While green roofs have a history nearly as old as civilized

society, they've recently experienced a sudden surge in

popularity that parallels the sustainable design movement as
a whole.
Not to be confused with the rooftop garden (which is simply plants potted in containers
or raised beds, unattached to the infrastructure of the design), a green roof, also known
as a living roof  or sod roof, is a flat, sloped rooftop supporting vegetation through
systems of irrigation, drainage, and waterproofing to help cut the costs of home heating
and cooling. The trend is rapidly growing in metropolitan areas, while countries around
the world are encouraging the movement by offering tax abatements, education, and
infrastructure support for those who want to integrate living roofs into their private
homes, public institutions, and even corporate high rises. With a mind for ecological
stability, architects are revisiting the concept and trailblazing a path toward making our
buildings come to life.

From Babylon
to Vikings
The first record of green roofing appeared four thousand years ago in the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; though there is no
archeological evidence of the gardens, ancient Greek, Roman and Assyrian texts refer to
the gardens, implying that the idea of the green roof has always been planted firmly in the
collective mind. According to these texts, the Babylonians installed stone terraces with
gardens atop their buildings, fitting them with the same indigenous trees and other fauna
 that dotted the mountainous skyline of Babylon. If the texts are accurate, the Hanging
Gardens provided cool shade for the population while helping to cool the inside of the
buildings.

Green roofs have also been used as a survival tool in extreme climates. During the Norse
era, Viking longhouses were fitted with sod roofs that included substrates and water-
retaining membranes made out of birch wood. The Vikings locally sourced their plants
and sod to create sturdy structures they knew would survive the harsh winters while also
fully insulating the structure from the cold. In fact, three hundred years later archeologists
are still finding remnants of these houses, indicating the incredible durability of the
design.

OLDEST EXISTING LIVING ROOF

Guinigi Tower

 Tuscany, Italy (14th-15th Century)

Source

See full history

Green roofs

Contents
 [hide]

 1 Introduction
 2 History
 3 Benefits of green roofs
 3.1 Surface water runoff
 3.2 Building heating and cooling loads
 3.3 Urban Heat Island Effect
 3.4 Air pollution
 3.5 Biodiversity
 3.6 Psychology and health
 3.7 Wider advantages
 4 Disadvantages
 4.1 Increased capital costs
 4.2 Increased structural loads
 4.3 Specialist contractors
 4.4 Perceived requirement for increased maintenance
 5 Green walls
 6 Solar roofs
 7 Rainwater harvesting
 8 Find out more
 8.1 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
 8.2 External references

