Choosing a new roof is a huge responsibility but it can also be a terrific opportunity. While it is obviously a major expenditure, it is a chance to save money and help the environment at the same time. Green roofs are friendly to the environment and ultimately save money in terms of reduced energy costs, both in winter and in summertime. In some localities, you can actually earn money by having an eco-roof.
Installing a green roof means more than just painting over your existing roof. Specifically, an eco-roof as it is also called, is a 100 percent vegetative roof with plants and a growth medium. All roofs have an underlying membrane between the plywood base and the covering itself. An eco-roof protects this membrane and can extend the life of a roof by as much as 200 percent.
Civil authorities are getting very enthused about eco-roofs. One reason is because they help to lower roof temperatures, mitigate the heat island effect, filter metallic and other pollutants out of rainwater, and clean carbon dioxide and other pollutants out of the air. They reduce storm water runoff, create natural habitats, and act as a form of soundproofing.
The urban heat effect describes how cities are at a consistently higher temperature than places that are a distance away from the urbanized areas. Heat is a direct effect of the activity of human beings. This phenomenon was first observed in the early 1810s. One of the effects of the UHI is that suburban areas experience longer growing areas than those closer to heavily populated areas.
The UHI effect is measurable. Traditional roofing materials, such as metal, shingles, slate, etc., all absorb solar radiation and then turn around and release it as heat. This is what causes city roof temperatures to become as high as 7 degrees warmer than in the suburbs. Having a living roof greatly reduces this effect. Chicago City Hall, for example, has an eco-roof. Compared to neighboring buildings with more conventional roofing materials, the City Hall roof is up to eight degrees cooler. Cities all over the country are beginning to find creative ways of encouraging homes and businesses to jump on board the eco-roof bandwagon.
Another environmental benefit to eco-roofs is their ability to selectively attract desirable types of wildlife. Bees, birds, butterflies, and other types of beneficial insect are all attracted to this environment. Urbanization decreases the natural habitat available for these and other life forms. Encouraging living roofing in an urban area creates little pockets of new habitat for these critically important animals. This effect has been observed in 19-storey high-rise buildings.
An eco-roof can also help to offset your carbon footprint. Carbon, the main component of vegetative matter, is absorbed from the atmosphere by growing plants. Power plants are major emitters of CO2, and a vegetative roof can act as a sink for this extra load. In the United States, buildings account for more than one-third of carbon dioxide emissions. Studies have been carried out in Maryland and Michigan that verify this observation.
A vegetative roof can save, and even earn you, money. By effectively insulating your home, energy bills for heating and air conditioning are drastically reduced. Moreover, cities are offering incentives in the form of grants, tax reductions, or rebates for installing an eco-roof. This is more likely to happen in areas where the UHI or polluted stormwater runoff are problems.
Installing a green roof means more than just painting over your existing roof. Specifically, an eco-roof as it is also called, is a 100 percent vegetative roof with plants and a growth medium. All roofs have an underlying membrane between the plywood base and the covering itself. An eco-roof protects this membrane and can extend the life of a roof by as much as 200 percent.
Civil authorities are getting very enthused about eco-roofs. One reason is because they help to lower roof temperatures, mitigate the heat island effect, filter metallic and other pollutants out of rainwater, and clean carbon dioxide and other pollutants out of the air. They reduce storm water runoff, create natural habitats, and act as a form of soundproofing.
The urban heat effect describes how cities are at a consistently higher temperature than places that are a distance away from the urbanized areas. Heat is a direct effect of the activity of human beings. This phenomenon was first observed in the early 1810s. One of the effects of the UHI is that suburban areas experience longer growing areas than those closer to heavily populated areas.
The UHI effect is measurable. Traditional roofing materials, such as metal, shingles, slate, etc., all absorb solar radiation and then turn around and release it as heat. This is what causes city roof temperatures to become as high as 7 degrees warmer than in the suburbs. Having a living roof greatly reduces this effect. Chicago City Hall, for example, has an eco-roof. Compared to neighboring buildings with more conventional roofing materials, the City Hall roof is up to eight degrees cooler. Cities all over the country are beginning to find creative ways of encouraging homes and businesses to jump on board the eco-roof bandwagon.
Another environmental benefit to eco-roofs is their ability to selectively attract desirable types of wildlife. Bees, birds, butterflies, and other types of beneficial insect are all attracted to this environment. Urbanization decreases the natural habitat available for these and other life forms. Encouraging living roofing in an urban area creates little pockets of new habitat for these critically important animals. This effect has been observed in 19-storey high-rise buildings.
An eco-roof can also help to offset your carbon footprint. Carbon, the main component of vegetative matter, is absorbed from the atmosphere by growing plants. Power plants are major emitters of CO2, and a vegetative roof can act as a sink for this extra load. In the United States, buildings account for more than one-third of carbon dioxide emissions. Studies have been carried out in Maryland and Michigan that verify this observation.
A vegetative roof can save, and even earn you, money. By effectively insulating your home, energy bills for heating and air conditioning are drastically reduced. Moreover, cities are offering incentives in the form of grants, tax reductions, or rebates for installing an eco-roof. This is more likely to happen in areas where the UHI or polluted stormwater runoff are problems.
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