Green Roofs

GREEN ROOFS
A green 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 additionallayers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems
Also known as “living roofs”, green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation,creating a habitat for wildlife, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect. There are two types of green roofs: intensive roofs, which are thicker and can support awider variety of plants but are heavier and require more maintenance, and extensive roofs, which are covered in a light layer of vegetation and are lighter than an intensive green roof.
The term greenroof may also be used to indicate roofs that use some form of "green" technology, such as a cool roof, a roof with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic modules[citation needed]. Green roofs arealso referred to as eco-roofs, oikosteges, vegetated roofs, living roofs, and greenroofs. They also return many benefits for residents, owners, and the larger community through energy efficiency,profitability, and, environmental health. They can keep buildings cooler, save energy, and extend the useful life of the roof, while adding beauty and useable space
The Energy Efficiency of Greenroofsreduce surface temperatures on a roof by minimizing heat-absorbing surfaces, thereby also reducing energy costs inside the building. The Economic Savings are protecting roofing materials and insulatinghomes from extreme wear and tear, temperature fluctuations, and ultraviolet rays, greenroofs last up to twice as long as conventional roofs, cut home insulation needs by half, and reduce flooding. Bycontributing to stormwater management, greenroofs save cities from having to build water treatment facilities.. By adopting LEED standards, developers may also generate tax credit in many states....