Green roof
With increasing attention to the environment and sustainable choices with an eye on the future of our planet, the green roof was born. A green roof gives a playful look to a property and has many advantages as a roof covering and even as insulation. Why you choose a green roof, what you gain from this investment and why you choose Roofers 24/7 can be read on this page.
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Why choose a green roof?
With a green roof, you are choosing an environmentally conscious, sustainable and insulating roof covering. In addition to the ecological motivations for choosing a green roof, the calm yet modern look to a property is also a nice touch. The lifespan of well-maintained or new roofing can be tripled up to three times with the help of a green roof.
That’s why you choose a green roof:
- Environmentally conscious;
- Insulating and therefore energy-saving;
- Extends the life of the existing roof;
- Natural absorption of precipitation and thus less risk of leaks.
Types of green roofs
With a green roof, there are two types of green roofs to choose from. Choosing the right green roof depends mainly on your personal wishes. How much maintenance do you wish to have on the green roof? What look do you wish to achieve?
Garden roof - Intensive green roof
An intensive green roof is also called a roof garden. There is actually that possibility: using your roof as a garden. As vegetation, there is a wide choice of plants, flowers, shrubs, herbs and even small tree species. Of course, this requires that the roof structure of your home or building be strong enough to support the intensive green roof. The weight of the green roof can be enormous (up to 200 pounds per m2), making a professional roof inspection prior to the work essential, according to our experts. Installing a roof garden provides more living space and comfort, but it also requires intensive and high maintenance.
An intensive green roof (roof garden) in brief:
- Environmentally conscious and green choice;
- Requires a lot of maintenance;
- Walkable roofing;
- Can be used as an additional garden;
- Layer thickness greater than 20 centimeters;
- Various choice of vegetation possible;
- Roof structure must be able to support weight of 200 pounds per m2, determined by a structural engineer through a roof inspection;
- Applicable to roofs with slopes from 1 to 4 degrees.
Extensive green roof - Sedum roof - Moss roof
Are you interested in a green roof, but less interested in maintaining an extra garden? Then an extensive green roof is a suitable option for you. An extensive green roof can be covered with succulents (sedum roof), mosses (moss roof) and/or herbs that require little or no maintenance. This way you do have the advantages of a green roof, but you do not have to spend more time on extra maintenance.
An extensive green roof in a nutshell:
- Environmentally conscious and green choice;
- Requires little to no maintenance;
- Non walkable roofing;
- Layer thickness less than 20 centimeters;
- Choice of succulents, mosses or herbs as vegetation;
- Roof construction does not require structural roof inspection;
- Applicable to roofs with slopes from 1 to 45 degrees.
When to choose intensive or extensive green roof?
There are several factors that go into choosing an intensive or extensive green roof. Starting with the slope angle of the roof of your home or property. If the pitch of the roof is above 4 degrees, an intensive green roof is not an option. An intensive green roof is heavy in weight and a roof with a pitch above 4 degrees simply cannot lift it. Is your home’s roof flat with a maximum pitch of 4 degrees? Then both an intensive and extensive green roof is possible. In this case, you can make the considerations below for yourself and base your choice on that:
| Intensief groendak | Extensief groendak |
|---|---|
| Veel onderhoud | Weinig tot geen onderhoud |
| Veel keuze uit begroeiing | Beperkte keuze uit begroeiing |
| Dakinspectie essentieel | Dakinspectie niet nodig |
| Bruikbaar als extra tuin | Alleen dakbedekking, niet beloopbaar |
Cost saving green roof
With the investment in a green roof, you are going to save on energy costs, among other things, after installation. In fact, a green roof has the added advantage of extra insulation. So in the winter months you are less likely to need to turn on the heating because it is warmer inside. And in the summer months your house or building is cool inside, which is ideal!
The costs for the installation of a green roof by the specialists of Roofers 24/7 depend mainly on the surface of the roof, the choice of under layers and the amount and types of vegetation you want. The average costs for installing an intensive or extensive green roof are shown in the overview below:
| Soort groendak | Prijs per m² (incl. btw en montage) |
|---|---|
| Intensief groendak | € 75 – € 195 |
| Extensief groendak | € 35 – € 100 |
*The above prices are an average price for guidance. Would you like to know exactly what you will pay for having a green roof installed? Then request a free, no-obligation quote from us.
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Advantages and disadvantages green roof
To make an informed choice regarding roofing, it is good to know the advantages and disadvantages of a green roof. Are you unsure about installing a green roof or are you exploring alternative roofing options? Then be sure to read about the advantages and disadvantages of a green roof here.
Green roof benefits
- Better stormwater runoff: Wet precipitation is absorbed by vegetation and gradually drained over a longer period of time.
- Natural insulating effect: A green roof works provides additional insulation to the roof. Green roofs also act as sound insulation.
- Roof structure protected: The protection of the green roof makes the roofing material last at least twice as long.
- Longevity for a natural look: Green roofs give a natural look to a property and have a lifespan of 50-70 years.
Disadvantages of green roof
- Leaks hard to find: Finding the origin of a leak through a green roof are made more difficult.
- Maintenance: A green roof always requires some maintenance, think weed removal, watering and the like.
- Attracts birds: Green roofs are also popular with birds. With associated drawbacks (bird droppings, noise, etc.)
- Costly: Having a green roof installed is a fairly costly investment.
Different options building green roof
There are several options with green roofs in mind. The three different techniques, and the difference between them, has mainly to do with the amount of layers being laid. An overview of the possible options:
Single-layer system
A soil layer that provides good drainage is applied directly on top of the waterproofing roof. The vegetation of the roof grows in this soil layer. Thus, the green roof consists of one layer.
Two-layer system
With the two-layer system, more consideration is given to drainage. Special drainage mats or a layer of absorbent mineral matter (volcanic rock or clay balls or the like) are applied under the soil layer. To prevent small substrate particles from impeding drainage, a filter layer is applied on top of the drainage layer. Then the vegetation is placed, where we like to work with ready-made vegetation mats. Alternatives are of course possible.
Three-layer system
The three-layer system is almost identical to the two-layer system, but with an additional addition. A rainwater reservoir is provided to ensure that during dry periods the vegetation is still watered. This is the most costly choice for a green roof, but also immediately the smartest and most sustainable choice.
Green roof subsidy
In some municipalities there is a subsidy for the installation of green roofs. Reducing CO2 emissions and increasing nature is increasingly important in many municipalities. So check carefully with your municipality if there are any subsidies available for your green roof.
Also, make sure you have gone through the associated terms and conditions beforehand to ensure you are awarded the potential grant. If required, the professionals at Dakdekker 24/7 can do the subsidy verification for you.
Request a free green roof quote
At Roofers 24/7, we think it’s important to work hard, but also to be transparent. We provide you with a customized quote that includes more information than just our prices. After your quote request, you will receive our quote within 24 hours at the email address known to us. We will contact you a few days after the quote is issued for any additional questions and/or comments. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation quote, please email info@dakdekkers247.nl or fill out the contact form on our contact page. You can request a quote by phone by calling: 06-40125121.
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