I had heard about the existence of this creature but now here it was right in front of me! What was it? A living roof!
What is a Living Roof?
In simple terms a living roof is a roof that is covered in vegetation. Although this type of roof has been built for thousands of years it has not, up until now, received wide acceptance. Why? Until recently their use has been limited because of the structural requirements needed to support heavy soils and the technical challenge of water-proofing low slope roofs.
There are now new membrane water-proofing technologies and light-weight thin profile green roofs that have made this system practical and advantageous for most construction.
This is the roof of a dwelling that I can see from my hotel balcony. It features many different plants.
Looking the other way I see this one which seems to feature a type of grass.
What Are The Advantages of Green Roofs?
- They keep the dwellings cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter!
- They can be very attractive by giving a natural look to any building.
- They reduce water run-off by retaining half to three quarters it and they slow down the remaining run-off.
- The water that does run-off is cleaner.
- Since the underlying structure is shielded from the sun and temperature swings it lasts much longer!
- These roofs can serve is a refuge for creatures that struggle to survive in urban areas.
How Are Green Roofs Constructed?
Since a green roof can add from between 20-100 pounds per square foot of extra weight they do require more engineering. What lies on top of this are many different layers of material each of which are designed to perform a specific function.
You can see a cross section of this type of roof here.
What types of Plants Can be Used?
Since the plants may need to survive extreme heat, cold, dryness and deluges not any old plant will do. The type of plants that are suitable will, of course, change depending on location.
Here are some sites that list suitable varieties according to location:
Naturally you would need expert advice for your area before implementing a living roof!
How Much Maintenance do They Require?
There is no such thing as a maintenance free roof. During the first year, while the plants are becoming established watering and some weeding is typically required. After the first year, in order for it to be considered a green roof it shouldn't need any watering.
Of course maintenance requirements will change depending on location and the type of plants used.
What do You Think?
- Do you like the look of these roofs?
- Would you like to see them used more often?
- Have you got one?
- Can you show me one that you've seen.
I hope that you enjoyed this article about living roofs!
Until next time,
@kus-knee (The Old Dog)
Remember, if you upvote my post and leave a comment I will do my best to upvote it with some of my 41,000 plus Steem Power!
I never knew there could be so much information about a roof...and interesting to boot!!!
Thanks!
I have to admit I laughed at the title only because its funny I can't imagine a roof that's alive but I get you!
Though I love plants and greens and life and would love them to thrive I won't have them on our roof but .. if we had a rooftop I would spread chives on them. They grow anywhere and makes the place look so damn beautiful specially when they start flowering .
Sorry got no pics this time :)
Have a fun vaca Old Dog!
you sure are taking notice of the things around you!
It's an amzing idea and it looks really beautiful! Seems like you have a little paradise on top of your house!It's cool because it's not only a beauty but it has also some advantage. The only little problem may be that you wake up in the middle of the night hearing some noise just to discover you have something like a hog on your roof! :D
Anyway I was amazed by some ancient roofs in Valle Bavona, if I do remember right because of the hard ground they had to extend the cultivated area so they had the great idea to make some roofs suitable!
Those are some very cool pics, thanks!
That's very cool @kus-knee! Last time I saw one of those-- or something like it-- was in Norway, as a teenager... sod/grass roofs are still used sometimes, especially for holiday cabins.
Is it living sod? The old folks,knew what they were doing!
Well, it was more just like "natural." This photo is a pretty good representation as I remember them:
Thanks so much for sharing that!
Hi @kus-knee I've published a post about you, check it out if you can, thanks.
30 Best Steemit Bloggers Of The Day To Follow 3rd August 2017
https://steemit.com/steemit/@jzeek/30-best-steemit-bloggers-of-the-day-to-follow-3rd-august-2017
Hey!
So cool to see you post about living roofs!
They have been around for hundreds of years if no longer! I have known about them for over a decade as they DO have MANY benefits.
I love living roofs and wish we saw more of them!
Thanks a lot for having a look @quinneaker. It means a lot to me!
Well I have SOO many posts to check out and most of them are not so interesting as this one!
I really love posts about nature, sustainability and natural living. It is becoming more and more rare these days but really still has a lot of very important and beneficial aspects that can be integrated into a modern lifestyle.
