Increased life of a roof
Better aesthetics
Energy efficient
Noise cancellation
Economic benefits
As the pressing issue of climate change intensifies with every passing day, the construction industry is looking for ways to use materials and designs that are more environment-friendly, energy-efficient and sustainable. Green roofing is one such technique that is used to get more in less and offers more than just a few advantages.
With numerous benefits, green roofing has proven to be an excellent roofing material that could cost you a little extra but provide you extreme value for money. Let’s look in detail at all the benefits of green roofing and why it is more sustainable and energy-efficient.
Benefits Of Green Roofing
Before we jump onto the benefits, let’s first understand what green roofing is. A green roof is a partially or completely covered rooftop of a house or a building with flora or vegetation often known as a roof garden. The particular area is installed with membranes and proofing materials to provide protection to the roof against roots of plants and water seepage.
Roofing should be done properly, as perfectly as possible, since it protects the interior of the house from various environmental changes such as rainstorms and snowfall. If the roof is not levelled or slightly inclined towards the drainage pipe, your roof will reserve water during monsoon season and your ceilings will more likely drip.
Mentioned below are some of the most common benefits of a green roof.
- Increased life of a roof
- Better aesthetics
- Energy efficient
- Noise cancellation
- Economic benefits
Increased Life Of A Roof
The roof of any building or a house is directly exposed to sunlight, and, by extension, to environmental changes. These external elements affect the roof over the years, which can result in huge maintenance costs. On the other hand, a green roof gives the advantage to not only the owner but also the roof by increasing its life. The roof is protected by different layers of proofing materials so that it is not affected by the roots of vegetation and flora. The greenery absorbs the sunlight, preventing it from reaching the surface of the roof, which, as a result, lasts longer than its average life.
Better Aesthetics
Greenery isn’t just beautiful, it’s also good for our health. Those who can afford to have big houses have gardens outside the covered area while those who don’t have enough space have planters or clay pots. Roof gardening and green roofs are other ways of contributing towards a green and more sustainable lifestyle.
Roof gardening improves the aesthetic look of a building and is always appreciated and admired by outsiders. It not only beautifies a building but because of its strong foundations and better quality of the roof, these also offer better returns.
Energy Efficient
Over the past decade, climate change has worsened. The temperatures in summers get unbearably high and in winters it drops more than it used to until a few decades ago. As a result of these changes, people have to invest in heating and cooling devices to maintain an optimum temperature inside their houses which have high one-time costs and the recurring bills become an important expense.
A green roof is a nature-friendly roofing technique that encourages more greenery and helps households in reducing periodic energy bills. Due to thick membranes that are laid over the roof, the house is insulated from heat from the top which results in a cooler atmosphere inside. This insulation works both in summers as well as winters and the energy bills are the least throughout the year.
Noise Cancellation
One of the most pressing problems of living in the city is noise pollution. The cities have been more commercialized because of which one can always find traffic on roads even during late hours of the night. Traffic and noise pollution are the reasons why suburbs are becoming more common.
Thankfully, one of the benefits of green roofing is that plants have this amazing ability to mitigate noise. This combined with extra layering gives complete noise insulation to the house and you can expect a peaceful atmosphere in the house provided the doors and windows are also closed.
Economic Benefits
Yes, there is a one-time cost that is more than what is incurred on a usual roof because you need material and plants to prepare a green roof but that is all. In the long run, it will only require regular maintenance for your own satisfaction to see if there is any leakage or if something needs an up-gradation.
Once you have installed green roofing in your house, all that you will see is its advantages. Your roof will not need maintenance for a very long time. The energy bills will be reduced as compared to other houses with other roofing materials. The air quality around your house will be better. The rainwater that usually goes down the drain will be absorbed by your green roof and it is also one of the ways of stormwater management. It is also possible for you to grow vegetables using modern techniques that do not require an earth. People have been growing fruits and vegetables using drip irrigation on their rooftop gardens and using them instead of buying from commercial markets.
It is better to install green roofing in a house that has been developed under your own supervision because it requires structural support to bear its heavyweight. You will know about how strong the foundations of your house are if it has been constructed by yourself and this is something you cannot say for sure about a readymade house.
FAQs
Q. What are the advantages of a green roof?
A. Green roofs have the following advantages:
- Increased life of a roof
- Better aesthetics
- Energy efficient
- Noise cancellation
- Economic benefits
Q. How are green roofs good for the environment?
A. Green roofs are good for the environment because they generate more oxygen.
Q. What is the most important advantage of green roofs?
A. The most important advantage of green roofs is that it increases the life of a roof which results in low maintenance costs.
If you are looking for other roofing solutions, we have written a guide on the best heat resistant roofing sheets in Pakistan that may prove to be beneficial for you. You can give us your feedback about green roofing if you already have it at blog@zameen.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to Zameen Newsletter for regular updates and keep following Zameen Blog.
