Benefits of Green Roof System- Blog With Sidra

  Thanks to the recently developing technology and building material science, the roof surface is turning from a building element that consu...

 Thanks to the recently developing technology and building material science, the roof surface is turning from a building element that consumes energy into a building component that contributes to the ecosystem.

While roofs or car parks are normally idle and unused building elements that absorb heat, with the sustainable use of green roofs, they have begun to become a unit that provides living spaces outside the building and can also be used as an activity area. At this point, the concept of green roof goes beyond its simple definition and is a system that provides greening of every concrete surface and provides a very functional, ecologically and socially.

Green roof systems are live vegetation placed on roofs and

can contribute positively to reducing the urban heat island and improving building thermal and environmental performance. It can range from a spontaneous moss and lichen-covered roof

to a full-scale rooftop garden that includes trees, shrubs and hardscape features. In recent years,

green roof application has become increasingly popular in many countries.

» Urban Heat Islands

Urban heat islands occur when the air over urban areas

becomes warmer due to meteorological and urban factors. Thermal effects are related to urban energy and mass exchanges.

In general, urban heat island increases cooling energy use in summer and

accelerates urban smog formation. This summer heat island is formed mainly

due to the lack of vegetation and high absorption of solar radiation by urban surfaces.

Therefore,

it is believed that green roof systems can be a useful tool to reduce the negative effects of urban heat islands.

» Increasing the Energy Performance of the Building Green Roof Systems, with the heat storage feature of the plant carrier layer, transmits the reduced thermal load to the interior environment less, thanks to the plant layer on the surface

in summer; In winter months, it reduces the heat transfer from the indoor environment to the outdoor environment , thus saving the cooling and heating energy consumed in buildings . In recent years, scientific studies have been carried out analyzing the effect of green roofs on heating and cooling loads for buildings with different functions and areas.

There are also semi-intensive (mixed) planting applications where these two systems are used together to suit the characteristics of the area. In the extensive, or sparse, vegetation system, when using suitable plants selected from mosses, succulents, grass and cover crops, shrubs and trees, which generally

require little water and do not require constant maintenance, the load on the roof is approximately 100 kg. /m².

In intensive planting, abundant soil is used, and it is even possible to grow trees on the roof.

However, since the load given by the system to the roof is around 300-400 kg/m2, the static system

must be created to stand with this load. The plants used in the system require maintenance. When choosing materials, mechanical effects on the roof and irrigation

needs should also be taken into consideration during the maintenance process.

Green roofs provide a wide range of benefits, from comfort, ecological and technical advantages to financial aspects. The table below provides a summary of the societal and individual benefits of green roof systems. It is thought that cities can benefit from green roofs in improving both visual, aesthetic and local human climate.

» Community Benefits

For communities, green roofs act as filters for airborne particles,

mitigating poor air quality problems. Rooftop greenery also

provides habitat for native plants and birds and opportunities for urban food production. Additionally, extensive rooftop greening can increase biodiversity and

provide a valuable opportunity for urban people and students to learn from nature.

» Individual Benefits

For building owners and occupants, roofs will reduce the cooling energy consumption of air-conditioned buildings by adding thermal insulation to the roof structure, preventing excess solar heat through transpiration and photosynthesis of vegetation, and modifying the microclimate

. Indoor thermal comfort can also be increased, as

the green roof can contribute to the modulation of indoor air temperature . If rooftop spaces are converted into roof gardens, they can offer new spaces to residents. In hospitals and infirmaries, patients facing a landscaped green roof, also known as horticultural therapy, are believed to have a faster recovery rate. In schools and educational facilities, students are better motivated by greenery.