Introduction
Green roofs are roofs that are purposely fitted or cultivated with vegetation. They are also be known as living
roofs, eco-roofs or vegetated roofs (CIBSE 2007).
It is generally accepted that there are two main types of green roof which are described by Kibert (2008) as:
 “Extensive: Extensive landscaped roofs are defined as low maintenance, drought-tolerant, self-seeding
vegetated roof covers that incorporate colourful sedums, grasses, mosses, and meadow flowers that require little
or no irrigation, fertilisation, or maintenance… Extensive systems can be placed on low-slope and pitched roofs
with up to a 40% slope.
 Intensive: If there is adequate load-bearing capacity, it is possible to create actual roof gardens on many
buildings. This type of eco-roof system may include lawns, meadows, bushes, trees, ponds, and terraced surfaces.
Intensive systems are far more complex and heavy than extensive eco-roof systems and hence require far
more maintenance.”
Some authors also describe a third type of green roof as 'simple intensive' which usually comprise grasses,
herbaceous plants and shrubs. Simple intensive green roofs can be constructed using varying depths of substrate,
thus combining elements of extensive and intensive roofs (Newton, Gedge et al. 2007).
Extensive green roofs are the most popularly deployed forms of green roofs as they are generally light weight and
low cost.
History
The concept of an intensive roof goes back as far as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which formed one of the
Seven Wonders of the World. Nebuchanezzar II built the gardens, essentially a series of intensive roofs, for his wife
who was homesick for the plants of her native Persia. Further north, in Scandinavia, farmers created one of the first
 extensive roofs, by stripping the sod from surrounding grass meadows, and placing it on a roof, supported by
heavy timberbeams. This provided an early form of roof insulation in an unfriendly climate.
Historically green roofs were common in the UK, but they became less popular during the industrial revolution.
Presently there is a resurgence in green roofs in many countries due. Germany is leading this drive, with 10% of all
German roofs have been greened, 80% of which are extensive sedum roofs (CIBSE 2007). The Swiss are also
pioneering the use of green roofswith 70% of flat roofed inner city buildings having roof gardens (Yuen and Nyuk
Hien 2005).
Benefits of green roofs
Vegetated roofs offer an extensive range of environmental benefits that are widely accepted across the literature:
 Decreased surface water runoff
 Decreased heating and cooling demands for the building
 Increased local biodiversity
 Increased durability and lifespan of the roof
 Improved local air quality
 Psychological benefits
 Mitigation of the Urban Heat Island effect.
The CIRIA publication, Building Greener: Guidance on the use of green roofs, green walls and complementary
features on buildings (Newton, Gedge et al. 2007) provides an excellent overview to green roofs along with their
benefits and design issues.
Surface water runoff
Environmental advantages of green roofs are generally accepted to include a decrease in surface water run off
volume and a reduction in peak runoff flow. Green roofs accomplish this reduction in surface water volume and
peak discharge by “delaying the initial time of runoff due to the absorption of water in the green roof system;
reducing the total runoff by retaining part of the rainfall; and distributing the runoff over a long time period through
a relative slow release of the excess water that is temporary stored in the pores of the substrate” (Mentens, Raes et
al. 2006).
The reduction of runoff has been quantified by several authors on a variety of scales and under many rainfall
conditions. Mentens, Raes et al. (2006) showed that the potential regional runoff reduction by greening 10% of
buildings in the Brussels area with extensive green roofs of substrate layer depth equal to 100mm to be 2.7% for
the region and of 54% for individual buildings. Other figures suggest that runoff in some situations can be reduced
by 100% (Wolf and Lundholm 2008).
Studies by Getter, Rowe et al. (2007) show that this variation can be attributed to:
 The effect of roof slope.
 The amount of precipitation.
 Different rainfall patterns at different locations.
 The saturation and depth of the substrate.
They also suggest that the establishment period of the green roof may effect the percentage of runoff reduction, as
greater maturity may increase the hydraulic conductivity of the substrate. Their experiments with roofs of slopes
ranging between 2% and 25% and varying rainfall intensities showed an average retention of 85.6%. Carter and
Jackson (2007) also suggest another advantage due to the retention of rain water at roof level; this is that pollutants
are not washed off impervious surfaces into the drainage systems, the benefit of which is that there is no treatment
and re-release on this volume of water, as the water cycle is effectively short circuited at the roof level.
However, the reduction in rainwater runoff depends on how dry / absorbant the green roof is. If it is saturated from
previous rainfall, the reduction is zero. For this reason the presence of a green roof cannot be used to reduce the
capacity of the rainwater drainage system.
Building heating and cooling loads
Green roofs have the ability to reduce both heating and cooling loads in buildings. This has positive implications in
