The benefits of green roofing

In the cities, the strategies to be adopted should essentially aim to reduce waterproofing and new land consumption, control rainwater runoff and monitor urban drainage and the water network, with adequate infrastructure, and lead to the creation of green systems and networks and the widespread construction of public and private squares, boulevards and gardens.

The same can be said with regard to green roofs: the construction of green roofs brings many benefits both with regard to the microclimate and from a functional perspective.

Green roofs, which in this case refer mainly to the flat variety (although there is nothing to prevent the creation of green pitched roofs), have many advantages;
From a qualitative perspective in the broadest sense, these are some environmental benefits of a living green roof:

• it creates a significant decorative element

• It improves the perception of the building

• it gives a sense of well-being

• it allows us to environmentally offset the land taken up due to presence of the building itself

• it represents another green system in the city

• it is promoted by many administrations, who support and reward such initiatives (for example the Green building incentives).

From a microclimate perspective, these are some green roof systems benefits:

• it makes it possible to add moisture to dry microclimates thanks to the evapotranspiration of the accumulated water

• it has a thermal effect: it insulates in winter and cools in summer

• it reduces heat waves (it has been proven that, under the same conditions, in an American city, a conventional roof can reach 76°, while a green roof oscillates between 33° and 48°)

• it enables the staggered outflow of water in the eaves

• it protects all the layers that make up the roof (insulating materials, waterproofing, etc.), further improving their durability

• it captures fine dust

• it plays a role in decarbonisation

• it absorbs sound waves

• it plays a key role in relation to electrosmog

• it creates a living environment for plants and animals in a micro-urban setting

Moreover, from a functional perspective:

• it contributes to the urban regeneration and requalification of the building and its appurtenances

• it improves the quality of life in the underlying living spaces

• it enables the addition of further external space, either private or communal, which these days is more essential than ever

• it allows for the creation of roof vegetable garden, serving also a highly useful didactic, recreational and productive function

• it increases the real estate value of the building.

Flat roofs, which have long been a part of the architecture in warm areas and which, more recently, have transformed the traditional architectural language used in other urban contexts, can take on the appearance of green garden areas.

Depending on the desired function of the green area, it can be:

1. Extensive green roof: purely decorative, not usable and comprised of soft layers of soil and limited plant species, requiring little maintenance;

2. Intensive green roof: a real garden, comprised of paths, undulating terrain and limited plant species, requiring little maintenance;

A flat roof that is finished off with plants is beneficial from many perspectives.

1. Environmental benefits of a living green roof

• It represents a form of ecological compensation: since the construction of a building involves taking from the land, something is then given back by recreating a green environment on the roof;

• It collects rainwater and returns part of it to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration, rendering the microclimate, which may be dry and dusty (especially in the city), fresher and more humid;

• It is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, since the stratigraphy required contributes to the insulating function of the roof;

• It filters fine dust, which is harmful to health;

• It provides a new habitat for plants and small creatures;

• It absorbs sound waves and reduces propagation of the same;

• It also helps with regard to electrosmog;

• It reduces pollution;

2. Living green roof benefits

• It improves the perception and quality of the building

• It connects the building in question with the other green systems in the surrounding area

• It, in turn, constitutes a green urban system

• It can be a small productive unit: an urban allotment

• It increases the value of the property

Functional and comfort perspective

• It provides further protection for the building

• It helps provide insulation, in summer and winter

• It protects the stratigraphic layers of the roof

• It protects the waterproofing against UV rays and heat fluctuations

• It reduces spikes in water discharges, especially following increasingly frequent torrential downpours: the green stratigraphy collects the rainwater and discharges it gradually into the gutters and drainpipes, thus preventing the local water network from being overwhelmed.

Many local administrations provide incentives for these systems, as a tool to mitigate and offset environmental damage.

The recently introduced green bonus, especially for condominiums, is a great opportunity in this regard!

The perfect flat roof solution, whether for your villa or condominium.