Evds2702marks’s Weblog

This week we had a really interesting lecture on roof gardening. I found it really interesting because we discussed the difference between a roof top garden and a green roof which I had always wondered.

Historical:

• Hanging Gardens (Babylon)
• Scandinavian Turf Roofs

*I think that it is interesting to learn the historical background of things such as roof top gardens. People have been practicing this for many years and it is useful to see the different techniques that we today can use, seeing what worked and what didn’t.

Modern Experiments:

• Le Corbusier’s concrete roof, garden with a nursery school

Green Roofs and Roof Gardens

• Amenity and Aesthetic Benefits: recreational space, public and private, high quality in high density.
• Environmental Benefits: biodiversity and wildlife value, storm water management, air pollution, urban heat island effect
• Economic Benefits: increased roof life, cooling, insulation and energy efficiency, green building assessment and public relations

BASICS: 3 Types of Roof Construction

1.  Inverted: roof deck->water proof, root proof-> insulation
2. Cold: insulation-> roof deck-> water proof, root proof
3. Warm: roof deck-> insulation->water proof, root proof

Green roof layer: roof deck->water proof, root proof-> insulation-> drainage layer-> filter mat-> substrate/growing medium

Roof Greeing Typology

Green Roof:

• inaccssible
• more environmental
• extensive maintenance
• less expensive
• no watering
• moss/sedum
• dry meadow

Roof Garden:

• Accessible
• Enjoyable
• intensive maintenance
• more expensive
• irrigation and fertilization
• meadow/lawn
• perennials/trees/grasses

*Important to consider substrate depth and weight of vegetation

Over all I came to the conclusion that a roof top garden is a place to enjoy, where a green roof can also be enjoyed its main purpose is to help the environment.