terms of their energy consumption. They achieve energy reductions by reducing the thermal fluctuation of the outer
surface of the roof and by increasing the roof's thermal capacity (Niachou, Papakonstantinou et al. 2001). In
addition, foliage protects the building from the wind.
The process of heat transfer into green vegetated roofs is very different to those of conventional roof surfaces.
In green roofs solar radiation, external temperature and relative humidity are reduced as they pass through the
vegetation layer. The plants also provide cooling by their biological processes such as evapotranspiration, which
converts large amounts of solar radiationinto latent heat which does not cause the temperature to rise (Takakura,
Kitade et al. 2000). The remaining solar radiation is changed into thermal load which can pass through the roof and
thus influence the internal climate of the building (Niachou, Papakonstantinou et al. 2001; Spala, Bagiorgas et al.
2008). Temperatures on a black flat roof can reach up to 100oC (Ramachandran, Paroli et al. 2002; Wong, Tay et al.
2003). The addition of a green roof vastly reduces thetemperature fluctuations to around 20 to 25oC (Wong, Tay et
al. 2003).
The majority of papers written on the cooling effect of green roofs agree that the main parameter that effects heat
transfer through the roof is the leaf area index (LAI) (Barrio 1998; Takakura, Kitade et al. 2000; Theodosiou 2003;
Kumar and Kaushik 2005; Sailor 2008). LAI can be defined as the upper surface leaf area per unit area of base
(which in this case is the roof). It is dimensionless (m2/m2), and usually for plants has a range from 0.5 to 5 (Sailor
2008). It is also worth noting that the LAI is often directly related to the amount of evapotranspiration of the plant,
the greater the LAI, the bigger the total leaf area. In addition, large values of LAI offer practically complete shading
to the soil layer, protecting the roof from solar irradiation (Theodosiou 2003). There are also other factors that Sailor
(2008) notes that effect heat transfer through the roof which include height, LAI, fractional coverage, albedo, and
stomatal resistance. It is worth noting that excluding albedo, all other factors noted here affect the degree of
evapotranspiration and shading of the roof, whilst the albedo affects the radiative heat transfer through the roof.
Barrio (1998), proposed a mathematical model to represent the dynamic thermal behaviour ofgreen roofs, and to
analyse their potential as cooling devices in summer time. Her analyses show that green roofs do not act
as cooling devices but as insulators, reducing the heat flux through the roof and thus reducing heat gains. This is
contradicted by more recent research (Theodosiou 2003); (Kumar and Kaushik 2005) who find in their modelling
that green roofs do indeed providing cooling potential. Their model was compared to a real world green
roof building and found to be very accurate with an error range of 3.3% in predicting green canopy-air
temperature and 6.1% in indoor air temperature.
It should be noted that whilst green roofs offer savings in the cooling load of buildings and can also reduce
winter heating load, they can in some situations increase winter heating loads. For example Sailor (2008) found that
increasing the thickness of the soil layer resulted in reduced demand for both heating and cooling, with
larger heating savings in a cooler climate, but increased LAI, increased the amount of winter heating required due to
increased shading effects that are beneficial in summer but detrimental in winter. A year round analysis should
ideally be taken to optimise the green roof for maximum benefit throughout the yearly climate cycle. Many papers
that analyse green roofs through a short time period, suggest that there is coolingpotential in the summer, or
reduced heat energy savings in the winter through increasedinsulation, but few studies have looked into
optimising green roofs for performance through the year.
Urban Heat Island Effect
It is widely accepted that green roofs have the ability to reduce the urban heat island UHI effect. The UHI effect is
primarily caused the replacement of natural surfaces with hard impervious surfaces that are generally dark and
absorb large amounts of solar radiation.
The extent to which green roofs can reduce the temperature of their surroundings and thus mitigate the UHI effect
is based on climatic characteristics, the amount of vegetation and urban geometry (Alexandri and Jones 2008).
Vegetation reduces the UHI effect by changing thealbedos (the fraction of incoming radiation reflected by a body)
of urban surfaces as well as evapotranspiration cooling. It also slows down photochemical reactions that lead to less
secondary air pollutants, such as ozone (Yang, Yu et al. 2008). They also provide some shading, thus reduce
the temperature of the roof.
Alexandri and Jones (2008) developed a computer model to quantify the potential reduction intemperatures in
numerous cities of different climates around the world. They concluded that for hot arid climates such as Riyadh, air
temperatures at roof level can be reduced by an average of 12.8oC whilst canyon temperatures can be reduced by
9.1oC. It should be noted that these results were obtained for the average hottest day of the year. Whilst their results
reveal the general cooling effects of vegetation in cities, there are limitations to their methods and model. Their
