Green Roof Systems

The idea of using a vegetal covering is not new. Since the beginning of time it has been known that this kind of construction existed. In spite of its great advantages, through the years they have not been very popular. Their difficult construction, complicated technical solutions and the high building cost and maintenance, made the project unsuitable. With the progress of the technique and the new materials appearing, these problems have been solved, and today the weight of the garden roofs is greater each day. Flat and slightly sloping roofs offer an ideal opportunity to develop new green zones in our living areas. The ecological benefits (microclimate improvement, important retention of rainwater, reduction of noise level due to the additional sound insulation, dust particle retention, etc.), economic benefits (increase in life expectancy of waterproofing, energy saving because of the use of thermal insulation ) and also the possibility of using recycled materials, have meant that lately, in some areas of central Europe, construction using garden roofs is a priority when buildings are in the design phase. Otherwise, Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 16, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 616 Ecosystems and Sustainable Development architects have a powerful tool in order to diminish the landscape and environmental impact, and improve the building appearance too. This paper will try to explain the benefits mentioned, the different kinds of green roofs, technical solutions employed, and the practically nil maintenance, always using renewable energies and recycling material when it is possible.