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Installing green roofs is one option that can reduce the negative impact of development while providing numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits. They can improve stormwater management by reducing runoff and improving water quality, conserve energy, mitigate the urban heat island, increase longevity of roofing membranes, reduce noise and air pollution, sequester carbon, increase urban biodiversity by providing habitat for wildlife, provide space for urban agriculture, provide a more aesthetically pleasing and healthy environment to work and live, and improve return on investment compared to traditional roofs.
The mitigation of stormwater runoff is considered by many to be the primary benefit because of the prevalence of impervious surfaces in urban areas. Rapid runoff from roof surfaces can exacerbate flooding, increase erosion, and may result in raw sewage that is discharged directly into our rivers. The larger amount of runoff also results in a greater quantity of water that must be treated before it is potable. A major benefit of green roofs is their ability to absorb stormwater and release it slowly over a period of several hours. Green roof systems have been shown to retain 60-100% of the stormwater they receive. In addition, green roofs have a longer life-span than standard roofs because they are protected from ultraviolet radiation and the extreme fluctuations in temperature that cause roof membranes to deteriorate. Vegetation helps cool the membrane and the building during the summer as the plants and growing substrate act as an insulation layer, they shade the roof, and through evapotranspiration. Furthermore, the construction and maintenance of green roofs provide business opportunities for roofing contractors, plant producers, landscape designers and contractors, and other green industry members while addressing the issues of environmental stewardship.
They can also be of a huge benefit to inner city living where greenscapes are at a premium, living walls can also be incorporated, play areas for families etc, outdoor space on your rooftops.
Green roofs are not just another trend. The tendency towards green roofs has increased remarkably over the last 20 years. With the Renolit Alkorplan LA membrane, Renolit has proved to be competitive having completed various green roof projects over many years.