Green Roofs for Sustainable Development

living roofs for Sustainable development

What is Sustainable Development?

Sustainable development is a holistic concept that integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations.

Traditionally, development often prioritised short-term economic gains at the expense of natural resources and long-term societal well-being. Sustainable development strives for a balance. This might incorporate:

  • Environmental Stewardship: Minimising our impact on the natural world through resource conservation, pollution reduction, and biodiversity protection.
  • Social Equity: Ensuring that development benefits all members of society, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or location, and addressing issues of social justice.
  • Economic Viability: Creating economic opportunities that are long-term, resilient, and contribute to a thriving community – not reliant on unsustainable practices.

For architects and developers, this translates to designing buildings and urban spaces that are energy-efficient, utilise sustainable materials, minimize waste, and create healthy and resilient environments. For planning decision-makers, it means shaping policies and regulations that incentivise sustainable practices and promote long-term community prosperity.

Living Roofs, Green Roofs and Roof Gardens

As we pursue resilient and sustainable urban development, innovative building systems are paramount. A perfect example is Living roofs – engineered vegetative systems installed on rooftops representing a sophisticated infrastructure solution offering significant performance and economic benefits alongside demonstrable environmental advantages. We will now look at the key considerations for architects, developers, and planning decision-makers evaluating the potential of living roofs (also referred to as green roofs) within their projects.

Living roofs are not simply decorative features; they are carefully designed systems comprising:

  • Waterproof Membrane: Providing a robust barrier to prevent water damage.
  • Root Barrier: Preventing root intrusion into the waterproofing layer.
  • Drainage Layer: Facilitating efficient water drainage.
  • Filter Layer: Preventing soil from clogging the drainage system.
  • Growing Medium: Providing a substrate for plant growth – typically lightweight aggregates for extensive roofs and deeper soil layers for intensive systems.
  • Vegetation: Selected for climate suitability, maintenance requirements, and desired benefits (e.g., drought tolerance, biodiversity).

There are two primary living or green roof classifications:

  • Extensive Green Roofs: Covering 1-4 inches of substrate, utilizing shallow-rooted, low-maintenance plants like sedums and grasses. Typically lighter in weight and easier to implement.
  • Intensive Green Roofs: Mimicking traditional gardens with deeper soil layers (6 inches or more), supporting a wider range of plant species, shrubs, and even small trees. These require more robust structural support and ongoing maintenance.

Strategic Benefits for Urban Environments:

  • Enhanced Building Performance:
    • Thermal Performance: Living roofs significantly reduce heat transfer, minimizing cooling loads (estimated 10-15% reduction in HVAC energy consumption) and improving winter heat retention. Life Cycle Cost Analyses (LCCAs) demonstrate long-term savings.
    • Structural Longevity: The protective layer shields the roofing membrane from UV degradation and thermal stress, extending its lifespan by 2-3 times, reducing long-term maintenance costs.
    • Noise Reduction: Vegetative layers attenuate sound transmission, creating a quieter indoor (and possibly outdoor) environment.
  • Sustainable Development & Planning Considerations:
    • Stormwater Management: Living roofs capture and retain a significant portion of rainfall (estimated 50-90% depending on system type), reducing runoff volume and pressure on municipal drainage infrastructure. This aligns with sustainable drainage system (SDS) requirements.
    • Urban Heat Island Mitigation: Reduces surface temperatures, mitigating urban heat island effects and improving local microclimates
    • Biodiversity & Habitat Creation: Provides valuable habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, contributing to urban ecology.
    • Carbon Sequestration: Living roofs sequester carbon dioxide, contributing to carbon reduction efforts.
  • Developer & Architectural Value Propositions:
    • Increased Property Value: Green roofs are increasingly viewed as a premium amenity, enhancing property value and attracting environmentally conscious tenants or buyers.
    • Innovation & Differentiation: Implementing living roofs demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and innovation, providing a competitive advantage.
    • Meeting LEED, BREEAM & Sustainable Building Standards: Living roofs contribute significantly towards BREEAM and LEED certification and other recognised sustainable building standards.

Conclusion:

Living roofs together with associated green infrastructure solutions represent a strategically valuable addition to sustainable development portfolios. For architects, developers, and planning decision-makers, integrating living roofs is an investment in resilient infrastructure, enhanced building performance, and a more sustainable urban environment.

The Urban Greening Company has many years experience advising, assisting and implementing sustainability projects for corporations, developers and government bodies. For information on our Urban Greening Services click here
Or please contact us if you have a project or installation you would like to talk to us about. We are always happy to discuss your plans with you without obligation.
residential green roofs

A note about sustainable housing.

Sustainable housing is the design and building of houses and homes to minimise their environmental impact and enhance the well-being of the occupants. This is achieved through energy efficiency, resource conservation (water, materials), waste reduction, and eco-friendly, often renewable, materials, to create healthier, economic and long-lasting homes. It considers the building’s entire lifecycle, from construction to demolition, to reduce the carbon footprint and promote a better quality of life for both occupants and neighbouring residents.

Ethelred green Sedum roof in Lambeth satellite view
Sedum Flowering on roof wings at Notting Hill biosolar roof
BOWA medical UK Devon HQ with Sedum green roof installed

Some Recent Sustainable Developments We Have Worked On