Extensive and Intensive Green Roofs

Extensive systems exist primarily for their environmental benefits and are not accessible rooftop gardens. They feature shallow soil or planting media, generally 2-6 inches deep. Vegetation consists of plantings such as sods and sedums with shallow root structures that can withstand harsh environments. The systems require little or no irrigation and typically need water only during the system’s start-up period. They can weigh 15-50 pounds per square foot.

Intensive systems offer both environmental benefits and accessibility. They feature deep soil or planting media, generally 9-18 inches deep or deeper. The root structure of vegetation, which can include trees and shrubs, varies. They can incorporate architectural features, such as paving, walkways, and benches, and they require irrigation. They typically weigh 80-150 pounds per square foot.

As with conventional roofing, the membrane of vegetative roof systems must slope to provide drainage. Although the membrane systems can withstand constant water exposure, it is a good practice to move water promptly away from roof details to reduce the potential for leaks.

The Future of Green Roofing

Green roofs involve growing plants on rooftops, thus replacing the vegetated footprint that was destroyed when the building was constructed.

Germany is widely considered the leader in green roof research, technology and usage. It is estimated that 12% of all flat roofs in that country are green and the German green roof industry is growing 10% to 15% per year. In North America the concept of green roofs is still fairly new.

Will green roofs ever catch on in the United States like they have in Europe? Several barriers to widespread acceptance exist such as a lack of awareness regarding green roofs, potentially higher installation costs, limited quantifiable data pertaining to the benefits they provide, no technical information on how to build them, and a lack of government incentives or tax breaks. However, all of these problems are currently being addressed. These barriers are not insurmountable, as the same barriers have been overcome in Germany. In the U.S. the concept of green roofs is just now being introduced and will likely become more common in the future. They represent an entirely new market for landscape designers/architects, nursery operations, and landscape contractors; and the potential market includes all existing and future roofs in the country.

The Details of a Vegetative Roof

Managers need to ensure proper design and installation by engaging a professional. Each roof is different, so managers should not rely on “boxed” systems.

Before installation of the overburden, managers should schedule a flood test of the system. Water should be at least 2 inches deep at all details. If a detail fails, the installer must retest it after repairs.

Vegetative roofs offer significant benefits related to sustainability that building owners and managers seek. But to ensure system longevity, managers must specify proper materials and detailing. Otherwise, the cost to repair or replace a leaking vegetative roof system dramatically reduces these sustainability benefits.

When specifying a vegetative roofing system, managers must consider system details carefully.

Base flashing. For conventional roofs, the top edge of the base flashing must be at least 8 inches above the membrane surface. For vegetative roofs, the top edge of the flashing system should be at least 8 inches above the top of the planting system.

Penetrations. For all roof systems, managers must minimize penetrations to reduce the potential for leaks. Due to access constraints and challenges, this issue is more important in vegetative roofs.

Gravel. Managers should specify that installers use gravel at perimeters and around penetrations and details so water can flow promptly away from these areas.

Drains. Managers need to specify dual-level drains to ensure water can drain from the top surface of the overburden and the waterproofing-membrane layer.

Planters. For plants with deep root structures, such as trees and shrubs, managers should specify independent planter boxes to separate the roots from the waterproofing system.

Never Too Early To Plan

Mark your calendars now, and make plans to come visit us at booth #609 at the 2012 Florida Building & Facility Maintenance Show! Just click on the link for details.

http://www.eliteemail.com/emview.cgi?c=146733&b=MA/2759067&u=167217866&ticket=53616c7465645f5f36feaaa4928e9fdba66cd2dca59a11e70e01cf6f888a162702b52496867efef3159b185b443eb3a9

See you there!

Pros and Cons of Vegetative Roofs

The decision to invest in green products and technologies requires understanding both the up front benefits and the longer-term impact. In other words, do energy savings and a smaller environmental impact during manufacturing and installation outweigh the effects of possibly having to replace the product after only a few years?

In specifying a vegetative roofing system, that balance is important because the impact of replacing a system is significant. Crews must completely remove overburden materials to replace or even repair the membrane system.

To successfully specify a vegetative roof and maximize its sustainability, maintenance and engineering managers need to understand the system’s many components, as well as the potential benefits and drawbacks.

