How to Grow Your Own Eco Roof

Eco roofs are grown . There are no shingles, no tiles. Eco roofs are made from living plants and grasses. There are two types of eco roofs and the type you pick depends on how it is going to be used. It is not just a matter of choice, however. The structure of the roof and its weight baring capacity come into play and can only be determined by a structural engineer. Both of them are basically constructed the way a garden is laid out. First, there is a waterproof layer to keep the wet on the roof and not in the house. Next, is a drainage system to eliminate any standing water and third, is a layer of plants and the growing medium to grow them in.

Extensive Eco Roofs are meant just to be a roof cover. There are fewer layers and the layers are thin and does not require a lot of maintenance. There will be up to 6 inches of growing medium or soil substitute,. The plants will be ground covers no taller than 24 inches and can be succulents, flowering herbs, and certain grasses and mosses. Extensive Eco Roofs can be constructed on roofs with a slope of up to 30 degrees. For steeper slopes, raised grids or laths are used to hold everything in place.

Intensive Eco Roofs look like a typical roof garden, with a wide variety of plants. This is possible because the growing media can be as deep as 12 inches. There can even be waterfalls, ponds, gazebos and recreation areas. These do require extensive maintenance and the roof needs to be very flat.

You will have to take care of your Eco roof just like any other garden. An extensive eco roof needs to be watered frequently during the first year. You can have a drip irrigation system installed. The plants are usually drought resistant, so the amount of watering can depend on the weather, just like in a regular garden. With an intensive Eco roof, you will need to water more simply because of the large variety of plants. It is best to install an irrigation system for an Intensive Eco Roof. There are systems that are solar powered that can be used in conjunction with a rainwater collection system that is very eco friendly. And don't forget to use organic fertilizer.

There are many benefits to an Eco roof. They bring an eco environment to an urban landscape. An Eco roof will also help in managing storm water. Instead of flowing into an already stressed out sewer system, the water is used by the Eco roof. The long term benefits of an Eco roof will offset the high cost. The average roof needs to be replaced about four times due to leaks. Vegetation does not heat up like a conventional roof does. There fore, heat is not transferred into the building from the Eco roof.

Sources: Eco Roofs in Portland
Eco Roof Systems