An essential piece to a green home is having an equally green roof. Green roof construction has become increasingly popular in the last decade. We have advanced in green roof technology from basic plant life and plant life mixture designs to full geothermal roofing and recycled roofing. In the process of creating a green roof the knowledge of what types of green roof options are available, the benefits of a green roof, materials used, where the by-products, how to start a green roof and most importantly how to maintain and green roof are all aspects that should be considered by the home builder or consumer. This guide will discuss all of these aspects in detail to help guide consumers to creating a green roof.
Types of Green Roof Options
There are several types of green roof options available to consumers and homebuilders. We will discuss the top ten options along with the benefits and installation methods of each option. This is the first step for any consumer or homeowner in finding the right green roof for, not only their plans, but for their location and climate.
Recycled Tiles
Recycled tiles are one of the easiest ways to apply green roof technology. You can control the kind of tile and level of green material that composes the tile blocks or sheets. The best recycled tile for a home is a curved shape. This helps with ventilation as well as insulation. The types of recycled materials used in recycled tile can be Terra Cotta, a mixture of terror, and plant or earth deposits, ceramic, or other recycled material. There has even been some research into making tiles from recycled glass products and from recycled plastic water bottles.
Green Roof Gardens
For green families is, homeowners or home builders that are considering a green home in a country or wooded area the idea of green roof gardens has become increasingly popular option. Green roof gardens use layers of gardening material and insulation material to create an active live roof. These are most popular with geothermal homes, like the one seen with the popular green home company Earth Ship.
Active Solar Roof
Active solar roofing is the process of creating a complete solar panel energy backed up or creating a home based on a 100% solar energy source. There are some drawbacks to having an active solar roof. However, for individuals who want to go completely solar with their home and energy usage this is the best option.
Cool Roof
The cool roof option has only become popular within the last few years. These rooms are typically composed of lighter materials that are sometimes reflective. Floors are able to keep a home much cooler than a typical bar roof. Though insulation is, still require the combination of a cool roof and proper insulation would be the optimal choice for a family living in extreme hot climates or in climates that have a tropical atmosphere throughout the year. For individuals living in Arizona or other desert regions, a cool roof is the prime option. The drawback to the cool roof comes in the winter or colder months of the year. Heating costs can be a bit higher with this type of roofing.
Green Roof Blocks
Green roof locks are the latest to advancement in green roofing. These roof blocks require no water and work in virtually any climate. They are generally available in 2 foot by 2 foot blocks. They are drought resistant and have several benefits. For a true green roof experience, this is the best of both worlds for consumers and homebuilders.
Benefits of a Green Roof
There are several benefits to having a green roof regardless of if you live in the city or country. These benefits tend to revolve around the particular type of green roof you have and the materials that you use to build your roof. However, some options available will give you the same benefits regardless of the type of green roof you choose or the materials that are used. Here are a few of the main benefits of a green roof system.
Energy Conservation and Consumption
Several of the benefits available for green roof owners deal with the energy consumption or conservation aspects of having a green roof. Many green roof options are made available to home builders and homeowners in an effort to reduce energy costs during extreme heat or cold conditions. Regardless of the type of green roof you have, there are certain benefits of energy reduction either during the summer or winter months. In addition to this energy reduction, you may also see an overall energy reduction throughout the year. Geothermal models of green homes, much like the geothermal homes offered by Earth Space, have year round benefits for energy conservation and to reduce your energy bill up to 75%.
Dual Purpose
One of the leading benefits to having certain types of green roofs, light garden roofs and geothermal roof options, is the dual-purpose nature of the roof. Many green roof options can be used as vegetable gardens, natural habitats or as a way to help the environment locally. In certain areas, such as extreme heat or wilderness areas, a green roof can serve as not only insulation year round but also as a habitat for local small animals such as rabbits. This can come full circle for families who prefer organic meats in their diets. The roof can serve as a habitat for wild game animals that will eventually produce organic meat for the family. For vegetarian families the same system can provide suitable gardening areas that can later be harvested for vegetarian diets. Many families who have utilized the garden style roof option have found that if they are vegetarian their grocery bills are reduced by up to 90%.
