Green Roof Structural Details

Green roof structural requirements.

Green roof structural details.

Green roofs typically contain a layered system of roofing which is designed to support plant growth and retain water for plant uptake while preventing ponding on the roof surface. The key to any good green roof project is a good waterproofing membrane. And to ensure the appropriate green roof assembly relative to the membrane chosen is provided it is important to understand how they work and how they are installed. Because water runs off the roof more quickly a thicker substrate layer is needed.

The structure of a shallow pitched green roof differs slightly from the structure of a flat roof. A green roof is a green space that is created by adding various layers of plants and a growing medium to the top portion of a traditional roofing system. A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium planted over a waterproofing membrane. Note that it is not like a traditional roof garden in which planting is done in free standing containers as well as planters that are placed on an easy to access roof terrace.

Additional structural support may need to be provided. The substrate gives the right amount of nutrients to the plants so your green roof stays nice and green. Steeply pitched green roof 25 40. The structural requirements for a green roof are the most important aspect to consider.

There are many types of waterproofing membrane. We try to think of green roof details more as diagrams than perfect scale drawings. Architectural details photo by tommy hileman. Green roof and waterproofing details utilize many thin layers which might not be legible if drawn to scale.