Green Roof Commercial Buildings

Made with hardy varieties of succulents.

Green roof commercial buildings.

Green roofs provide a range of environmental functional and cost advantages that are increasingly desired for commercial buildings. Container gardens on roofs where plants are maintained in pots are not generally considered to be true green roofs although. Toronto was the first city in north america to pass a green roof law in 2009 requiring new buildings or additions that are greater than 21 000 square feet to cover between 20 and 60 percent of. On public structures such as government owned buildings schools libraries or community centres and on private structures such as residential houses apartment buildings and commercial buildings.

Installing and maintaining the roof. Lower energy costs due to the cooling effect of. An important aspect of green infrastructure commercial green roofs help to lower carbon emissions improve air quality and reduce energy consumption among many other benefits of a green roof installation. Green roofs are sprouting up more and more on buildings around the world from private residences and schools to cultural institutions and businesses.

Gsa s green roof report estimated that green roofs on commercial and public buildings provide a payback based on 50 year average annual savings of about 6 2 years nationally internal rate of return of 5 2 and an roi of 224 based on a net present value of 2 7 square foot. Green roofs are contained areas of vegetation such as trees shrubs crops or grasses planted on top of a human made structure. They provide shade to the top of a building evapotranspiration. Plant respiration and the insulation shading and thermal mass of the plant and soil layers.

Green roofs provide green space in concrete jungles from rooftop gardens on high rise buildings to vegetative rooftops that serve to reduce energy expenses. What to consider before installing a green roof before you commit to a green roof project you should have your current roofing inspected to make sure it s in good enough shape to support the extra weight. Green roofs reduce the temperature of the building and the surrounding air in multiple ways. Primary green roof costs are related to installation and maintenance.

The economic costs of installing green roofs on commercial and public buildings include the cost of. The plants in a green roof absorb water through their roots and then use surrounding heat from the air to evaporate the water while some roofs can reach temperatures of up to 90 f in the summertime these two features can allow. Here in central kentucky we are seeing green roof projects crop up in spaces including a dorm at the university of kentucky campus. The economic benefits of installing green roofs include.