Durability
A leading reason for homeowners and homebuilders to choose a green roof option comes down to the durability of the materials being used. Some recycled options have durability but not as long as other green alternatives. The longest lasting green roof, currently, is either the metal option or the garden option. The garden option tends to stand out as the most durable and long lasting because of its dual-purpose nature in providing a habitat as well as possible food for vegetarian or organic meat families. Metal green roofs do provide durability, however, they have several disadvantages that detour a homeowners and builders from purchasing them.
Eco-friendly
It is understood that each type of green roof alternative available on the market will have its eco-friendly advantage. In fact, all of the options are eco-friendly though some are more so than others are. Of course, the most eco-friendly would be the green garden roof option due to its full circle of environmentally sound structure and. With recycled material green roofs, you will have an issue of the materials being used or recycled to make the roof structure. Some materials may be biodegradable while other materials stop in their eco-friendly cycle once they are recycled into roofing materials. If you are looking for a completely green option, the best step is to research each material to find the most eco-friendly compatible composition.
Materials to Build a Green
The materials used to build a green roof may vary depending on the type of green roof you choose to purchase. This guide will cover each type of green roof option that we have mentioned in the materials that would be used in creating and composing that particular green roof option.
Solar Roof Materials
Solar roof materials will be the easiest to purchase but may also be the most expensive option available for green roof homes. To properly utilize a solar green roof option, the homeowner would need to decide if they want to have a full roof option or a partial roof option. A full roof option would allow the household to go on a complete solar energy grid rather than a normal electrical grid. This would mean that the family could use electrical grid, provided to their home, as a backup in case of emergency or vice versa. Regardless of the number of solar panels, a family would like use on their roof, there will still need to be other roofing elements underneath those panels. Insulation, padding and possible roof shingles will need to be placed between the ceiling structure of the home and the bottom of the solar panel itself. This becomes costly and may enter into an area that is not as eco-friendly as the family would like to have.
Garden Roof
The garden roof is a bit more time consuming, but the materials are all natural and possibly the most eco-friendly and green way of providing a green roof for your home. There are several challenges to having a garden style roof. If you live in a wilderness or wooded area, you may want to consider green blocks as previously mentioned in this guide. These blocks do not need water and they can offer a habitat two birds and other small animals. You may also want to build a home in a geothermal manner. An example of a geothermal home with a green roof option is found with survival expert Cody Lundin’s geothermal home located in Arizona. This type of room means the home provides an environment for animals, plants and wildlife as well as providing a geothermal route for his home. The materials would be natural, peat moss, soil weed insulation between the rooftop and the start of the green roof. Special types are available for this purpose and special insulation is available.
Recycled Roof Materials
The materials used for recycled roof options are utilized with metal, cool roof, and tile roof options that have been previously mentioned in this guide. Recycled roofs can help the environment because certain items used for the composition of the roofing are either biodegradable or recycled. Unfortunately, the majority of the materials can be used to make recycled green roofing but they stop being eco-friendly at that point. Material such as recycled glass, recycled water bottles, recycled tiles, Terra Cotta and others will be the easiest and most cost effective to place into a green roof. There are green roofs made of other materials that have been recycled. The best way to ensure the you are getting an eco-friendly home and green roof that will not cause toxic emissions when exposed to severe weather conditions is to research the materials each roof is made out of.
Purchasing Materials
A question that many homeowners and builders ask regarding green roof options is where to buy the materials for a green roof. Naturally, if the materials are for a green garden roof then the supplies can primarily be purchased at garden centers or local gardening stores. They can also be found in nature if you have a geothermal option, or wilderness design. For materials such as green blocks, to use you may need to look online with specialty green roofing companies. Many of these companies will not only sell the materials you need but they will also provide installation of the materials. This can be vital when special insulation needs to be considered and special placement of that insulation and the roof itself need to be precise.
Local home improvement stores will have recycled tiles and other types of recycled roofing commonly available in the outdoor improvement section. Installation of this type of roofing can also be provided if you purchase the recycled tiles and roof materials from a hardware store or do it yourself home improvement center.