BENEFITS OF VEGETATION
Vegetative roofing refers to plant materials installed over a weatherproofing system. These roofs provide many benefits to the building and environment:

Storm-water control. The planting system, including soil media, reduces the overall volume of run-off, the peak volume-rate requirements for drainage systems, and contaminants in run-off water — all of which reduce the demand on storm-water drainage and treatment systems.

Air quality. Increasing the amount of plantings in any area allows for natural air treatment, reducing airborne contaminants.

Energy savings. The planting system provides a buffer between ambient temperature and roof insulation, reducing the fluctuation in high and low daily temperatures, as well as the rate of temperature change. Both of these benefits result in reduced load on the building’s mechanical heating and cooling systems.

Service life. Assuming a reliable installation, vegetative roof-membrane systems have increased service life over conventional membranes because they are protected from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Vegetation covers the membrane and protects it from thermal-shock stresses.

Aesthetics and wellness. If a vegetative roof is visible and accessible, occupants and visitors can benefit from this exposure. Some research indicates access to nature scenes can increase productivity, as well as general health.

DISADVANTAGES
Although vegetative roofs offer many benefits, managers also must consider the disadvantages of such systems:

Maintenance. While conventional roofing membranes require periodic maintenance to repair membrane degradation, vegetative roofing requires periodic landscaping maintenance to remove unwanted weeds and other plants so they do not overtake and detract from the plantings.

Increased costs. Depending on the selected planting method — modular vs. built-in-place — or overburden system, a vegetative roof can cost up to twice as much as a conventional system.

Membrane access. If leaks occur, the planting or overburden systems cover the membrane system. Inspectors must remove this top layer to find and repair the cause of leaks. As with any system, this process is challenging because the interior leak might not align with the membrane breach.

Unwanted wildlife and insects. The planting systems provide suitable habitat for birds, insects, and other wildlife, which managers might not want. Managers might have to specify additional protection to prevent unwanted wildlife and insects from inhabiting the system.

Get Ready. Get Set. GO!

As we enjoyed time with our family this holiday season, we had opportunity to reflect on the things in life for which we are most grateful. Obviously, family and dear friends came to mind, along with the necessities of life that are so often taken for granted. We also found ourselves thinking of our loyal clients – those like you who have made every part of our journey and progress possible.

At this time, as we start a new year and strive to live up to the resolutions we set on New Year’s Eve, we’d like to take the opportunity to personally thank you for choosing us. We also want to make sure you know that RAMCON values your business and your opinions. One of the most rewarding parts of our job is talking with our clients. We love to hear stories of excellent service or surpassed expectations, as well as suggestions as to how we can improve. In fact, we discuss these recommendations every week and take action to correct any problems immediately. It’s made the world of a difference and poured the foundation for what we’ve accomplished.

In 2011, we installed over 3.3 million square feet of practically every type of roofing system imaginable. Our never ending commitment to quality remains stronger than ever. In 2011, we remained Florida’s only Firestone President’s Club winner council member, one of only 30 Johns Manville Pinnacle Council members in the world and maintain the highest accreditations by practically every major manufacturer. These awards signify our commitment to installing the best systems in the industry. We’ve installed roofs on some of the highest profile facilities in Florida, including:Tropicana Field, Busch Gardens, and Walt Disney World. We’ve logged over 4,200 hours of hands on training to continue to get better.

However, we’re not satisfied and certainly not done. This year, growth will continue rapidly. We are venturing into new markets; adding new arrays of services and enhancing our customer service features to give you live time data and reports on your facilities. You’ll never have to wonder when a technician will be at a facility, you’ll see it live. Want to know the status of a repair? It’s right at your fingertips. How about getting an instant report showing all conditions, logs and lifecycle of any roof in your portfolio? It’s all coming in 2012 with our custom designed application that’s nearing completion.

This is just one example of where we are headed. We’ll be moving into new frontiers to match our award winning quality, talented personnel and levels of customer service and interaction that are simply unmatched.
The truth is, in everything we build, the most important thing is our relationship with you. We sincerely thank you for taking this journey with us. Your loyalty and feedback is amazing and we owe you for every step of our progress. Have a great, prosperous New Year!

-The RAMCON Team