If you own a property and wish to improve its ecological function as well as beautify its exterior, a Sedum green roof provides an innovative solution to this problem. City and urban environments are so often crowded and contained, with air pollution, manmade materials and a lack of nature causing them to feel detached and claustrophobic, but they don’t need to be this way.
At Walls of Plants, we believe that architecture is evolving for the better, and sedum green roofs are just one of the ways that you can make your commercial or domestic property embrace the ideals of sustainable living, so we’ve taken a deep dive into what they are, and how they can benefit your life and your home.
What is a Sedum Green Roof?
A green roof is a living layer of plants installed on flat or gently sloped rooftops, replacing traditional materials like concrete or slate. These roofs are completely covered in vegetation, supported by specially designed layers that protect the building and sustain the plants.
How Does a Sedum Green Roof Work?
Green roofs are built using several key layers:
- Draining Substrate: Manages excess water and ensures proper drainage.
- Root Barriers: Prevents roots from damaging the roof structure.
- Waterproof Layers: Protects your building from water damage while keeping the roof self-sustaining.
Types of Green Roofs
Green roofs come in three main types, each tailored to different needs and environments:
1. Extensive Green Roofs
- Perfect for: Smaller buildings like homes, garages, or sheds.
- Features:
- Lightweight and low-maintenance.
- Uses hardy plants like moss, wildflowers, and grasses that require little upkeep.
- A cost-effective, eco-friendly option for homeowners or small-scale projects.
2. Intensive Green Roofs
- Perfect for: Larger buildings or those looking for a lush rooftop garden.
- Features:
- Supports larger plants, such as shrubs, small trees, and bushes.
- Requires deeper drainage layers and regular maintenance (e.g., pruning, watering).
- Visually stunning and ideal for creating a rooftop oasis, but more resource-intensive.
3. Semi-Intensive Green Roofs
- Perfect for: A balance between beauty and practicality.
- Features:
- Can sustain medium-sized plants, such as shrubs and flowers.
- Requires less structural support and maintenance compared to intensive roofs.
- Combines aesthetic appeal with moderate upkeep needs.
Why Choose a Sedum Green Roof?
Green roofs offer numerous benefits, from improving air quality and reducing heat to providing a beautiful, eco-friendly addition to your property. By selecting the type of green roof that suits your needs, you can enjoy a sustainable and visually stunning rooftop space.
The benefits of a Sedum Green Roof
Purifies the Air
As concerns about air pollution grow, many councils are reintroducing trees and wildflowers along dual carriageways, pavements, and small city parks. Installing a green roof can be part of this solution, even if you don’t have garden space or land around your home or office.
Green roofs absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, improving air quality, especially in cities where natural greenery is limited. The plants also trap dust, pollutants, and airborne toxins, helping to create a healthier environment overall.
Provides Natural Drainage
Green roofs offer a sustainable way to manage excess water. The layers of soil, plants, and drainage materials prevent rainwater from overwhelming city sewer systems, reducing the strain on infrastructure and minimizing water pollution. By absorbing and filtering rainwater, green roofs also help mitigate flooding in urban areas by slowing down runoff from rooftops.
Supports Pollinators and Wildlife
Cities are often inhospitable for pollinators and wildlife that once thrived there. Reintroducing green spaces, like green roofs, can provide much-needed habitats for birds, bees, butterflies, and other essential insects. While green roofs can’t fully replicate natural environments, they offer a valuable refuge for wildlife to rest, breed, and forage. This is crucial for pollinators, who are key to the health of agriculture and the broader ecosystem.
Reduces Building Temperatures
Urban areas are often hotter than rural ones due to dense infrastructure, high population concentrations, and limited green spaces. Materials like concrete and tarmac absorb and re-emit heat, raising ambient temperatures in cities.
Adding greenery to your roof helps reduce heat by absorbing it, preventing the buildup of heat inside your building. In offices, this can also lower air conditioning costs, making green roofs a smart investment for both comfort and savings.
Adds value to your property
Green roofs can add value to your property. Because it adds an aesthetic appeal and makes your property more sustainable, having a green roof installed will make your house or office building more attractive to buyers.
Protects from erosion
Green roofs provide a protective layer that prevents erosion from destroying roof surfaces. This can be more cost effective as you won’t need to worry about expensive repairs to your roof or the interior of your home if you experience leaks.
Creates a vibrant appearance
Whether you are considering selling your property in the future or just want to add an extra layer of interest to its exterior, green roofs along with green walls, will add vibrancy to your home.
Unlike traditional roofs, which can be dull and uninspiring, green roofs are vibrant and unique. Whilst they won’t give the cottagey feel that some wall plants can turn a city building into something far more exciting than corporate skyscrapers. They can be designed with a variety of plants, flowers, and even small trees, creating a living landscape that changes with the seasons.
Where can you have a green roof?
Almost any flat surface is suitable for a green roof, but you will need to make sure that it is in good condition before the structure is installed.
Green roofs can be installed on:
- Homes
- Office buildings
- Sheds
- Garages
- Bike stores
- Bus shelters
- Extensions
- Repurposed shipping containers
If you’re considering brightening up the exterior of your building with a practical yet stunning plant display, Walls of Plants can turn your vision into a reality through the installation of exceptional Green Roofs that stand the test of time. Our lightweight green roof structures consist of an attractive sedum blanket that is suitable for commercial and domestic buildings, with high water absorption properties that protect the structure of your building whilst contributing to the sustainability and function of the property. Visit our website today at www.wallsofplants.com and find out more…