Its a nice post. Will look for more from your adventures! So I am glad to check it out and also to give a shout out to my old friend @kus-knee
Yeah, I do like the look of greens everywhere. In fact, I wanted to turn my house's roof green some years back. But if we consider the economical benefits, living roof doesn't fare well here.
We don't get any snow therefore we don't have any slanting roofs like that. So there isn't much a question of aesthetics as they ain't visible from below. And I don't want them to be just green for the aesthetic reasons alone. There is a scarcity of cultivable land in most cities. So these type of innovation should also yield something edible. We don't get any farm-fresh clean, chemical & pesticide-free vegetables any more. So if such roofs & our lawns are used for producing something for our hungry stomachs, it would make more of a sense to me.
But when I calculated the cost of greening the roof, maintenance etc., it didn't seem any economical for the other reasons you mentioned. e.g. for keeping the dwellings cooler, green roof are successful to reflect the heat by only 50 - 70% whereas white roofs (by painting them with a good reflective white paint) can reflect about 90% of heat back to atmosphere and helps in reducing our air-conditioning bills. Along with that, we also get the space to use it for other activities like sun-drying, playing, organizing a get-together etc. And it's almost maintenance free ...doesn't require a re-coat for at least three years. And for the benefit of getting a cleaner run-off water, I'd like to add that rain-water harvesting is a must in our city's building bye-laws and a multi-level natural filtering system is in place in all such buildings.
Considering all these, we chose to paint our roof white last year. And I didn't had to use any air-conditioning or desert-cooler through out the summer (when the mercury touches 50 degree Celsius) and yet it was quite comfortable.
But still I believe that green, living roof sounds more natural. Only thing I want them to do is grow something edible on them.
I'd say that your steemcation posts are getting more interesting day by day. Not only they are delivering beautiful and unique pictures with a story but they are also doing some environmental activism for a more sustainable world. From e-biking to living roofs, unlike others your posts aren't just about some fancy restaurants and their delicacies. But they do serve some higher purpose too.
I have done quite a bit of research into vertical gardening using pet bottles and I seem to remember that their use was blossoming on balconies in India. I did install a system on my balcony a few years back to mixed reviews. We get a lot of our veggies from our family garden but I love investigating into new solutions.
Wanted to do a post on it but didn't get a chance dear brother. Also didn't get a chance to get to the roof as it needed permission. Now you got very similar topic I would like to share the pictures of trees on high rise buildings in my city;
Very nice thanks!
LoL...I had never seen this! Very cool! (;
Thanks a lot for having a look!
Are you serious? I saw something similar to this on a very old roofs of the abandoned houses. They were covered by moss and small trees. Now you want say that some people do it specially with their own hands?🙃
It's different to have something like this accidentally (or from lack of care) and designing it to be like this :)
Yes the accident is now planned.
I'd love a living roof as long as I don't need to mow it.
You are very wise!
I love green roofs. I've remember one in the Black Forrest that I watched being started. Sadly, that one did not thrive -- it is not as easy as it might seem. But it is definitely a great ecological way to add insulation against heat and cold.
Imagine how different big cities would be if there were more green roofs and roof gardens!
source
Aesthetics are only one of the main beneficial outcomes of the practice: plants capture carbon from the environment for use in growing their own physical structure, even a blade of grass sequesters carbon, albeit minuscule amounts, but a whole field... that has impact. For those who argue there's no benefit, ask a Montanna rancher about their cap-&-trade offset payments. Add some dwarf trees or shrubs for additional benefit.
Plus there's positive psychological influence too.
Hopefully some day we may see something akin to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, preferably soon.
There are engineering & other considerations to resolve, but the first obstacle to overcome is a cultural one.
Also green roofs in big cities would be a very welcome relief in summer because they reduce temperature, not only in the buildings themselves, but also in the city in general.
That's correct, concrete absorbs and radiates a lot of heat and also releases CO2, green roofs would help to reduce both.
Thanks so much for your input! You bring up some interesting points.
Those are some very inspiring photos. Thanks,
Nice idea but pretty hard to weed!
Wow... I have my balcony garden, with some nice vegetables... but this is so different!