model assumed that all horizontal and vertical building surfaces (walls and roofs) would be covered with vegetation,
something that in reality would be unfeasible. In addition, the model was two-dimensional and based on
assumptions of varying canyon widths and heights that are unlikely to closely resemble those of the actual cities.
This means that whilst their results are useful for showing general trends, such as where placing vegetation has the
maximum effect in UHI mitigation, the actual numerical values should be viewed with caution.
The reduction of the UHI effect with green roofs is hard to predict accurately at present. This is because there are a
vast number of variables involved; each city has a different climate, geometries, land uses, building types and so on,
all of which require extensive research. However, it is clear from the literature that green roofs offer a large scope
for vastly reducing the UHI effect. With reduced city centre temperatures follow the benefits of
reduced cooling energy requirements in cities, improved air quality and a reduction in CO2 emissions at power
plants (Akbari 2002). This means that improvements are made on the economic, social and environmental fronts.
Air pollution
Air pollutants are removed by the high surface area and roughness provided by the branches, twigs, and foliage of
plants. As vegetation reduces the urban temperatures, so photochemical reactions are slowed down and this leads to
less secondary air pollutants, such as ozone. (Yang, Yu et al. 2008). Yang et al attempted to quantify the
air pollution removal of green roofs in Chicago by using a dry leave deposition model. Their results showed
that green roofs in Chicago removed 1,675kg of pollutants, with the potential to remove 2,000 metric tonnes if all
roofs tops were greened. However the cost of doing this was prohibitive at $35.2 billion. The quantities of air
pollutants removed by green roofs are not well documented in the literature so validation of these results is
difficult. However, there is literature on the air pollution removal of general urban vegetation which shows
comparable reductions. Nowak, Crane et al. (2006) estimated that urban trees at present remove 711,000 metric
tonnes of air pollution (including O3, NO2, SO2, CO2) annually in the USA. This is a considerable amount and is of
particular benefit as these pollutants are removed directly from the urban environment, thus directly “cleaning up”
city air. The cost to society of this carbon would have been $3.8 billion.
Niachou, Papakonstantinou et al. (2001) explain that as space at ground level becomes increasingly sparse and
valuable, turning roofs green could become a significant source of urban greenery. In fact planted roofs have
become the only promising and stabilising choice if we are to find space to add greenery to cities in order to mitigate
dangerous and uncomfortable urban heat island effects (Kumar and Kaushik 2005). It could be argued that whilst,
the installation ofgreen roofs cannot be justified on their ability to remove air pollutants alone, when considered
with their additional environmental benefits, their implementation should be encouraged.
Biodiversity
Green roofs can provide green islands that if well planned, can cater for a variety of flora and fauna unattainable on
traditional roofs. There are examples of green roofs that have created a habitat for endangered species, for example
the redstart in the London area (CIBSE 2007). They can also provide islands and corridors for wildlife in areas of
limited biodiversity such as towns and cities. Green roofs may function as 'stepping stone' habitats connecting
isolated habitat pockets to promote urban biodiversity (Schrader and Böning 2006).
Psychology and health
There are clear health benefits arising from green roofs ability to reduce urban air pollutants. Additionally they
provide opportunities in relation to health care environments. Studies summarised in Wong, Tay et al. (2003) have
referenced research that has shown patients' recovery rate can be faster where they have a view to a landscaped
setting as opposed to a view of adjacent buildings. One of Ulrich's (2000) three general design guidelines for
creating supportive healthcare environments is that they should “provide access to nature and other positive
distractions”. Roof gardens provide an ideal way of providing this and in doing so have the ability to reducing
patients' recovery times.
Wider advantages
There are also related community wide economic and social benefits. For example with a reduction in runoff due
to green roofs, flooding in an area may become less frequent with resultant cost savings, and social benefits. Whilst
the direct benefits of green roofs are well documented in the literature, numerous secondary benefits which could
be of much greater significance are less well assessed. Such financial and social benefits are hard to predict and
quantify; however they may be greater than the benefits to their individual buildings. This however, requires a
systematic, collaborative and collective approach to roof top greening across communities that without common
drivers and incentives is difficult to achieve.
Other more tangible economic, social and environmental benefits come from the decreasedmaintenance and
replacement cost savings of green roofs. This is due to the reducedtemperature fluctuations on green roofs and the
protection of the water proof membrane from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The result is a prolonged lifespan, which
