What is a green roof? benefits of living roofs and how to create one

There are so many ways to achieve the perfect home while also being environmentally conscious; solar panels and water gardens just to name a few. You can even take this a step further and design your house to be a home to not just you and your family, but to the environment around it.

A green roof is a perfect solution for this. By dedicating your roof to nourishing plants and greenery, you’re maximizing the space you have to benefit your life and surroundings. You might be thinking, so like a hobbit house? While a hobbit house is the extreme of this idea, it’s a good place to start in figuring out what you might want your green roof to look like.

What is a green roof?

A green roof can be anything you want it to be, big or small, as long as its goal is to help create an energy-efficient home. Simply put, it’s a roof that is set up to grow greenery like plants and flowers, or other garden dwellers like fruits and vegetables.

The idea provides numerous benefits in multiple areas. Your home, surrounding environment and Earth will thrive by making the simple choice to have an eco-conscious roof and if you’re looking for ways to lead a sustainable lifestyle, this is a great way to take a leap into creating that perfect environment.

Types of green roofs

It’s not as simple as throwing some potted plants onto your roof, although that could be a good start for those limited by space, time and money. Here are some variants when it comes to green roofs; these factors might help you decide the best fit for your roof and situation:

• Extensive: Extensive green roofs have a shallower dirt line of 6 inches or less, making your plant options slightly limited to things like ground cover, grasses or succulents. Extensive roofs are great if you’re looking to cover a larger area and don’t have much weight to them, which saves you money and effort into reinforcing your roof.
• Intensive: Intensive roofs will often have areas with deeper soil to allow the growth of other bigger plants. These can resemble a rooftop garden, where there are more plants grouped together. Aesthetically, these kinds of green roofs are beautiful as they can hold a wider variety of plants, but keep in mind that more soil and plants will cause the roof to be heavy and this might mean taking the time to make sure your roof won’t collapse.
• Semi-intensive (hybrid): This is an increasingly common option as it’s nice to have a mixture of both an intensive and extensive green roof. This just means having a mixture of intensive and extensive roof areas, with your deeper soil there to grow larger plants, while the rest of the roof is ground cover.

Benefits of green roofs

After assessing how much energy you want to put into your green roof, it’s good to know what kind of benefits will come from your eco-friendly ideas.

Extends roof’s life span

Your roof is your home’s first line of defense in protecting you from the elements, so of course it’s built to be nice and sturdy. But even the strongest roofs have to break down over time. Things like temperature changes in roofing causing it to expand and shrink, damaging roofing and shingles, or rain that can cause leaks or water damage can affect the lifespan of your roof. With a green roof, the vegetation is going to act as a barrier, with leaves and grass being a second and very effective line of defense in making your roof last longer.

Reduces energy use

Just like how vegetation protects from natural elements, it also protects your home from extreme temperatures. On a hot sunny day, your roof is going to absorb most of that heat and keep your home cooler which is a great energy-saver to reduce your bills.

Improves air quality

Green roofs clear dust, soot and other pollutants from the air as many plants consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Installing a green roof is going to bring that action right to you and improve the air quality around your home significantly.

How to build a green roof

1. Prep the roof

You’re going to be laying down at least a couple inches of soil, so it’s extremely important to make sure your roof is water, air and dirt proof. Take into account the tilt of your roof, climate and any other factors like how you want to divert water away from your home. The plants can catch and absorb most water, but a backup drainage system is always important to include.

You’ll also want to figure out which roofing materials are best for your roof. Certain materials like clay, metal or slate are going to last longer than shingles or concrete.

2. Design a green roof system

Next, it’s time to plan out where you want your plants to go and any other features you want to include. By creating a plan beforehand, you can make sure each part of your green roof works in creating a perfect eco-system that provides what it needs to.

3. Choose plants

This will depend on if you plan on having an extensive or intensive roof, but for the most part there are a few good tips you can follow to achieve that eco-friendly landscaping. One of the main ways is to use native plants. Native plants are low maintenance as they don’t have to adapt to a new environment and naturally draw in local flora and fauna.

Is a green roof right for you?

A green roof is perfect for those looking to build a green home, but it’s understandable if this doesn’t seem right for you. It’s going to be more maintenance than a regular roof and if you’re not sporting a green thumb, it could be a task not worth your effort.

That said, any way of incorporating more plants around your home is an easy way to improve your eco-footprint, so let those wildflowers grow and throw down some ground cover to start changing your home.

FAQs on green roofs

Still have some unanswered questions? Here are some commonly asked questions when it comes to green roofs:

How much does a green roof cost?

This will depend on how large your roof is, how intensive you want the garden to be and if you’re trying to DIY, but a typical green roof in 2023 is going to cost between $13,000 – $50,000.

Are green roofs feasible for cold climates?

Yes, just like how the soil and foliage create insulation on a hot day to keep your home cool, a green roof can also retain heat during the winter months that lets your thermostat take a breather.

Can a green roof earn LEED credits?

Green roofs are great for earning your multiple LEED credits. LEED credits are credits awarded to buildings that have green building practices installed, like a green roof. Things that can earn you a credit from a green roof includes improving the air quality and reducing energy waste.

The bottom line: Green roofs offer biodiversity with economic and environmental benefits

A green roof is a great way to transform your home into an eco-friendlier structure and allows you to optimize your space to not only benefit you but your surrounding area. As homeowners know, it’s just as important to tend to the outside of their homes as much as the inside and there are so many ways to do this that are sustainable.

If you’re looking to take on a project like this, apply for a cash-out refinance to help fund your plans for a greener home.