginning, and later they take care of themselves. The simple intensive green roof is a bit more complex. In addition to grasses and herbs, the roof is also designed with smaller trees, which have to be supplied with water and cared for from time to time.
the Intensive greening is a real roof garden on which race sown and even planted trees and bushes so that the roof can be used like a conventional garden. Depending on the plants selected, the costs for a green roof vary considerably and the weight on the roof also varies depending on the vegetation. Extensive greening of a larger area is available from around 25 euros per square meter Intensive greening is about twice as expensive, whereby the costs depend mainly on the prices for the Straighten plants.
State funding for a green roof
For environmental reasons they are used in many places Green roofs already financially supported. However, the regulations are different in the municipalities, so only the demand at your own place of residence helps here. The precipitation fees, which already have to be paid in many cities, are also reduced in many cases when a green roof is built. In addition, the longer service life of the roof is also included in the financial considerations should be included, because an early renovation or renewal of the roof costs a lot more than one Green roof. Above all, a green roof is an eye-catcher that can be used as a garden and thus represents an additional living space for people, plants and animals. And don't forget the contribution to climate protection.
Design tips
When you build houses, nature is always lost. With a green roof it is possible to regain a piece of nature. Therefore, it is important to have design tips for the Green roof to find and to heed. Skillfully implemented, offers a Green roof (see also intense and extensive green roofs) a lot of advantages. The ecological advantages include above all air cooling and oxygen production, regulation of air humidity, dust binding and Rainwater storage.
When designing green roofs, it is important to ensure that this is also accompanied by a load on the roof, which must already be taken into account when building the house. So it is especially important to take this into account in the statics. If you want to convert your roof into a green roof at a later date, you should be aware of the costs in advance. These can then shoot up to astronomical heights, which is why such a project can hardly be economical.
Depending on the altitude, the Greening the roof done with trees and bushes. This can then look similar to what we know from gardens and parks. However, it is also possible to create paths on a roof. These should then be covered with wooden grids, panels or band Aid be designed. In addition, you can arrange seating furniture on a green roof so that it can also be used as a terrace or lounge. With these seating areas in particular, however, it is important to consider that safety measures must also be taken. So it is necessary to attach fall protection and also take into account that these garden furniture be protected from the sometimes strong winds. If this furniture falls off the roof, it can lead to serious accidents. Larger plants also have to be anchored in the substrate so that they gain enormous stability.
If you prefer a sensitive planting, you should consider that an additional irrigation system will then be necessary. Self Lawnsthat otherwise seem quite easy to care for, belong to the intensive greening, as they place special demands on the irrigation.
Those who prefer extensive greening should choose plants that can cope with changing temperatures and can also live with the fact that their substrate sometimes almost completely dries out. In addition, these plants should have a high regenerative capacity. The costs for such a greening are relatively manageable.
Green roofs can also be used to create habitats for insects and other animals. These can develop undisturbed, as the flora on the roofs can grow almost unhindered all year round. Green roofs can be planted in different ways. On the one hand, it is possible to apply flat balls, plant small plants or even sow seeds and seeds. It is also possible to apply vegetation mats. In this way the plants develop quite quickly. When creating a green roof, however, it is important to ensure that you do not have too many of these plants Provides nutrients, as otherwise they would have too shallow roots and thus would not develop a proper hold can. It is often the case that the crowns of the plants then develop too much. This in turn makes them very top-heavy and therefore prone to storm damage. So if the wind blows a little stronger, the crown could break very quickly. This not only severely damages the plant, there is also the risk that these crowns will damage other plants or those below Balconies or roads fall.