House with a green roof. Green roof: device technology, design features and design tips (110 photos)

Have you noticed that our private buildings, in addition to architectural monotony, are also the same in color, something between a delicate “peach” and an unripe “olive”? However, this is neither good nor bad, as they say, the taste and color of felt-tip pens are different. Another thing is whether the chosen color scheme of the walls, basement and roof suits the house. Let us consider in more detail the relevance of different groups of colors for a private house.

Burnout resistance

The choice of color palette for the design of the facade gives the appearance of the building an aesthetic value and a certain semantic significance. Color is able to enlarge and reduce an object, to bring it closer and further away, to make it look up or down to earth, to bring together disparate parts or completely destroy integrity.

Photo: www.usualhouse.com
Photo: www.remontbp.com

The richer and brighter the color, the faster it fades. Black, for example, ranks first in terms of burnout rate. On light and pastel colors, the degree of burnout will be less noticeable. But pure white, despite all the elegance that it gives to the facade, quickly turns yellow in the sun. A practical option is gray, it will not turn yellow, dust settling on gray paint is invisible, the shade of gray will change over time, but not significantly.

Visual effects and form

Light colors make the building visually large in size. Therefore, the main color of classical architecture is white. Cream and light beige shades can look faded on their own, so it is better to add darker accents to them in the exterior decoration.

Photo: kvartirakrasivo.com.ua

Those who have been to the Scandinavian countries could not help but note how great the saturated bright red, yellow, orange facades of their houses look. On closer examination, one can also see that the buildings themselves have simple architectural forms, without any small details.

Photo: happymodern.ru

For houses with complex architectural volumes, with many different details, it is better to use calmer light colors. You need to use a rich color palette with caution - cheap facade paint quickly fades and after a couple of years a bright red house can become faded pink.

It is noticed that on a light background the colors darken, on a dark background they brighten. The lighter the tone, the more voluminous the object looks, the darker, the smaller. Warm colors are protruding, bring the object closer, cold colors are receding, away. The most prominent color is open red, the most receding is open blue. Blue under artificial light may change to green. The more colors differ from each other in terms of basic characteristics, the more difficult it is to harmonize them.

Photo: Archidom.ru

Combinations

Not all color combinations look harmonious. For example, it is hard to imagine a house with orange walls and a green roof. Today, there are many techniques that describe the rules for combining colors. One of them, according to the method of psychologist Luscher from Sweden, will allow you to choose the most successful color combinations. The following table is based on his recommendations.

2 - colors do not match, 3 - poor match, 4 - medium match, 5 - good match

Designers and architects often use the color wheel according to Johannes Itten when designing the exterior of a house.

In the circle of Itten, the basis is three colors: blue, red and yellow. The six remaining colors are formed by mixing the colors of the first and second order: red-violet, red-orange, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-orange, yellow-green.

Itten circle Photo: www.houzz.ru

It is common for a person to use natural colors for his home: brown, beige, green, yellow, light blue. As a rule, they are well combined with each other. For example, a house with a “sandy” facade, with dark wooden (or painted brown) windows and doors, looks presentable and cozy. Natural combinations of shades convey subtle nuanced color relationships. Brightness in colors creates contrast - the relationship of colors. They are also called complementary ("complementary"). Love for complementary colors is strong in South Asia (India, Pakistan, etc.).

When choosing a general color solution, it is important not to miss the opportunity to diversify the facade using architectural details: columns, arches, decorated architraves for windows and doors, floral and geometric ornaments, and so on. And color organizes and arranges it all. Photo: www.houzz.ru
Photo: dekorin.me

Complementary (complementary) colors are located in the Itten circle opposite each other and form a contrast. The most famous complementary pairs: yellow - purple; Red Green; blue - orange. Such color variations can become more complex: blue-green - red-orange; yellow-orange - blue-violet. Such combinations are characterized by maximum brightness.

Photo: kett-battler.blogger.by

For example, in a pair of blue - orange, blue enhances and emphasizes orange, and orange reveals the fullness and saturation of blue. When working with more complex and approximate colors (natural), it is much easier to achieve harmony. Bright open contrasting colors are more difficult to combine, but this color combination looks extremely impressive. True, for European perception, the contrast may be too bright and incomprehensible.

Photo: fasadoma.ru

White color is considered universal and harmonizes with absolutely all colors. Gray is an excellent background for the bright elements of the building - spotlights, windows, doors, gutters. Both the white and gray colors of the façade go well with the red roof.

