There are numerous benefits of a green roof. Some are obvious and others less so. There are also some disadvantages to a green roof, although these are few and far between.
To help you decide whether a green roof is right for your home or business, let’s look at green roof benefits, as well as the potential drawbacks.
8 green roof benefits
1. Sound Insulation
Noise can be one of the most disruptive elements in any environment whether it is at home or in the workplace. Green roofs can significantly reduce this noise, offering up to 30% improvement in sound insulation compared to conventional roofing.
This added buffer makes a noticeable difference, whether you're trying to focus in a workplace or unwind at home. By absorbing and deflecting sound, green roofs create quieter, more comfortable spaces, indoors and out
2. Aesthetics
There is no doubt about it: a green roof is visually appealing and, in the case of a public building, guaranteed to attract attention.
The days of grey concrete and acres of glass and steel are long gone. People want aesthetically pleasing architecture, and green roofs often play a big part in the overall design.
3. Temperature Regulation
Nature is extremely efficient at regulating temperatures. Flat roofs, unfortunately, are not. They absorb heat on a hot day and allow valuable heat to escape on a cold day.
The addition of green roof modules helps to regulate temperature in a building. Your home or commercial building will feel warmer in winter and cooler in summer. This will save you money on heating and air-conditioning costs. Isn’t that a good thing?
4. Air Quality
Urban areas often suffer from poor air quality due to vehicle emissions, industrial activity and limited green space. The lack of vegetation means there are fewer natural filters to absorb pollutants.
Green roofs help address this problem by utilising spaces that would otherwise stay bare. This layer of vegetation captures airborne toxins and carbon dioxide, directly improving air quality.
Improved air quality can help students focus their minds and the sound absorption properties can give a quieter more focused area.
5. Rainwater Retention
Rainwater runoff from traditional flat or pitched roofs can overwhelm urban drainage systems, especially during periods of heavy rainfall or flash flooding.
Green roofs help mitigate this risk of flooding by absorbing and retaining a significant amount of rainfall in their soil and vegetation layers. This helps to prevent localised flooding in urban areas.
6. Buildings Rating
If you are aiming to build a more sustainable property or improve your building's environmental credentials, installing a green roof can significantly contribute to the building's rating with BREEAM.
This certification system assesses buildings across a range of criteria, including:
- Water management
- Energy efficiency
- Pollution reduction
- Land use and ecology
Using native or locally adapted plant species on your green or sedum roof can further support ecology goals by requiring less irrigation and maintenance while support regional biodiversity. This approach is often looked upon favourably by planning authorities, particularly in urban development’s where ecological impact is a planning concern.
7. Biodiversity
City centres and urban environments often lack the natural habitats that many species rely on, leading to a decline in local biodiversity. A green roof helps to promote biodiversity by creating microhabitats that support a variety of plant and animal life, including pollinators, birds and other wildlife. This is especially true for extensive green roofs designed with native wildflowers, grasses and low-maintenance sedum plants.
Semi-intensive green roofs can also promote biodiversity as they contain a large percentage of wildflowers, grasses and herbs which will attract butterflies, bees and other insects.
When thoughtfully designed, green roofs can serve as ecological stepping stones, allowing wildlife to move through city landscapes. Extra features such as bird baths and beehives can be added to boost the roof’s ecological impact.
8. Protect Your Roof
A green roof acts as a natural barrier that shields the underlying roofing materials from the elements. The vegetation absorbs the brunt of environmental exposure, significantly reducing the impact of UV radiation which can degrade traditional roofing materials over time.
Green roof systems also guard against damage from acidic rain and airborne pollutants, both of which can contribute to the deterioration of standard roofing surfaces. Adding a green roof to your building can help prolong its life.
Disadvantages of a Green Roof
There are very few disadvantages, but there are a couple to consider before installing a green roof on your building:
- The cost of installation:A green roof will be more expensive to install than a traditional flat roof. This is because the underlying structure may have to be strengthened to cope with the extra load.
- Increased weight load:The weight of the soil, plants and water retention can add significant weight to the roof. This is when modifications or reinforcement will be needed.
- Not suitable for all structures:Not all buildings are structurally capable of supporting the added weight of an intensive green roof. This issue can be solved by opting for a semi-intensive green roof.
- Maintenance requirements:Although green roofs are typically low maintenance, they still require regular upkeep. This includes watering, fertilising, weeding and pruning.
- Weeds and pests:Green roofs can attract weeds and pests, which require additional maintenance and control measures.
Although there are a few disadvantages to green roofs, the advantages far outweigh them. From increasing biodiversity to making your building a lot more aesthetically pleasing, green roofs offer a wide range of long-term structural and environmental benefits that make them a smart and sustainable investment.
Green Roofs from Viritopia
With over 20 years of experience of designing and maintaining biophilic infrastructure, Viritopia can create a detailed plan of how a scheme will meet regulatory requirements.
Green Roofs with Viritopia
At Viritopia, we believe that thoughtful building design plays a crucial role in shaping healthier, more sustainable environments, especially for future generations. Integrating green roofs and living walls into educational, commercial or residential spaces does more than enhance visual appeal, it actively improves the functionality and resilience of buildings.
Green infrastructure helps protect facades from harmful UV rays and pollution, improves air quality and contributes to a quieter, more focused indoor environment. We all want to give the next generation the best atmosphere to study, work and live in, and careful building design is important to make sure of this.
Whether you're looking to boost your building's performance, meet sustainability goals or create a more welcoming, nature-connected environment, green roofs are a forward-thinking solution.
Get in touch with the team at Viritopia to help bring your green roof project vision to life.
