What Does a Green Roof Do?
A “green roof” is a roof that supports plant life to provide a number of benefits to the environment. On a larger scale they can help to cool down cities that are affected by hotter climate change summers. Green roofs may be implemented for office buildings, but they can also be adopted by individuals as part of a home design or environmentally conscious redesign.
Green roofs don’t have to involve standard planting, they can be highly specific to the local ecosystem, and a green roof can be a way to grow ecosystem-specific plants that can help encourage local bugs, birds and other animals.
They can also be extremely functional for your eco-friendly lifestyle as you may be able to access the roof area to grow food and create a garden.
Finally, they are very beautiful, and they form an integral part of some people’s design or redesign plans for their home, interiors and garden. They may be installed on flat roof additions, on the original roof or on the roof of a brand new home.
What are the environmental benefits of green roofs?
Drainage / Absorbs Water
Green roofs are fantastic for absorbing rainwater, which means they can help to prevent pollution caused by stormwater that sends polluted runoff into the water supply. This is particularly true in towns and cities where paved surfaces make it more difficult for water to be absorbed into the ground.
Purifies the Air
Green roofs reduce carbon dioxide and other pollutants in the atmosphere to fight climate change and benefit human health.
Reduces Ambient Temperature
Green roofs can also reduce the ambient temperature, especially in cities. Their cooling, pollution-reduction and climate change resistance benefits make them an environmentally responsible choice for people designing an office building or “greening” an existing workplace.
Increases the Lifespan of the Roof
Green roofs protect a roof from many of the environmental stressors that typically wear away at a roof. A green roof can last two or three times longer than a conventional roof.
Protects Biodiversity
Green roofs protect biodiversity in the local area. They can attract bugs, birds and pollinators.
Sound barrier
A green roof can provide a sound barrier, making it a great choice for urban buildings like office buildings where a quiet atmosphere is preferred.
Insulating, and increases energy efficiency / solar panel efficiency
The major benefit of a green roof is its insulating powers. It can limit the transfer of heat from a building exterior to its interior by 72 percent. A green roof cools the roof temperature and can therefore help solar panels work more efficiently.
Climate Change Design and Green Interior Design
Green interior design and climate change design support the environmentally friendly, carbon neutral design and redesign of your home or office. Our La Jolla green interior design and biophilic design consultants work with individuals building or upgrading their homes, and with organizations who want to design a beautiful and environmentally conscious work space. We can work with your chosen team of specialist contractors, architects and engineers to help make your eco-conscious dream home or office environment a reality.
Whatever the ambition of your project, we bring the value of ten years research into the science of green interior design and biophilic design to our consultations. This allows us to support a harmonious alliance between technical considerations, beauty and the use-potential of your indoor and outdoor spaces. If you are thinking of integrating a green roof into your home or office design and need help reimagining the potential of your rooftop or rooftop space, we can provide info on local habitats, biodiversity and the design potential of your green rooftop project. Please contact our La Jolla Green Interior Design team to get an in-person or remote consultation.