Photo: novate.ru
Photo: MyHome.ru

Pure red is rarely used for the facade. Most often you can see a brick shade due to the use of clinker tiles in the lining.

Photo: www.houzz.ru

Blue facades look very interesting in combination with shades of gray, beige and white. Like a cherry on a cake - a gray roof.

Photo: happymodern.ru
Photo: thearchitect.pro

The bold choice is black, “rusty”, purple or dark blue facades. However, architecture should also match these colors - high-tech styles, cubism.

Classics of the genre

Photo: remonti-balashiha.ru

Dark top, light bottom. The most common combination. With this option, the light-colored walls contrast in tone with the roof. The house will look even more attractive if it also has other contrasting details, such as windows or a plinth.

Photo: www.vseodetyah.com

Tone to tone. When both the roof and the facade practically form one whole, the house looks monolithic and harmonious. Many will say it's boring.

Photo: houses.saracentre.ru

Light top, dark bottom. In this case, the walls dominate, draw attention to themselves. The roof seems to be falling apart. In this scheme, it is important that the roof is supported in color by gutters, windows and doors.

Material Compatibility

The harmonious appearance of the house also lies in the compatibility of the materials of the walls and roof. For example, natural roofing materials are ideal for a wooden frame - shingles, reeds, natural tiles. Terracotta shades will also be appropriate - there are models that successfully imitate shingles. Compromise options - modular and composite metal tiles, seam roofing. But the combination of budgetary metal tiles and wooden walls causes a toothache for aesthetes.

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Roofs made of natural tiles are best combined with brickwork: dark brown, gray, green or burgundy. Metal tile, bituminous, and copper roofing will look quite harmonious. If the walls are finished with dark clinker, then a light gray seam roof will look good.

Stucco facades will suit roofing from any material that is harmoniously combined in color and style.

Before you take on a paint brush, you should at least use special programs that allow you to “try on” different colors of the roof and walls on the house template.

The main task of any roof is to retain heat in the house and protect it from wind, rain, snow, ultraviolet rays and other adverse atmospheric factors. However, the acute shortage of places for construction and the environmental problems of megacities have led to the fact that additional tasks are assigned to modern roofing. One of the modern fashion trends in modern architecture is the creation of a “green roof”, where you can arrange a flowering lawn and even grow the necessary vegetables and herbs.

What it is?

Not all urban residents have the opportunity to fully relax in a forest clearing or enjoy the mountain air - often there is simply no time for such trips. High-rise buildings, narrow streets, exhaust fumes from passing cars and hot asphalt have a negative impact on a person every day. That is why the owners of private houses and cottages work tirelessly to ensure that their home is as close to nature as possible - they use environmentally friendly materials in construction and equip flower beds, lawns and rockeries.

A very interesting technological solution came to Russia from the Scandinavian countries- This is a "turf earthen roof", which is quite often built on small houses in Norway. This design assumes the following: the roofing material is covered with a clay bedding, and it serves as the basis for the formation of a sod layer 10-15 cm thick, where the grass was planted. Such houses looked very attractive, but such a design requires additional strengthening of the bearing supports - not only is the soil “pie” itself quite heavy, in winter snow masses were added to it, and not every building could withstand such a load. That is why sod roofs almost ceased to equip over time. Perhaps this idea would have remained an idea if landscape designers today had not remembered the forgotten Scandinavian traditions.

Now "green roof" is far from uncommon in big cities. Roofs, partially or completely planted with living plants, can be found in shopping malls, office centers and elite residential skyscrapers. Not so long ago, the owners of country houses picked up the fashion, who began to actively plant trees and shrubs on the surfaces of outbuildings in summer cottages.

Peculiarities

Like other types of roofing systems, eco-roofs are similar to a layer cake, although its components differ in some features of operation. The creation of a green roof should guarantee reliability and practicality in terms of important criteria: foundation strength, good water protection and reduced heat loss. The roofing "pie" of this type of roof has the following layers:

• base- it can be made of wood or concrete, most importantly - it must have a large margin of safety that can bear the weight of the earth and the plants themselves;
• waterproofing layer it is extremely important for reliable protection of the structure from moisture ingress, plants require regular watering, therefore rather high requirements are imposed on the strength of this layer;

• barrier mounted above the waterproofing material to prevent the germination of roots in the main roof of the building. If it is not installed, then the plants will take root in the previous layer and damage it;
• drainage used to evenly distribute moisture over the entire surface of the roof, retains some of the water, preventing the plantings from drying out, and removes excess moisture through the drain;
• filter- a layer of geotextile that limits the ingress of small particles into the drainage;
• geogrid it is installed in order to prevent the "scattering" of the earth under the influence of rain and strong winds;
• substrate- directly the soil, which is poured onto the geogrid with a layer of 5 to 20 cm; its thickness depends on what exactly you plan to grow: for ground cover flowers, a layer of 5 cm will be enough, but for growing vegetables you will need about 20 cm.