Not for me, I am completely unable to climb onto roofs :-(
You are doing very well with your balcony!
Omg haha this is so great :) I think this is not really posible in countryes with cold winther ? Or it is ? Here ofte is - 38, 42
It works in Canada so.....
Will consider chek this better in this case :)
I honestly think it’s kind of ugly in its current setting. Where I live we don’t get snow for the winter months but it still gets cold enough for the grass to get yellow/brown and dead looking. Perhaps in a more wooded area where once the house is not so close to the neighbors, you could reach out a window and touch them that log cabin and roof would look perfect.
I also have concerns about erosion and the plants/grass dying up there if the weather conditions change from normal. Like having a drought for a year, or a region that never sees snow gets snow for a few days. Not to mention soil nutrition over the long run to keep what is growing in it alive. It kind of looks like it be a pain to deal with in the long run. If anything happens you would be a rather large eyesore.
You raise some good points. In my limited research I had the impression that with new materials and technology together with the correct plant choice, maintenance is minimized.
can it make some damage? Can other seeds grow if wind blows them up?
I'm no expert but it is an industry in itself and becoming more popular!
Roofs like that look amazing, however I'm usually worried will the roof suffer from the plants growing on it?
I know it should depend on the materials used, but do you have any good information on how it affects the lifetime of the roof? Even though that looks really nice I wouldn't do it myself if I had to replace my roof much faster than with a regular roof.
Still, that looks amazing and I'd love to have a roof like that!
From what I read the roof will last longer! It's not exposed to the sun and doesn't feel the effects of the pounding rain. 50-60 years!
Protection from sun and rain is true, however I'd be worried about the potential acidity and wetness which comes from vegetation. However that's why it'd be important to pick right kinds of materials on the roof to get that working.
I would love to find some older roofs with planned vegetation on them to know how well they have been doing.
There is much to delve into that's for sure.
I see many advantages. Actually more perks than minuses. We have a couple where I live. What about pests and rodents destroying your roof or home? Bugs? Any weeding or lawn mowing involved? Thanks for sharing. - Troy
I also have more questions than anwers but the research that I did came back very positive.
Planned well this would be great.
I'm fascinated with the underground homes a few hours North of me, in Coober Pedy. Also the idea of living dug into a cliff edge.
Need a new room? Just dig one.
Yes, have you seen the earth shop homes?
There's one not far from me.
During the 2nd WW im pretty sure they did this to some of our aircraft hangers to help disguise them against enemy bombers. I really like the idea (not for camouflage purposes but for eco ;) )
Yes true. I've seen similar hangers in Switzerland!
Wonder if I need to mow the lawn on the roof too? Sounds like more work but very interesting idea.
It's designed to be very little maintenance after the first year.
That's a great idea! Living roof :O Sure I will try this with my roof :D@kus-knee,
Answering Now:
Do you like the look of these roofs? - Yes of course.
Would you like to see them used more often? - Yes of course.
Have you got one? - No.
Can you show me one that you've seen. - No this is the 1st time I have seen such kind of thing!
Thank you very much for sharing this amazing & very useful thing to us!
Cheers~
Thanks for taking the time to share your answers!
Imagine if the green roof was further covered a few feet up with a semi-transparent layer of solar cells! The roof would get enough light to stay green and you could also go off grid and live off free electricity. Might work in some areas!
If there'd be a layer of solar cells, it might have an effect on how much water the roof is getting to keep plants alive.
Thanks, good point! Maybe put spacing between each panel.
Actually, that could work really well. Didn't even think of that.
Hmmm now your thinking!
I've seen some marvelous examples of these, some of which like dome and underground houses really redefine the term 'built environment'. Still, I can't help wondering about the long term impacts from water, roots, organic life forms, etc.
Still I think they're a great concept, if implemented & maintained well. Imagine walking out of an upstairs bedroom onto your own private lawn?
Very cool! Thanks for the pic!
There is some really excited work going on with green roof technology. A couple months ago I had the opportunity to meet with some people from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities out of Toronto. We talked about working toward the goal of having the roof become part of the building's water cycle.
Gray water from sinks and showers can be cleaned with gray water gardens. So imagine a building that has a closed loop water system with a green roof. This would reduce the load on sewage systems and treatment plant and reduce the amount of energy spent on cleaning the water.
