Have you considered a green flat roof? Bring the wildlife to your roof
A green flat roof is a roofing solution which supports an entire ecosystem with grasses, flowers and shrubs to attract a variety of wildlife.
With towns and cities becoming ever more immersed in concrete, many architects, local authority planners and even homeowners are drawn to the idea of a garden in the sky.
One of the main benefits of a green flat roof is the opportunity to replace the wildlife that was probably removed during the process of building your home. In fact, a green roof can be constructed anywhere there is an existing flat roof – on your garage, your extension, a shed or your orangery.
By the nature of their design, green flat roofs are an environmental and ethical decision which will help you reduce your carbon footprint. More and more homeowners are making conscious decisions to create a healthier environment for future generations.
If you’ve never considered a green flat roof, here are some reasons why it could be a good idea:
- You don’t have to have a green flat roof installed during the initial construction phase however the roof materials need to be of superior quality to support a green design.
- Planners often look favourably on applications which incorporate a green flat roof which could be good news for your extension. For commercial developers, there is not usually a need to apply for consent for a green flat roof during redevelopment.
- Green flat roofs are said to lower energy bills. It is estimated a green flat roof can reduce your annual heating bill by 4%. In the case of large public buildings and offices, a green flat roof can lower the inside temperature during summer – reducing the air conditioning bill considerably.
- Green flat roofs are highly durable and can extend a roof’s anticipated expiry date by up to three times. This is the result of superior protection from the sun’s UV rays and other bad weather conditions such as frost, snow and ice. There are cases of green flat roofs lasting in excess of 100 years.
- The vegetation on a green flat roof can attract a variety of rare insects and birds – wildlife which might have otherwise have had to look further afield for a habitat to breed.
- Research has suggested that the air directly above a green flat roof has 37% lower levels of Sulphur dioxide and 21% lower levels of nitrous acid (Yok Tan and Sia 2005.)
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