Advantages and disadvantages

Large-scale landscaping is one of the necessary conditions for the existence in a frantic rhythm of modern megacities, built of concrete and glass. At the same time, narrow streets do not allow building flower gardens and flowerbeds in cities - as a rule, small areas of parks and squares are allocated for this. That is why the arrangement of a green roof solves a very important task - it allows you to significantly improve the environmental situation and at the same time use the usable areas in the most rational way.

The advantages of this technology include the following factors.

• Structural reinforcement- the vegetation layer reliably protects the roof from various mechanical damage, temperature fluctuations and the adverse effects of natural phenomena. The roof, "covered" with a green layer, can be used for more than 20 years. However, let's not forget that this is true only for reinforced structures with a large margin of safety.
• Efficient use of rain and storm water- the soil can retain more than 30% of precipitation. A green roof reduces the chance of flooding. In addition, water, instead of being drained into a storm drain, is used to irrigate the surface and contribute to a good crop.

• Exceptional thermal insulation performance- a layer of turf is considered a very suitable material for this purpose, it retains heat in winter, prevents heat from entering the house in summer, and also promotes efficient air circulation, thereby forming a favorable microclimate in the room.
• The soil absorbs noise well, so the inhabitants of the house can be sure that they will not be disturbed by the sounds of rain or hail.
• Organization of a recreation area– an attractive roof can become a harmonious place for family leisure and meetings with friends in a comfortable environment.

Owners of modern mansions often equip small pools on such roofs and install sports equipment. In addition, the green roof improves the overall environmental background, gives the garden plot a stylish and extraordinary look.

Despite the obvious advantages, the eco-roof also has disadvantages.

• Heavy weight- drainage and soil give a load of approximately 50 kg per square meter. meter, this leads to a significant increase in pressure on the floor of the building.
• High price- green roof equipment involves the use of only environmentally friendly materials, and they are quite expensive. Therefore, the equipment of a green roof is much more expensive than the arrangement of a conventional one.
• The complexity of the installation technology- the construction of an eco-roof and the corresponding increase in pressure on the supports requires the mandatory preparation of a design project created according to accurate calculations of the permissible parameters of the load on the floors. It is impossible to do this without having the skills of such planning, so you need to seek help from specialists.

Please note that experts do not recommend converting an existing roof into a green one., since the old foundation and existing floors may simply not withstand a significant additional load.

The arrangement of such a roof is suitable for new houses, where the necessary strength of the supports is laid down at the design stage of construction work.

Varieties

Depending on the parameters of the use of eco-roofs, intensive and extensive types of landscaping are distinguished.

Extensive roof

Such structures are created on pitched roofs with an angle of inclination of not more than 45 degrees. The features of the layout of these buildings are such that they do not provide access to the roof. Accordingly, it cannot be used normally. At the same time, low-growing perennials are used for roof gardening, which cover the coating, create a decorative appearance and at the same time protect the roof from mechanical influences and precipitation. For planting, unpretentious plants are used that do not require special care and abundant watering - for full growth and development, natural precipitation is enough for them.

Extensive roofing provides several options for landscaping.

1. undersized vegetation cover- at the same time, the height of the soil does not exceed 6 cm, the earth is planted with drought-resistant ground cover plants of several types, due to which continuous flowering can be achieved from May to October. This is the simplest and easiest way to landscaping;
2. green roof- the roof is made out like a lawn, often rolled types of coatings are used for this purpose.

Intensive landscaping

It involves the arrangement of eco-roofing on flat surfaces that can be used by the inhabitants of the building. Such buildings have exits to the roof, are equipped with a parapet that protects against possible falls, and special paths for comfortable movement. Here you can grow not only a grassy lawn, but also plant large shrubs and even fruit trees. Of course, such a design requires special attention during construction and operation. This garden needs the same maintenance as above ground gardens and flower beds.

Laying technology

Green roofs can be created in absolutely any climatic region. In itself, the device of such a roof with your own hands is not difficult, but time-consuming.

