Green Roofs: A Growing Technology
June 13, 2019
They help to keep houses thermally insulated, save energy, reduce noise and are also beautiful; but at the same time they are expensive and sometimes difficult to maintain. Can this technology become popular?
The green roofs are beautiful. It is enough to stop to spend images on Google to glimpse the beauty, freshness and solace that these true gardens of height are able to contribute to that sea of cement that tend to be the big cities. We speak of those constructive systems that allow certain vegetation to grow on top of houses and buildings, in principle to optimize the thermal performance of that structure, but also to reduce noise, improve oxygen levels and provide biodiversity. There are so many Roofing Companies who provide green roofs.
“It is estimated that by 2025, 60 percent of the population will be urban. And by then we will have to design a thought that does not have to do simply with making the best out of every square meter. According to the expert, in cities such as Panama, the surface planted by another raincoat has been changed at an unusual speed, so what is now necessary is to find a way to reintroduce vegetation to mitigate the “island of heat” effect, avoid floods and reduce pollution. “65% of the electrical consumption of a building is used to heat, cool, and light. And plants have that wonderful ability to turn sunlight into energy and carbon dioxide into oxygen to create the microclimate they need to survive. But only a green roof will not do the job. We must achieve critical mass, “he said during his presentation.
German architect and engineer GernotMinke, who observes that after a big storm the green roofs -some of them- can play a crucial role in retaining the water that will drain a few hours later, is expressed in the same line. “That’s why for a city it can be a huge advantage to have a lot of green roofs.”
There are many constructive systems of green roofs, but what they basically need is a minimum of substrate and then several layers of different materials that serve to absorb water, filter it, drain it and protect the roof of the roots, in addition, of course, to waterproof it correctly. Then you can plant different species – from grass to flowers, and even trees – although always bearing in mind that usually they are usually exposed to quite extreme conditions of wind and sun. Another key issue is that you have to evaluate the building structure with an architect or engineer to know if the installation is viable (the square meter of green roof saturated with water can weigh between 35 and 180 kilos), and depending on the climate can reach require more or less irrigation.
Hence, the costs can be high, including imported materials. That is why – beyond the undeniable advantages – it is also possible to ask whether it is practicable to promote a solution that requires huge investments by the citizens themselves instead of others who (in the case of planting more trees) could fall back on the actions of the State.
For Martin Almina, an industrial engineer and part of the civil association More Oxygen, “sustainability, like it or not, starts many times in a sector of society that has the time and money to think of an alternative to traditional systems, that does not mean that green roofs have to be a rich thing. ” According to the professional it does not seem reasonable that they are bringing materials from Europe to build these systems, since they could be thinking about cheaper options from Argentina, however, the fact of putting a green roof is still a technically good solution. “It is only necessary that the technology be popularized so that there are more suppliers, more alternatives and the service becomes cheaper”, he assures.
“Maybe you do not need to put a green roof properly,” he adds. If someone has a terrace and underneath a house in which it is very hot in the summer and it is very cold in the winter, just filling the space with plants means that the temperature will fade, “he explains. retains the heat in winter while during the summer months the leaves contribute to generate a cooling effect. “What interests me is to transmit that concept,” he concludes, “so that anyone can put it into practice.”