Wong et al (2003) agues can be a minimum of threefold if installed correctly. However, more typically quoted
figures are more conservative stating life extensions of the waterproofing membrane of 200% (Carter and Keeler
 2008). A longer service life of roof systems means that maintenance and replacement are less frequent and so costs
are reduced. Green roofs also offer other economic benefits that are associated with typical sustainable building
design which include; increased property values, increased marketability of a property and business-related cost
savings (Wong, Tay et al. 2003; Kibert 2008)
There is a concern that if a membrane were to fail, dealing with a leak could be an expensive and complex process.
However, Modern lightweight modular green roof systems include products that are made up of 0.5 m module trays
which slot together for a seamless finish and provide plant drainage. These allow the building owner to create either
a sedum roof or a bespoke horticultural selection of sedum, indigenous grasses and wildflowers. The modules are
installed over a geotextile filter fabric, which sits on top of the waterproofing. They interlock and need no fixing, so
there is very little danger of puncturing the waterproof membrane.
Disadvantages
With so many benefits to green roofs, it may be surprising that they have not become more widespread in the UK,
as they are for instance in Switzerland and Germany. Certainly their use is being encouraged, with major cities
including London and Manchester writing policies to encourage their adoption. However, there are some aspects
that are less desirable than traditional flat roofs.
These include:
 Increased capital costs.
 Increased structural loads.
 Specialist contractors required.
 Maintenance requirements.
 The lack of quantifiable data on the benefits of green roofs.
 The lack of technical information about how to build them.
 Lack of incentives.
Increased capital costs
Green roofs have higher capital costs than their traditional counterparts. This is particularly true in the UK as they
are relatively uncommon at present. Capital costs for extensive green roofsare generally between 150-200% more
expensive that traditional black roofs. Intensive roofs are around 200% more expensive; however this does not
include the cost of the stronger structurethat is likely to be required to take the increased loads. The high initial
investment in green roofsis a barrier to a widespread use and much would be gained if extensive green
roof systems could be installed at a lower cost (Emilsson and Rolf 2005).
Emilsson and Rolf (2005) looked into the different establishment methods of thin extensive green roofs. They
looked at establishment methods for extensive green roofs in Sweden which are dominated by prefabricated mats,
which is generally one of the most expensive ways of vegetating a building. They are however, low risk as they
ensure instant high plant cover. The cost of the vegetation mats in Emilsson and Rolf's (2005) study was twice that
of shoot establishment and close to 30% more expensive than plug plant establishment. This shows that the type of
establishment can have significant impact on the capital costs. The development of reliable onsite methods that
establish high plant cover could be a way of reducing capital costsand so increase the common uptake of extensive
vegetated roofs.
Increased structural loads
Extensive green roofs typically add between 50 and 200kg/m2 of loading to the roof of astructure. This increase in
load has to be taken by the structure of the building. Existing flat roofs however, often require no additional
structural support for extensive green roof installation (Carter and Keeler 2008). In some countries this has lead to
relatively common retrofitting of extensive vegetated roofs to existing structures (Kosareo and Ries 2007).
However, intensivegreen roofs with their greater substrate depth and provision for foot traffic require
strongerstructures to support their increased deadweight and live weight.
Specialist contractors
Green roofs are currently not common in the UK, and thus widespread contractor knowledge is limited. Specialist
contractors should be used in construction and this is probably one of the primary causes of the increased capital
costs.
Perceived requirement for increased maintenance
Maintenance of green roofs is a contentious issue. Intensive green roofs require increased regular pruning,
feeding, weeding and watering as they are essentially a garden. Consequently there is no doubt that they need an
increased amount of regular maintenance. Maintenance of extensive vegetated sedum roofs however is relatively
low. This is about the same a traditional roof of visual inspections every six months. Thus no
increased maintenance is required in the case of extensive vegetated roofs. In fact with the increased lifespan of
a green roof(approximately double that of a tradition roof) the number of times the roof has to be repaired or
replaced is halved. Thus actually reducing the maintenance requirements and costs.
In the last three decades, green roofs have become an important component for sustainable urban
development. Their striking economical and ecological advantages, along with growing
environmental awareness, have made them popular. At present, green roofs and rooftop gardens can
be found in most big cities around the world, benefiting the urban environment and its inhabitants.