Ecoroof layers are:

• base;
• vapor barrier;
• insulation;
• waterproofing;

• protective layer;
• drainage system;
• filter;
• priming;
• plants.

A variety of materials can be used as a base, insulation, as well as vapor and water insulators. In any hardware store now there is a wide selection in a large price range.

The easiest way to complete the arrangement of the eco-roof is to use a rolled lawn as a topcoat. If the roof is straight or its angle of inclination does not exceed 10 degrees, then the seeds can be planted directly into the ground. If the slopes are steeper, then during the rainy season and snowmelt, such an unpleasant phenomenon as a landslide may occur. So that the soil does not “slide down” down, layers of soil are laid between special barriers.

A very important part of a green roof is the installation of a drainage system. It is very important to understand the relevance of competent drainage: since water cannot enter the house, therefore, it needs to find a way out in some other place, otherwise it will remain in the roof and simply turn sour. This will lead to root rot and plant death.

As the main drainage, geotextiles are used, as well as sand or fine gravel. Additionally equipped with a drainage system.

As a rule, use one of the proposed options.

• Drainage plates- profiled type plastic panels that are attached to each other and mounted over the entire surface of the roof. The mechanism of action is as follows: water accumulates in the “blades” of the panels, and if it is in excess, it flows into the plates located below. Thus, the water is cascaded down and then flows into the downpipe.
• Drainage mats have a similar principle of operation, but faster in installation. In addition, mats contribute to increased waterproofing. This method is not good for all types of roofs - it is not used for flat and overly steep roofs.
• Drainage boxes- drainage of a flat roof involves the use of special systems that contribute to the forced removal of moisture from the roof, as a result, water enters the funnel. and from there - into the storm sewer system.

How to grow a roof garden, how much will it cost and when is it better not to do it? There are less and less places for gardens and squares in the metropolis. But oases appear on the roofs of buildings, and there are already such examples in Moscow. For example, a green roof adorns an ordinary Moscow office building located on Sheremetyevskaya Street. The authors and creators of the solution, which is still unusual for Muscovites, are landscape architects from the Ilya Mochalov and Partners company. They own an office in the building where the roof garden appeared, so they tried, one might say, for themselves. “We moved to this building in 2006,” recalls Ilya Mochalov. - Two years of mastering, one year I designed and coordinated the project with the Department of Natural Resources. Initially, the roof looked ... like any roof: littered, littered with the remnants of construction that were not removed. We were, in general, unspeakably lucky, because initially it was not supposed that the roof would be exploitable, let alone green. However, after working closely with the structure of this building, we realized that we could additionally place about 150 kg of additional weight on it. And we were able to arrange in different parts of the roof from 8 to 12 cm of such a “pie” (the basis for the future garden), including soil, substrate, waterproofing, and so on. We greened the roof with plants that require almost no maintenance. Such a natural community of plants, forbs, was created, which is able to support itself without outside help. We hope at least that this will continue. According to the architect, the green roof survived all the cataclysms of the Moscow climate. The winter of 2009, when there were terrible cold without snow. Summer 2010, when the heat seemed to kill the plants. But they survived, in the end everything returned to normal, the balance was restored. Today, green roofs are considered one of the most promising and developing areas of landscape architecture. Thus, in cities they are trying to compensate for the “leaving nature”, because there is less and less space for trees, lawns and flower beds in megacities every year. Ilya Mochalov gives the following figures: the total area of ​​the Central Administrative District is approximately 6.6 thousand hectares, of which 1.5 thousand hectares are the area of ​​the soles of capital facilities, that is, in fact, the projection of roofs. If at least 5% of the roofs of the Central Administrative District are made green, then a colossal figure of 75 hectares will be obtained. This is such a reserve territory that can potentially become green. This is especially true for areas where there is an acute shortage of green space.

The total area of ​​the Central Administrative District is approximately 6.6 thousand hectares, of which 1.5 thousand hectares are the area of ​​the soles of capital facilities, that is, in fact, the projection of roofs. If at least 5% of the roofs of the Central Administrative District are made green, then a colossal figure of 75 hectares will be obtained. This is such a reserve territory that can potentially become green. This is especially true for areas where there is an acute shortage of green space.

