What are the biggest advantages of green roofs? If you want to know why you should green roofs with plants, you've come to the right place! Whether in the city or in the countryside - roofs can be much more than just a covering to protect buildings from the weather.
For example, lively oases that are not only pleasing to the eye, but also have numerous ecological and economic benefits. But of course there are many other reasons why more and more cities and private homeowners are opting for planted roofs.
In this article, I would like to give you an overview and provide you with the most important benefits of green roofs. Let them motivate you, for example, to create a green roof or even a roof garden. Let's go!
Definition: What exactly is a green roof?
Before we get started, a brief digression! A green roof, often also referred to as a vegetation roof, is a Roof area of a building that is fully or partially covered with vegetation and built up in such a way that plants can grow on it.
Green roofs are generally divided into two different typesExtensive greening and intensive greening. Both contribute to the enhancement of buildings and bring numerous other benefits for their residents and the environment.
The Extensive greening is generally lighter, requires less maintenance and usually consists of mosses, sedum and other drought-resistant plants. This form of green roof is very popular on garages or garden sheds, for example.
In contrast, the Intensive greening often has a more varied selection of plants, including shrubs and trees. This is another reason why it requires a deeper layer of soil and more regular maintenance. Intensive green roofs are often park-like areas and are usually open to the public.
10 advantages: Why should you green roofs?
As with any measure, there are both advantages and disadvantages to green roofs that should be taken into account when making a decision. Some critics, for example, point to the higher installation costs, additional construction costs or on the occasional maintenance work towards. As in many areas of life, the same applies here: Where there is light, there is also shadow.
Nevertheless, the advantages of green roofs clearly outweigh the disadvantages - both for the individual and for all our fellow creatures and nature.
Now I would like to prove it to you and introduce you to the most important green roof benefits. You will quickly understand, Why it's definitely worth itto install a vegetation canopy.
1. improvement of the urban climate
Green roofs actively help to improve the climate in the immediate vicinity, especially in the city. In the midst of the sealed urban jungle, planted roofs absorb the sun's rays and cool the air in their surroundings.
This also counteracts the problem of urban heat islands (cities are particularly warm places due to human activity) and the Health risk minimized.
In addition, green roofs have the advantages that Clean airand bind pollutants and particulate matter. In this way, green roofs have an extremely positive effect on the urban climate.
2. increase biodiversity
A vegetation canopy is an ecological compensation area with which you can plants as well as countless insects, birds and other small animals. a valuable habitat. The animals find food there and can rest and breed.
Urban greening therefore increases biodiversity. It counteracts the species extinction This is mainly due to increasing land sealing and building development.
Tip: About Biodiversity I have also written a detailed knowledge article for you. If you are interested in the topic, please take a look!
3. energy saving and thermal insulation
An often overlooked Green roof benefits is the Energy saving. Grüne Dächer fungieren nämlich als natürliche Isolierung. They keep buildings pleasantly cool in summer and nice and warm in winterThis reduces the energy consumption of air conditioning and heating systems - and therefore also the financial outlay.
This is another reason why green roofs play a valuable role for the environment. Economic, ecological and social construction of the future.
4. extension of the roof service life
The plants on the roof protect the roofing material from the UV radiation, frost, hail and dew, strong temperature fluctuations and many other weather conditions.
Since the Mechanical wear minimized by the green roof the service life of the roof is approximately twice as long as that of a conventional gravel roof, according to estimates by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics. This is another of many decisive Advantages of green roofswhich are often not considered in the truest sense of the word.
Tip: This means that green roofs are basically also a Sustainable sun protection. You can find out how else you can protect yourself from the sun in an environmentally friendly way in the linked blog post.
5. visual enhancement of buildings
Green roofs, roof gardens (or even green façades) naturally not only have a functional benefit, but also provide a More aesthetic overall appearance - and not just for garden sheds.
The green roof landscapes are a real eye-catcher, especially in cities, and - if accessible - also a relaxing, social retreat. In this way, greenery can also Make urban areas more attractive and last but not least Increase real estate values.