With going green being the fad, the concept of green buildings is gaining acceptance in metro cities
like Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Naturally, green roofs are being adopted by these
buildings. State governments are also coming up with a green building code, which will make it
mandatory to implement requirements like rainwater harvesting, vegetation, and so on, for which
green roofs could be the solution.

With increased focus on energy efficiency, the trend for green buildings is on the rise. The focus on
energy efficiency has impacted the roofing industry too.

Roofing, after all, plays a major role in the construction of a building and in the era of energy
efficiency, roofing companies have come up with advanced and sustainable technologies.

Green roofs or ‘terrace gardens’ add to the aesthetics of a structure and at the same time can
facilitate an efficient rain water harvesting system and recharge the ground water table. Green roofs
benefit biodiversity, storm water management and reduce the heat island effect.

People are now demanding terrace gardens in apartments owing to increased competition and
increased marketing budgets of the builders.
Super-sized terraces with large semi-open spaces that can be used as sit-outs, private green spaces or
party areas are the latest fancy. Having a terrace with additions like hanging creepers, drip irrigated
gardens or even just a slanting roof with hanging plants is much-desired.

Today, customers are conscious of their environment and want the convenience of an apartment as
well as the luxury of a garden terrace where they can entertain guests, breathe fresh, and exercise.
Green terraces are becoming a regular feature especially in premium apartments priced between Rs.
75 lakh and Rs. 2 crore. The longevity of these roofs is no less than 3 to 5 decades and sometimes,
even more. Especially in warmer countries like India, a well-irrigated green roof can provide greater
energy savings compared to a cool roof or even an insulated roof.

A typical green roof system comprises two inches of sandy soil topped with the pervious paver
blocks, and overlain with a uniform grass sod.

No green roof, however, is maintenance-free. It requires regular irrigation and periodic trimming,
weeding, fertilising, termite checks, and so on.

Regular irrigation actually adds to the general cooling of the surrounding and the building. Hence, it
is important to identify a sustainable water source, such as treated waste water or harvested
rainwater, so that the green roof can be kept moist without compromising the quantity of fresh water
available to the building occupants.

Overall, green roofs are a good investment for the future, and although they are quite expensive now,
they are likely to become feasible and common.

Keywords: Green roof system, terrace gardens, energy sav

Green Roofs: Ideal for Green Building in India?

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Green roofs have become a very important component of sustainable urban development within the
last 30 years. Their striking economical and ecological advances, along with growing environmental
awareness, are the driving forces for this great success. At present, green roofs and rooftop gardens
can be found in most big cities around the world, benefiting the urban environment and its
inhabitants. Green roofs have yet to catch on in a big way in India, but hopefully this will change
soon.

The Benefits of Green Roofs

Many building design professionals around the

world have hugely underestimated the the value of green roofs. Especially in warmer countries like
India, a well-irrigated green roof can provide greater energy savings compared to a cool roof or even
an insulated roof. According to the premier green roof industry association, “Green Roofs for Healthy
Cities”, the benefits of green roofs are:

Private Benefits:

1. Energy efficiency – Through greater insulation offered by green roofs

2. Improved health and well being – The reduced pollution and increased water quality from
green roofs can decrease demands on the health care system
3. Urban agriculture – Green roofs can be used to set up small organic food gardens
4. Roof durability – By preventing large temperature variations, roofs are less likely to crack
5. Fire retardation – Green roofs have a much lower burning heat load in comparison to
conventional roofs
6. Reduction in electromagnetic radiation – Green roofs are known to reduce the
electromagnetic radiation from wireless devices by 99.4% (Herman 2003)
7. Noise reduction – Green have excellent noise attenuation and can reduce noise penetration
by up to 40 decibels
8. Enhanced marketability – Green roofs add value since they are one of the most identifiable
features of a green building

Public Benefits:

1. Increased biodiversity – Green roofs can sustain a variety of plants and invertebrates, and
provide a habitat for various bird species
2. Aesthetic Improvement – Green Roofs are visually enhancing the quality of city life
3. Waste diversion – By prolonging the service of the HVAC equipment through decreased use
 4. Storm water retention – A 6-inch green roof can hold up to 50 mm of rainfall. It also delays
the runoff, reducing the pressure on storm-water drains
5. Urban heat island effect – Through daily evapotranspiration, plants cool the city in the hot
summer months
6. Improved air quality – The plants on green roofs can capture airborne pollutants and
atmospheric deposition, as well as filter noxious gases
7. New amenity space – Green roofs can positively affect the urban environment by increasing
amenity and green space

How Does a Green Roof Work?

