Top 3 Innovative Uses for a Green Roof
In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable urban design, green roofs have emerged as a popular and innovative way to introduce environmental benefits, as well as aesthetic benefits to otherwise grey buildings. Architects and designers around the world are utilising green roofs in many imaginative and inspiring ways to merge nature with architecture.
Although it is named a ‘green roof’, there are many other places you can install our GrufeKit green roof due to its easy installation and maintenance. In this blog, we will discuss the top 3 innovative uses that we have seen for a green roof, whether this is commercial or something we have developed in our portfolio over the years.
1. Residential Buildings
Adding a green roof to a residential building may not initially sound like an innovative use of a green roof, but the benefits it can bring can be beyond improving the aesthetics of the building.
A green roof can breed a sense of community in a residential building, especially if that green roof is designed to invite people into that space. Growing vegetables within the green roof (urban farming), is a great way to attract people to use the space. By doing this you are also creating a multi-use for the green roof – creating a community, growing your own produce, creating environmental benefits such as improving air quality and biodiversity, and of course improving the aesthetics of the building.
2. A Blue Green Roof
A blue green roof combines blue and green roof technologies giving you the benefits of both. Green roofs use a drainage layer to provide drainage and irrigation, and a blue roof aims to increase both the volume of water stored and control the amount of water released. Combining these can increase the overall benefits of green roof scapes (Living Roofs).
A blue roof is a wonderful method to attenuate rainfall, where you can then reuse this water for irrigating other items such as flowerbeds, a living wall, washing and toilets.
Blending a blue roof with a green roof result in a wider range of environmental benefits. They bring nature back to our cities, encourage wildlife and help cool cities – lowering the Urban Heat Island Effect. The Urban Heat Island Effect is caused in urban areas where they have vast amounts of concrete and tar, used for roads and buildings, meaning heat is held in for longer. This results in a higher temperature in cities compared to more rural areas which have more greenspace and vegetation.
3. Innovative Design
Referring back to how architects and designers are utilising green roofs in many imaginative and inspiring ways to merge nature with architecture, we have a few examples of how green roofs have been used in creative ways.
Our GrufeKit green roof system is a versatile product that can be used in many places other than a roof. A great example of thinking outside of the box and using a green roof in an alternative way is the work for Transport for Greater Manchester, where we collaborated with SimpsonHaugh Architects to add a ‘green roof’ to the Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink Station. Our GrufeTiles were cut into shape and installed across the station floor, including between the tracks and underneath the trams.
Other ways to incorporate a GrufeKit green roof into your design could include brightening up your outdoor storage, bringing your garden building to life, or they can even be used to create an impression of flower beds, as seen in this case study. Other examples we have seen a GrufeKit green roof being used is on bus shelters, a car park trolley cover, in car parks and of course on roofs in your homes.
For more information on our GrufeKit green roofs, or if you’d like to discuss your green roof project with an expert, contact our friendly team today – we’re always happy to help and are standing by to answer any questions you have.
