Green roofs deliver several advantages to buildings and their residents ranging from environmental benefits and energy savings to a better quality of life.

Green roofs provide functional as well as aesthetic benefits. Apart from providing a beautiful and functional roof deck and a lush garden in the middle of a busy urban landscape, green roofs not only cool the building but also make the roof last longer. Green roofs protect the actual surface of the roof and waterproofing membrane against damage from the elements.

But there’s more to green roofs than these obvious features, a fact not realised by many including green roof owners. These not-so-obvious benefits include soundproofing, hotter buildings, cleaner surroundings, new hobby and significant savings.

Soundproofing

Noise pollution is a reality one lives with night and day in urban environments. Green roofs however, alleviate the noise problem with the waterproofing membrane alone limiting the entry of sound to a large extent while the soil and plants block out noise even more. Studies show that green roofs reduce sound by up to 3 decibels and increase sound insulation by up to 8 decibels.

Hotter Buildings

Though it may seem counterproductive to the green roof’s original and well-known cooling effect, this is actually very true. Studies have shown that green roofs help decrease heat loss and energy consumption during the winter months. Combined with its ability to keep buildings cool during the hot summer months, the green roof delivers an all-year solution for comfortable living with energy savings.

Cleaner Surroundings

Green roofs have the ability to filter pollutants such as dust, smog, nitrates, carbon dioxide and metals from the rain and air, resulting in cleaner and healthier surroundings that minimise occurrence of respiratory diseases and other allergic reactions.

A New Hobby

Green roofs are not maintenance-free and need to be tended to in order to keep looking lush. The minimal maintenance requirements include spending a few minutes a day to pick out weeds, prune overgrowth and fertilise plants to increase flowering and plant cover, helping the resident develop an interest in gardening.

Savings and Earnings

Green roofs deliver several cost benefits to the resident, especially in terms of energy savings from heating and cooling. Green roofs also increase the building’s real estate value, with the owner also benefitting from federal and local tax incentives in some areas. Since green roofs shield the waterproofing membrane from the elements, the life expectancy of the membrane increases multi-fold, thereby recovering the initial costs of the green roof.

High quality waterproofing membranes such as Wolfin and Cosmofin offer greater durability making the green roof an even more profitable investment.

Leading provider of high quality waterproofing systems, Projex Group recommends Wolfin or Cosmofin waterproofing membranes for green roof waterproofing applications.