Designing Residential Greenroofs: Finding Ways to maximize Urban Growing Space

Greenroofs provide a number of direct and indirect public and private benefits to a community and the buildings' residents and are becoming extremely popular in urban settings for a variety of reasons. These roofing systems provide an extra layer of insulation to the buildings roof and helps to reduce the amount of energy loss. Vegetated roofs help to reduce the "urban heat island effect" and help to protect the waterproofing membrane from excessive thermal cycles and damaging UV rays. The greenroof plants will filter out harmful pollutants, ozone, and other airborne particulates such as dust and heavy metals. Greenroofs can also be used to manage stormwater and can significantly reduce the amount of site development infrastructure. If designed properly they can also provide additional open space and increase the amount of bio-diversity and habitat for wildlife. These systems also qualify for a number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits