Green roofs

THINKING ABOUT GOING GREEN? DISCOVER HOW THIS SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENT CAN BENEFIT YOUR HOME

- JENNY MCFARLANE

Also known as a ‘living roof’, a green roof is a roof on a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation,which is most often sedum. They’re eco-friendly, insulating and a striking alternative to traditional styles.

‘Green roofs fall into two basic categories: turf and sedum roofs. In order to have a turf roof on your home, you’ll need to add at least 15cm of soil to your roof,’ says Tom McKinna, designer at Resi. ‘This adds a lot of extra weight when compared to its sedum counterpart. Because of this added load, special considerations will need to be made for the weight – meaning you’ll need to consult your structural engineer during the building regulations stage.

‘Sedum roofs, on the other hand, are so light they can usually be built on most properties,’ continues Tom. ‘Rather than using turf (essentially grass), sedum roofs are made from this type of succulent – it’s a much more robust plant than grass, and can survive easily in a drought.’

When it comes to creating a green roof, size doesn’t matter. You can brighten up a bird house as a garden idea or add an entire layer to the top of your home; the choice is yours.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?