6. rainwater management and retention
Why green roofs? In sealed urban areas in particular, water can hardly seep away, so it can quickly become Floods comes.
One of the most important advantages of green roofs over conventional roofs is that they retain rainwater and Drain naturally and allow it to evaporate. This relieves the burden on urban areas and the sewer system, especially during heavy rainfall.
7. effective radiation, noise and sound insulation
Another of the many advantages of a green roof is that its Soil and plants absorb sound. This significantly reduces noise pollution, especially in urban areas.
Furthermore, it also has a Radiation damping effect in the frequency range of the mobile phone network, thus preventing possible health problems caused by certain radiation sources.
8. Immobilienwert steigern
Ein Gründach macht dein Haus optisch und vor allem auch wirtschaftlich attraktiver. Die natürliche Dachdämmung erhöht nämlich die Energieeffizienz, da sich die Wärmeisolierung verbessert. Somit profitierst du als Eigenheimbesitzer:in auch von geringeren Heiz- bzw. Kühlkosten. Auf diese Weise erhöht sich schlussendlich auch der Wiederverkaufswert - and the Miete, die man als Vermieter:in verlangen kann.
Good to know: Ein weiterer nennenswerter Vorteil der Dachbegrünung ist übrigens, dass damit kombinierte Solarmodule (erhöhen ebenfalls den Immobilienwert) even more powerful as they work even more efficiently at lower temperatures.
9. creation of new usable areas
Whether on Flat roofs of apartment buildings and office complexes or on the roofs of garages, carports, garden sheds and house extensions: Green roofs create ecological areas that have a benefit. And not just for wildlife! The areas can also be made accessible and usable for us humans.
Roof gardens in particular, for example, offer Space for recreation, the cultivation of fresh food or social meeting places in the countryside, which are particularly valuable in densely built-up urban areas.
10. CO2 storage and climate protection
Ecological green roofs are an important step in the development of sustainable cities. The plants absorb emitted CO2 and produce oxygen. As a result, green roofs and roof gardens (and of course green facades) not only improve air quality, but also help in the fight against one of the biggest climate change threats. Environmental problems of our time - the man-made climate change.
Tip: My best Tips for a climate-friendly everyday life have been compiled in the corresponding blog post. Be sure to take a look if you want to do your bit against global warming.
Understand and benefit from the advantages of a green roof!
Green roofs represent a Sustainable vision for sustainable urban development concepts and also offer a variety of benefits in the countryside that can enrich both our immediate, personal environment and life on the planet as a whole.
"It should become common practice to give nature the space on the roof that is taken away from it by the footprint of the house."
Friedensreich Hundertwasser (more under Nature Quotes)
By integrating green roofs into urban regions, we are making an active contribution to making our residential areas more liveable, healthier and more resilient to the climatic challenges of the future.
Tatsächlich wird in einigen Städten bereits eine sogenannte „Gründachstrategie“ verfolgt. Städte, wie beispielsweise Hamburg integrieren Dachbegrünung in den Bebauungsplan oder geben es in einer Gründachverordnung sogar vor. Viele Städte und Kommunen bieten zudem großzügige Förderungen bei der Installation eines Gründachs.
Darüber hinaus erhält man, abhängig vom Standort, bis zu 90 Prozent der Abwassergebühr zurück, die regulär nicht unerheblich zu Buche schlagen. Das liegt daran, dass die Kanalisation dank der Regenrückhaltefunktion von Gründächern entlastet wird.
I hope I've been able to help you with this article. Do you have any questions, ideas or would you like to share your own experiences with the benefits of green roofs? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay sustainable,
PS: You can also let climbing plants climb up the walls of buildings to achieve a cooling effect and create additional habitat for animals. For example, as you can see in a Let garden house overgrown you can find out next in the linked blog post.
References:
₁ SOLARWATT GmbH: Photovoltaics and green roofs: a good combination (as at: 10.05.2022), available at https://solarenergie.de/photovoltaikanlage/arten-von-pv-anlagen/flachdach/solaranlagen-und-dachbegruenung. [06.10.2023].
