Green Roofs are living roofs. A Green roof is a flourishing rooftop that provides numerous benefits. These living roofs can grow plants, vegetables, or other selected vegetation. The benefits of green roofs include purifying the air, reduces the heat island effect, saves energy, promotes biodiversity, supports wildlife habitats, regulates the indoor temperature of a home or building, and provides a rainwater buffer.
In Europe green roofs are well established and have been utilized for over 30 yeas, which has provided a wealth of information. Depending on the plant selection, there are some green roofs which do not require watering and can absorb up to 70% of rainwater. By absorbing the rainwater, the green roof reduces runoff and provides natural rain water filtration. Green roofs also provide insulation and acoustic reduction, and multiple studies have shown they reflect heat even better than reflective coverings.
Green roofs require a bit more planning upfront to ensure the correct support for the home or building, but can last much loner than a conventional roof and have lower maintenance, thus providing greater life cycle benefits.