Green roofs are comprised of a number of different layers, all of which have different and related
functions that have to work together to function properly. The green roof must consist of at least the
following layers to be effective, durable and safe:

1. Concrete finish
2. Waterproofing
3. Root barrier
4. Drainage layer
5. Geotextile filter
6. Light weight & water retaining growing medium
7. Plants (grass, sedums, aliums, herbs etc)

No green roof is maintenance-free. It requires regular irrigation and periodic trimming, weeding,
fertilizing, termite checks, etc. The regular irrigation actually adds to the general cooling of the
surrounding and the building. Hence, it is important to identify a sustainable water source, such as
treated waste water or harvested rainwater, so that the green roof can be kept moist without
compromising the quantity of fresh water available to the building occupants.

The most common question people ask about green roofs is “Doesn’t it leak?”. Well, the answer is
absolutely not, provided the roof has been designed and installed by qualified professionals who
understand the relationship between the green roof and the building.

The waterproofing ensures that no moisture penetrates the roof surface. Even if the waterproof layer
fails, it may not necessarily be a cause for concern in concrete structures. In a green roof, all
moisture retention and organic activity is happening an inch above the surface of the roof, separated
by the drainage layer. So essentially the waterproof layer and the green roof are separated by an air
gap, which ensures that any additional water simply flows away through this layer just like it would in
a conventional roof.

In fact, there is a smaller possibility of moisture penetration through a green roof, since the
waterproof layer is well protected from the fluctuating environment outside and lasts longer. Hence,
building owners should be less worried about moisture penetration if they have a green roof
(compared to a conventional one).
My Own Experience with Green Roofs and Living Walls

In 2010, we installed a green roof at our office in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Its purpose was only to
add a unique feature to our building. Soon, we noticed that the green roof had improved the comfort
conditions in the office far beyond our expectations. We also noticed that this improvement in
performance was achieved by keeping the roof well-irrigated. The moisture kept the building cool
even when the temperatures outside were close to 40 degrees Celsius.

We decided to do more with this idea, and after more than a year of trying different plants, growing
media, filter geotextiles, and finding the best drainage layer and waterproofing, we created the right
formula. We then launched our green roofs products with the brand name BuildScape. BuildScape
now undertakes projects offering green roofs, living walls, bio-walls and auto-watering pots for the
Coimbatore market.

I soon found that birds and squirrels loved the roof and often quarrelled with each other for their
share of the green space. I then found myself taking evening naps after work on the grass on the
roof. Now, whenever the weather allows it, I take my laptop out to the roof and work from my own
private garden.

I then realized that I loved spending time on the green roof, so maybe I could start gardening. So, I
relieved my gardener of his duties and took the maintenance of the roof into my own hands, which
includes composting all our kitchen waste to create manure and the other activities listed above.

I am now a part-time business owner, a part-time green building consultant and a part-time
gardener.

Green Roofs: Ideal for Green Building in India?

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Green roofs have become a very important component of sustainable urban development within the
last 30 years. Their striking economical and ecological advances, along with growing environmental
awareness, are the driving forces for this great success. At present, green roofs and rooftop gardens
can be found in most big cities around the world, benefiting the urban environment and its
inhabitants. Green roofs have yet to catch on in a big way in India, but hopefully this will change
soon.