The total area of ​​the Central Administrative District is approximately 6.6 thousand hectares, of which 1.5 thousand hectares are the area of ​​the soles of capital facilities, that is, in fact, the projection of roofs. If at least 5% of the roofs of the Central Administrative District are made green, then a colossal figure of 75 hectares will be obtained. This is such a reserve territory that can potentially become green. This is especially true for areas where there is an acute shortage of green space. But in Moscow, the ubiquitous greening of rooftops is still something out of the realm of fantasy. True, there is progress, so far they consist in the preparation of relevant laws and documents. In March of this year, the guidelines of the Ministry of Construction were issued, in which the area of ​​green roofs is recommended to be included in the indicator of green space balance areas in all Russian cities as part of the Comfortable Urban Environment project. Another document is being prepared - “Green standards for landscaped exploitable roofs of buildings and structures. Technical and environmental requirements”, it is supposed to be released in June next year. Now green roofs are rare in Moscow, these are single projects. According to Ilya Mochalov, green roofs were successfully integrated into the projects: LCD "Italian Quarter", family center WUNDERPARK on Novorizhskoye Highway. A landmark project was also planned - green roofs for the stylobate part of the shops on the new Arbat. With such a proposal, the Department of Natural Resources of the city of Moscow addressed landscape architects. But later the buildings were sold to the investor, and this project did not take place. In the segment of individual country houses, there are also excellent examples of green roofs. - We participated in the project of architect Mikhail Labazov, - says Ilya Mochalov. - Five hectares of forest territory, on which an unusually shaped house with a garden on the roof has grown. We managed to make a local hill, planted shrubs and even small birch, mountain ash, and pine trees. It directly reflects the principle of unity with nature, the interpenetration of the garden into the house, the house into the garden. Of course, this rooftop garden needs both top dressing and all sorts of care. An irrigation system is installed on the roof. The project is still relevant, entered into all world reference books of architecture. Photo: private villa with green roof.

Green roofs are about improving the microclimate, reducing dust, colossal noise absorption, the possibility of using secondary raw materials and creating a sustainable biological community for plant and animal life.

Green roofs are about improving the microclimate, reducing dust, colossal noise absorption, the possibility of using secondary raw materials and creating a sustainable biological community for plant and animal life. The installation of a green roof is now expensive, about 9 thousand rubles per 1 sq. m. But even though the idea of ​​\u200b\u200barranging the roof looks attractive and uncomplicated, architects do not advise doing gardening on your own. The green roof is the most complex engineering structure. It looks simple, but in fact, for it to work long-term and safely, many things must be taken into account. - Here, you see, an elm has settled here, which with age can become a huge heavy tree if there is no professional root protection, - shows Ilya. - Over time, the roots can sprout, the roof will leak. That is, anti-root coating is the first measure. Others are related to fire safety. All materials used on the roof must have a certain fire resistance class. And so on, there are many nuances. In general, amateur performances here are very, very strongly discouraged. Photo: The green roof of an office building on Sheremetyevskaya Street in Moscow.

Judging by the pace at which the number of cars on the roads of the city is increasing, how courtyards are gradually turning into parking lots, and the land and lawns are hiding under asphalt, nature lovers will have to move out of the city, closer to forests and plantations. Or grow gardens in your home: on walls, balconies and roofs. And what? Architects, by the way, have long dealt with this issue and have already built a sufficient number of "green" structures.

government building in japan

The author of the project is the architect Emilio Ambasz. It is thanks to his imagination that the roof of the government building in Fukuoko, consisting of 15 terraces and occupying 100,000 square feet, is covered with a kind of park of 35,000 plants of 76 species.

Swiss dugout houses

The complex of nine semi-underground houses, built back in 1993 by a Swiss architect named Peter Vetsch, is a very curious sight. He, as in the famous song, "all covered with greenery, absolutely all over", which is why the houses resemble something between hobbit minks and military dugouts.

Spanish garden house with lawn walls

As it turned out, the Spanish architect Patrick Blanc did not find it enough to decorate the roof of the designed building with a garden. This is how a real house-garden has grown in Madrid, in which bushes and flowers grow not only on the roof, but also on the walls. Now the townspeople do not have to travel far to touch nature!

Museum Historial de la Vendée in France

French designers and architects, however, are also not bad at it. So, in 2006, the Historial de la Vendée museum opened in France, on the roof of which there are about two acres of various herbs and bushes.

The Solaire. New York oasis home

The Solaire is one of the first residential "green houses" in North America. Back in 2003, it was built by two enthusiasts, architect Rafael Pelli and landscape designer Diana Balmori. Interestingly, this skyscraper is located in the heart of the business district in New York, and among all the everyday bustle, cars scurrying back and forth and people talking on the phone, such a green roof looks like a real oasis in the concrete and asphalt desert.