It should be noted that regardless of the type of green roof you are building, certain materials may or may not be allowed in certain residential neighborhoods. If you are creating a green roof for your home, you will need to check with local coding guidelines and rulings to ensure that the materials you are using and the green roof it are permitted within your living area. If you live in a wooded area or wilderness area, you will want to ensure that the materials that you use will benefit you and not cause a disadvantage. Some materials are more porous than others are while others attract pests. It is always best to do your research on the material would be using in the type of environment you are wanting to create with your green roof.
Getting Started
Knowing how to start a green roof depends on the type of green roof that you are purchasing or installing. If you are installing a green roof that is made out of recycled materials or with primarily store bought materials then the installation and starting a green roof question is easily answered. You will have the store or other installer place your green roof and show you how to maintain the green roof. Purchasing materials with installation options is the easiest way to create a green roof however it can also be the most costly.
Garden Roof Start-up
The question of how to start a green roof primarily comes in when you choose a green garden roof option. These options are called green garden roof options and there are several steps to starting this type of green roof.
The first step in starting a green garden roof are to ensure that the weight of the garden will not collapse the roof, that the roof itself meets codes and guidelines for your local living area and that the containers being used for your green garden roof are the proper containers for the type of garden you want to have.
After purchasing the proper containers, seedlings and base turf for your roof you will then install the roof according to the layout and directions for the particular roof you choose. With garden roofs, the start of the roof is similar to starting a regular garden. You will need to start with seedlings and transplant of seedlings to the rooftop garden. The roof will need to be maintained so that the plants will remain watered but the water will not reach the roof itself or damage the home.
With proper planning and guidance, a green roof can start within a day and with proper maintenance began to flourish within a matter of weeks. There are hydroponic roof options for green roofing however, these are rare and will need proper education or knowledge in order to implement correctly.
The best way to start a green roof is to find a green roof contractor or someone with green roof knowledge who can show you and guide you through the initial steps to ensure that the roof is placed properly and is well maintained.
A Word on Contractors and Maintaining a Green Roof
Maintaining a green roof is as difficult as maintaining a garden. If you have experience with a regular garden then a garden green roof will be easy. Depending on your climate, the types of gardening materials you choose and the seedlings chosen, maintaining a green roof will be time consuming at the beginning and will pay off towards the end. Maintenance with any green roof will start with a considerable amount of time devoted to getting the roof started and placed properly. Eventually the maintaining of the roof either will take care of itself or will only require minor work on occasion.
For natural green garden roofs, the maintenance is usually done by nature after a certain point. Naturally occurring rain, sun, wind and other weather related occurrences will help maintain the roof. Occasional weeding and other tasks may be needed just as with a garden. However, with a garden green roof the outcome is generally two incorporate some form of animal habitat. This animal habitat will help you maintain the roof by eating undesired plants and by fertilizing the garden area naturally.
If you choose to have a recycled roof such as a recycled tile roof or other type of recycled material, the maintenance will depend greatly in the type of material chosen. In order to ensure the you are maintaining your green roof properly you should check with the company that you purchase the green materials through on how to maintain certain aspects of the roof. For example, if you have a metal roof you would ask the home improvement center how to best maintain the metal to prevent rusting or other damaging issues. If you use a metal, bases for your green roof you will need to ensure that the metal is protected from rust or from wind damage. Once this has been taking care of maintaining, the roof should be no more difficult than rate maintaining a regular roof option.
Before closing this guide we would like to take a moment too mention green roof contractors. There are several green roof contractors available nationwide and many of them offer online videos, instruction manuals and will also offer and vice on how to install a green roof. If you are seriously considering a green roof option, it is in your best interest to find a local green roof contractor if possible. If there is no local green roof contractor available it is advised to find a green roof contractor who has a solid web presence so you can watch their training videos or other manuals online to ensure that you are maintaining and implementing your green roof properly. A green contractor is a good option because they have experience in green roofing, installing green roofing and maintaining green roofing. They know the problems that other homeowners and homebuilders of had with green rooms and they know how to avoid those problems. In other words, their education in the green roofing and overall green living is invaluable and should not be overlooked.