What are the pro's and con's of a green roof for a new commerical building ?

Question

What are the pro's and con's of a green roof for a new commerical building ?

Answer 1

Are you talking about the type that have tons of eath (dirt) on them, with trees, and other plants planted on them, so they provide habitat, and are ultra good at insulating from heat or cold?

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 2

It has already been asked and answered.  See link.

Answer 3

Can be cheaper, you get to wear an eco halo and its good for air qualit and wildlife especialy in inner cities.

Ther are many websites for green roof contractors.

I have put a green roof on my mum's flat roofed extension, It's none too difficult.

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Answer 4

Might attract some matians though!

Answer 5

Why not white or other highly reflective surface that is best

Answer 6

eco-frendly but the soil is heavy.

Answer 7

Green roofs are a great way to keep the energy cost down for the building. The earth and vegitation will help to cool the building in the summer and help to keep the building warm in the winter. Green roofs also increase the quality of life and air quality in the area making for a more productive environment inside the building which equates to more money in the owners pocket.

In general it will be more expensive than a traditional "go to h**l" 3 ply asphalt tar roofing sytem, but what you save on energy cost will make up the difference. Not to mention, you are creating an additional usable space which would otherwise be a nasty roof, now becomes a great outdoor break area. *(kill two birds with one stone)

The only negative thing I can think would be the increase cost for your structural (minor) to carry the extra load of the dirt and vegitation. Also if done wrong you could have some leaking issues, so I definently recomend using a system that is designed for roof gardens/ green roofs instead of designing it yourself.