ROOF GARDENS / ROOF GREEN - advantages
1) SAVING ENERGY
Cool in summertime, warm in wintertime: so you are saving energy !
In the summer, green roofs can provide considerable cooling, while the savings on energy costs for heating in the winter can save to up to 23%! This means that a roof garden/green roof not only contributes to a better living environment, but also pays for itself.
2) BETTER LIVING ENVIRONMENT
A green roof looks beautiful and attractive (flowers, scents and colours), improves biodiversity and offers plenty of space for insects. Sedum, for example, is a nectar plant for bees and butterflies. In addition, it is generally known that green has a calming and stress-reducing effect. So more green ensures a better living environment!
3) CO2 AND PARTICULATE DUST
Vegetation can filter fine dust from the air and convert CO2 into oxygen. In addition, rain purifies the air of CO2 and fine dust, among other things, this is captured by the substrate of the roof garden, where a large part of these substances remains.
4) EXTENDED ROOF LIFE
The lifespan of a green roof is up to 3 times longer, compared to a conventional roof which lasts about 30 years. The plants protect against the harmful effects of sunlight and rain and it reduces temperature fluctuations (the temperature of black roofing can reach up to 70 degrees in the sun!).
5) INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME
With in a green roof, the value of your house increases. Think of the insulating effect and the view. In addition, a roof garden or green roof is seen as a plus when selling your house.
6) INCREASES THE YIELD OF SOLAR PANELS
Solar panels have the highest yield at a low ambient temperature. On a roof with a bitumen roof covering, for example, the temperature can rise to 60 or 70 degrees, while on a green roof it remains around 35 degrees. This increases the yield of your solar panels and the lower temperature also ensures a longer lifespan of the solar panels.
7) REGULATES RAINWATER
Research shows that a green roof can absorb approximately 50% of the rainwater and return it to the atmosphere (among other things through absorption by plants and evaporation). And since we are increasingly experiencing heavy rainfall in a short period of time, this makes a significant difference to the burden on the sewer system and can prevent flooded streets.
8) REDUCTION OF URBAN HEAT
The temperature in the city is higher than in the countryside, because the buildings and roads in a city absorb the heat and then release it again. This is called the “urban heat island effect”. Greenery (and therefore also green roofs or green facades) ensures a lower ambient temperature.
Because space for greenery in the city is often limited, a green roof or green facade is the ideal means of creating more greenery in the city.