The Benefits of Green Roofs

 Many building design professionals around the
world have hugely underestimated the the value of green roofs. Especially in warmer countries like
India, a well-irrigated green roof can provide greater energy savings compared to a cool roof or even
an insulated roof. According to the premier green roof industry association, “Green Roofs for Healthy
Cities”, the benefits of green roofs are:

Private Benefits:

1. Energy efficiency – Through greater insulation offered by green roofs

2. Improved health and well being – The reduced pollution and increased water quality from
green roofs can decrease demands on the health care system
3. Urban agriculture – Green roofs can be used to set up small organic food gardens
4. Roof durability – By preventing large temperature variations, roofs are less likely to crack
5. Fire retardation – Green roofs have a much lower burning heat load in comparison to
conventional roofs
6. Reduction in electromagnetic radiation – Green roofs are known to reduce the
electromagnetic radiation from wireless devices by 99.4% (Herman 2003)
7. Noise reduction – Green have excellent noise attenuation and can reduce noise penetration
by up to 40 decibels
8. Enhanced marketability – Green roofs add value since they are one of the most identifiable
features of a green building

Public Benefits:

1. Increased biodiversity – Green roofs can sustain a variety of plants and invertebrates, and
provide a habitat for various bird species
2. Aesthetic Improvement – Green Roofs are visually enhancing the quality of city life
3. Waste diversion – By prolonging the service of the HVAC equipment through decreased use
4. Storm water retention – A 6-inch green roof can hold up to 50 mm of rainfall. It also delays
the runoff, reducing the pressure on storm-water drains
5. Urban heat island effect – Through daily evapotranspiration, plants cool the city in the hot
summer months
 6. Improved air quality – The plants on green roofs can capture airborne pollutants and
atmospheric deposition, as well as filter noxious gases
7. New amenity space – Green roofs can positively affect the urban environment by increasing
amenity and green space

How Does a Green Roof Work?

Green roofs are comprised of a number of different layers, all of which have different and related
functions that have to work together to function properly. The green roof must consist of at least the
following layers to be effective, durable and safe:

1. Concrete finish
2. Waterproofing
3. Root barrier
4. Drainage layer
5. Geotextile filter
6. Light weight & water retaining growing medium
7. Plants (grass, sedums, aliums, herbs etc)

No green roof is maintenance-free. It requires regular irrigation and periodic trimming, weeding,
fertilizing, termite checks, etc. The regular irrigation actually adds to the general cooling of the
surrounding and the building. Hence, it is important to identify a sustainable water source, such as
treated waste water or harvested rainwater, so that the green roof can be kept moist without
compromising the quantity of fresh water available to the building occupants.

The most common question people ask about green roofs is “Doesn’t it leak?”. Well, the answer is
absolutely not, provided the roof has been designed and installed by qualified professionals who
understand the relationship between the green roof and the building.

The waterproofing ensures that no moisture penetrates the roof surface. Even if the waterproof layer
fails, it may not necessarily be a cause for concern in concrete structures. In a green roof, all
moisture retention and organic activity is happening an inch above the surface of the roof, separated
by the drainage layer. So essentially the waterproof layer and the green roof are separated by an air
gap, which ensures that any additional water simply flows away through this layer just like it would in
a conventional roof.

In fact, there is a smaller possibility of moisture penetration through a green roof, since the
waterproof layer is well protected from the fluctuating environment outside and lasts longer. Hence,
building owners should be less worried about moisture penetration if they have a green roof
(compared to a conventional one).

My Own Experience with Green Roofs and Living Walls

In 2010, we installed a green roof at our office in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Its purpose was only to
add a unique feature to our building. Soon, we noticed that the green roof had improved the comfort
conditions in the office far beyond our expectations. We also noticed that this improvement in
performance was achieved by keeping the roof well-irrigated. The moisture kept the building cool
even when the temperatures outside were close to 40 degrees Celsius.

We decided to do more with this idea, and after more than a year of trying different plants, growing
media, filter geotextiles, and finding the best drainage layer and waterproofing, we created the right
formula. We then launched our green roofs products with the brand name BuildScape. BuildScape
now undertakes projects offering green roofs, living walls, bio-walls and auto-watering pots for the
Coimbatore market.

I soon found that birds and squirrels loved the roof and often quarrelled with each other for their
share of the green space. I then found myself taking evening naps after work on the grass on the
roof. Now, whenever the weather allows it, I take my laptop out to the roof and work from my own
private garden.

I then realized that I loved spending time on the green roof, so maybe I could start gardening. So, I
relieved my gardener of his duties and took the maintenance of the roof into my own hands, which
includes composting all our kitchen waste to create manure and the other activities listed above.

I am now a part-time business owner, a part-time green building consultant and a part-time
gardener.