Green roof & cooling
A layered green roof protects waterproofing, holds back rainwater and helps keep the rooms beneath calmer on the hottest days.
How it works
Concrete roofs absorb a great deal of solar heat and slowly pass it down into the building. A green roof breaks that path in three ways. The plants shade the surface. Water held in the growing medium evaporates, drawing heat away. And the layers themselves act as insulation between sun and slab.
The effect is most noticeable in top-floor rooms and on the roof itself, which becomes a far more comfortable place to spend time in the late afternoon.
Inside a green roof
Each layer has a job. Leave one out and the roof either struggles to drain, damages the membrane or dries out too quickly.
Sedum, grasses, ground covers or food crops chosen for exposure and depth.
A lightweight mineral-organic mix, 8–30 cm deep depending on the system.
Keeps fine particles in the soil and out of the drainage layer.
Holds a little water for plants and lets excess flow quickly to the outlets.
Cushions and protects the waterproofing during and after installation.
Stops roots from reaching the waterproof membrane.
Checked during the survey — repairs come first if anything is wrong.
Options
Shallow, light and low-maintenance. Hardy sedums and grasses that need little water once established. Best for cooling and rainwater management.
Deeper media that supports perennials, small shrubs and some edible plants, with paths for access.
Green roof layers combined with raised food beds on stands — cooling and harvests on the same roof.
Before we build
If any of these needs attention, we will say so in the survey report and recommend the next step before planting begins.
Free roof survey
We will assess your roof and recommend a green roof type that suits its structure, exposure and how you want to use it.
