The Increase in Demand of Green Roofs and its Significance in the Urban Environment

You might have noticed more green roofs appearing and be wondering what it is about green roofs that are making them so popular?

Alongside other forms of sustainable architecture and design, green roofs are growing in popularity. They are not only aesthetically pleasing, especially in urban areas, but they have many environmental benefits as well, which we will go into more detail throughout this blog.

It has been found that the green roof marketing is growing by 17% annually in the UK, with 42% of all green roof installations being in London (Green Roof Statistics UK).

So, let’s look at why…

1. Aesthetics

A GrufeKit green roof can immediately improve a dull, waterproof roof structure into a luscious, green space. As our GrufeTiles are pre-grown you will get 100% environmental impact from day 1 of installation. With a choice of Sedum GrufeTiles or Sedum & Wildflower you will end up with a beautiful result.

Environmental Benefits

A lush green roof can be aesthetically pleasing, and can bring in a plethora of environmental benefits, hence the increasing demand for the product itself.

One of these environmental benefits is that a green roof can help improve air quality. Lack of plants in urban areas leads to a concentration in polluted air. Roofs are normally wasted spaces in urban areas, and often ignored, which makes them the ideal space to incorporate some plants and help purify the air and absorb the polluting particles. We know that only changing one roof in a city has a limited impact, but if they became accepted as part of building practice the impact on air quality in cities could be huge.

Another environmental benefit which draws people in, is the impact it has on biodiversity. Birds, butterflies, and other insects are attracted to green roofs, providing a rich biodiversity that can help to bring nature back to our urban spaces. The vegetation on green roofs helps to provide food and shelter for wildlife, as well as providing a habitat for plants and animals.

Green roofs also help to improve air quality by trapping dust and other pollutants, reducing the amount of air pollution that can enter our cities. The vegetation on green roofs help to reduce noise pollution, as the leaves and other vegetation act as a natural sound barrier.

2. Structural Benefits

Green roofs can also be great for the structure of your home or building. This includes temperature regulation, which may seem even more important now due to global warming. With increasingly hot summers and cold winters, this benefit of a GrufeKit green roof is a strong factor for installing one.  As our green roof modules retain rainwater, they have a cooling effect, and the plants absorb the sun’s rays keeping the building cooler. In the winter the plants also keep the building warmer by preventing snow and ice from building up on the waterproof membrane.

The plants on a green roof soak up a small amount of water, however the substrate beneath them will soak up a significant amount of water. The saturated soil will slowly release the water off the roof, but the green roof slows the process down.

Structural protection is also another amazing benefit that a GrufeKit green roof has. It can protect the roof membrane from the elements, increasing the lifespan of your roof from 20 years to 50-70 years.

3. Low Maintenance

The GrufeKit tiles require very low maintenance, leading to an increase in demand over the last couple of years.

Sedum is a hardy low-growing evergreen plant that requires little to no maintenance and is the foundation of our green roof system. The Sedum & Wildflower GrufeTiles also require low maintenance, with little trimming of the wildflowers once a year at the end of the summer.

All the above mentioned benefits have led to a significant increase in demand for green roofs and in turn, our GrufeKit GrufeTiles. If you have any queries or would like to find out more about the product itself, please view our range here, or if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be more than happy to help.

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