Maximize Real Estate Growing Vegetable Patches and Flower Beds
According to Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, green roof square footage rose 80% in the US between 2004 and 2005. For urban or suburban residential gardens, most are implemented on new high-end homes.
Unless tall trees are located close to the home, the plants grow well because they get so much sunlight. They are perhaps the ultimate raised bed garden.
Benefits of Roof Garden Installation
There are a number of reasons and benefits for bringing the ground up to roof level. A few of these are:
- Reduction of solar heat gain, acting as a sort of green, sustainable insulation
- To aid in controlling storm water
- To extend the lifetime of the roof surface
- To replace green spaces in urban settings and extend it in suburban neighborhoods
- To aid in improving air quality through the photosynthesis process of absorbing carbon dioxide and returning oxygen to the environment
- To reduce cooling costs (related to reducing heat gain)
Structural Considerations
The primary consideration is the weight load imposed by the soil, vegetation, and water in the soil. This must be engineered into the home. Not only must the roofing structure be considered, but also the weight-bearing walls and the foundation.
These calculations are usually made by an architect or engineer using construction or architectural software.
The slope of the roof is also a concern. Obviously, a flat roof is optimal, which is why retrofits work best on commercial property. It is generally cost-prohibitive to convert an occupied sloped roof home to a flat roof building. But it’s a great thing to take advantage of when undergoing a home renovation.
But due to the rising popularity of all things green, sustainable, and renewable, many forward-thinking companies have responded by developing the concept of modular systems.
Modular Roof Garden Systems
These systems allow green roofs to be installed on homes that have sloped roofs. The modules are usually metal or molded plastic containers that hold the plants and soil. A drainage system is placed on the roof before the modules are installed.
The drainage system can be incorporated into rain gutters and downspouts. This way the rain water can be recovered to be used elsewhere in a flower or vegetable garden or on the landscaping.
Because they are small enough to work with, the garden modules can be removed for roof maintenance and then replaced.
Environmental-Specific Considerations
This is the easiest part of the process; the joy of selecting plants and vegetation that is appropriate for the locale. Wind is an important part of the decision. Since the green roof is in an elevated position, there are fewer obstacles to slow the wind. This is why electricity-generating residential wind turbines are set so high.
Chicago is a prime example for wind consideration. It’s one of the big players in the green roof game, and it’s called “the windy city” for a good reason.
Look for these gardens to become more popular in the future. And why not? It just makes good sense.
