There are two basic types of green roofs.
Thickness of green roof.
The roof s main job however is to protect the interior of the house and personal belongings from the outside elements.
It varies considerably depending on the type of structure cost constraints and type of planting desired.
Further on the urbanscape green roof system can also be much thinner even more decreasing the weight than traditional green roof system.
Green roofs are typically characterized as intensive having 6 to 24 inches of media and large vegetation or extensive having 3 to 6 inches of media and smaller vegetation.
It is common practice to use the term extensive to describe green roofs that are very thin and will only support hardy drought resistant vegetation such as sedums herbs and perennials.
A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium planted over a waterproofing membrane it may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.
Do not install butyl rubber waterproofing membranes when ambient temperatures are below 40 f.
Intensive to describe green roofs that are thick enough.
This fact sheet will focus on extensive green roofs.
Green roofs can help reduce energy costs for a building by acting as another layer of insulation between the inside and outside of the roof.
Butyl rubber membranes only should be used in conjunction with adhesives and tapes recommended by the membrane manufacturer.
This is most noticeable in intensive green roofs since there is a thicker and more consistent layer of soil which provides a higher insulating value.
Often they are planted in trays.
Smaller thickness of the system will not compromise the performance due to the fact that urbanscape green roll can hold up to 3 4 times more water per its volume than other green roof substrates.
The thicker the substrate and vegetation the better the sound insulation.
In 2004 dunnett kingsbury conducted research at the airport in frankfurt germany.
How thick a roof is depends mostly on the size of the rafters used in the roof construction but there are additional elements including the thickness of the roof sheathing and the thickness of the shingles you choose.
Also the green roof drainage layer material is made to be sturdy and strong so that piercing can be limited and that the integrity of the entire program can be retained with ease.
The nominal thickness of a green roof is the approximate total height of the soil and drainage components that constitute the green roof system excluding the roof structure insulation waterproofing and plants.
The green roof drainage layer thickness makes sure that nothing can go wrong below offering a solid and effective guard.
Extensive roofs are 6 150mm or less thick and support things like grasses.