Keep your eye out for more green roofs because they are coming.
That sounds exciting. Toronto is my home town.
I think this is future. With the rate of deforestation increasing this can be best way for cultivation. Even there was news China working on such project.
That looks very impressive!
Ah ... they are beautiful. Their ability to integrate with the context is truly unique. I like a lot in areas of high naturalness but, I must say, in urban areas I prefer the classic roof. From Sardinia we do not have a significant use. It will also be for climatic conditions.
Grazie per il tuo commento!
Wow, how they make these roof so beautiful.
I wish i can do this to my roof.
and yes, its so natural man.
thanks @kus-knee for sharing this to us.
It is interesting to see.
yeah it is.
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Keep it up post...thank you so much sharing your valuble knowledge with us...
Cheers!...Nice post with useful article from @kus-knee My dear friend @kus-knee
Thanks for stopping by.
Holy cow! That is indeed a roof come to life. Just wonderin' when they will put cows on there to trim the lawn. Cheers :)
Yes sheep and cows. Good idea!
I bet that Robotic lawn mowers are a No.1 Christmas gift for the owners! :D
Good find haven't seen one of these before.
Haha good one. I think that they are designed with slow growing, low lying plants in mind.
How will I get my lawnmower up there? LOL
Nice post, you could grow nice vegetables up there.
No veggies with that slope but my sister's condo has a veggie garden on the rooftop.
Urban area should all look like his :
Keep the earth green and clean !
That looks about right!
I have seen several of these here in Norway, they look great!
This is really amazing! Plants and grass can grow on the top of the roof. Some of my friends also grow their vegetables on their house but on the roof ! Thanks for your great post :D
Your friends are very wise!
Thx for this share.. didn't know they existed.. I will take a notice from now... Can't say I like it but that's just my personal taste..
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts.
Thx with pleasure. Are you going to steemfest in lisbon? I would love to meet if i Can make it.. you are Also one of the steemians who support me And others.
The roofs look so nice like this that I just saved on photo to keep it as an example for when I will be able to build my own vacation house. Thanks for sharing that with us. You have really interesting topics on your articles..
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting,
I want to wish so much,
What can not be counted,
Happiness of the biggest,
What in the world is.
Let you do not leave
Joy never,
Let the love accompanies
All your years!
Quite the poet!
Thank you very much))) have a good day))
A very good idea with green roofs. But I would use them with profit. Cultivated, for example cucumbers and they would hanging vividly with lianas from the roof. I wanted to eat a cucumber - hold out your hand and pick!
Very progressive thinking!
Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of one, but there are a few homes on the banks of Lago Llanquehue in Patagonia that have this type of roof. I think it looks great, I just always wonder how much maintenance is involved should the roof develop a leak.
Hopefully a good combination of science and technology would keep leaks to a minimum.
I just tried to imagine myself mowing that roof while trying not to fall off :-)
Yes indeed. Get out your mountain gear.
There’s an idea!
Do you like my story about love?I heard about the roofs of straw, but never heard of such live rooftops! This is unique! That is the common sense! There are houses in my city, on the roofs of which there are parks! Thank you @kus-knee for sharing!
https://steemit.com/lovefriday/@olga.maslievich/love-story-of-two-cats-living-in-our-yard-yin-and-yang-or-eternal-mutual-attraction-of-opposites-lovefriday
Thanks for the kitty!
Your post was mentioned in the hit parade in the following category:Congratulations @kus-knee!
Thanks a lot!
Nice post. Thanks for sharing.
Resteem.
Thanks.
YIKES not for me. Roofs and I don't mix!
Height wise, bad leaking experience wise or otherwise?
Oh basically a fear of falling off wise LOL!
What a wonderful scenery on the roof. Great!
Thanks!
I have a terrace garden i also grow some vegetables but this is really great nice idea i would like to give it a try.
Let us know if you do it!
Definitely i will :)
It will be more productive if we can grow vegetables
True, in some cases with less slope to the roof,
incredible how to maintain a roof like this.looks refreshing
wow a great concept. it will definitely helps to reduce the inside temperature . thank you for sharing such a lovely post.
have a nice day!
Thanks a lot!