GENO House in Germany

You will not surprise the Germans with green roofs-oases. According to experts, it became known that about 10% of all roofs in Germany are green. And the GENO Haus in Stuttgart was one of the first houses with plant roofs, since the government initiated its construction back in 1969, and even allocated money for this unusual project.

Showroom in Bonn

And another example of German architecture with a green roof. They became the exhibition hall Art and Exhibition Hall in Bonn.

Chicago city hall building

The City Hall of Chicago, it turns out, is also not averse to having a green park on the roof of its building. And if you climb onto the roof of Chicago City Hall, you can not only wander barefoot through the thick grass, but also play a couple of rounds of golf and soak up the sun. And for sure, the city authorities from time to time use this cute cozy park for small picnics and corporate parties.

Academy of Sciences in California

When going to San Francisco, you should not forget to take a walk not only in the famous Golden Gates Park, but also climb onto the roof of the California Academy of Sciences. There, enthusiastic nature lovers have planted 2.5 acres of flowers and all kinds of bushes. Another interesting attraction of the wonderful city of San Francisco.

Green roof in Beijing

With such a dense population as in China, it is high time for people to master the roofs, turning them into social facilities and city parks. It looks like they did just that with the roof of this building ... The park and nothing more!

School of Art and Design in Singapore

Perhaps one of the most beautiful green buildings is the five-story glass building of the School of Art and Design, built in Singapore. Firstly, the roof of the winding complex is covered with fresh green grass, which is carefully looked after by the attendants, and secondly, no student here has any problems with inspiration. I looked out the window - and you see not dusty dirty asphalt, but a green meadow with lush grass. It must be a pleasure to study here!

The roof of a building can be done in different ways. A very long time ago, our ancestors had a rather dark and untidy dugout as housing, which had an earthen rampart instead of a roof. The history of the development of mankind has made its own adjustments to housing construction. The roof of leaves and branches was transformed into red tile and gray slate. But many homeowners miss the pleasant, eye-pleasing grassy-green cover over their heads.

Modern engineering solutions and technologies make it possible to make green roofs for residential and administrative buildings not only in villages, but also in cities. Such an organic solution is timely and very pleasing to the eye. As a facade of a house, almost any finishing materials of natural origin are suitable for such a roof: stone, brick, wood or ceramic tiles or sandwich panels imitating them.

The traditional device of the green "turf" roof

Not every resident of a large city has the opportunity to relax in the forest or breathe fresh air in mountain meadows. Most often, there is simply not enough time to go out into nature. Multi-meter buildings, stuffy streets and scorching asphalt underfoot depress every day. Therefore, many happy owners of private houses strive to realize their desire to communicate with nature in the construction of housing from natural environmentally friendly materials.

Many technical solutions for installation, insulation, decoration and reconstruction of houses were adopted by Russian specialists from the experience of the Scandinavian countries. Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish engineers have long been using a number of technologies in construction that are only now becoming popular in our country.

Among them is the same “turf roof”, which is actively being built on residential buildings not only in Scandinavia, but also in some European countries.

The general principle of the green roof in the old Norwegian version was as follows: clay bedding was laid under the turf layer. Its thickness was about 10 cm. Clay simultaneously served as thermal and waterproofing. Under such a system, it was necessary to create very strong supporting structures. Not only did the dirt cake weigh a lot, in winter a lot of snow was added to this load. If the bearing supports were not heavy enough, the inhabitants risked waking up one morning with a pile of earth and snow on their heads. Perhaps in the summer the building looked very picturesque, but the construction of such a roof could not be called cheap. For a while, turf roofs were completely abandoned.

green roof

Perhaps an interesting design solution would have remained a relic of the past if the new manufacturers had not remembered the well-forgotten old Scandinavian customs.

Modern installation of green roofs

The task of modern specialists was to reduce the total weight of the roof structure. With this technology, it was necessary to preserve its decorative appearance. The main problem was the creation of a durable layer of waterproofing. It had to be dense enough not to let in moisture and plant roots, and light enough not to put a serious load on the roof structures.

The first layer is laid load-bearing flooring. The material is irrelevant in this case. It can be boards or canvases made of pressed chips. Lining is also suitable, but then the cost of building materials increases slightly.

The next layer is insulation. This part of the roof structure should protect the under-roof spaces from the penetration of rain and melt water. In addition, it is he who prevents the germination of plant roots. Hardware stores offer a variety of rubber or bitumen-based roll waterproofing. The choice is large, there is where to turn around.

"Roof cake" for a green roof:

Green roof device

The easiest and safest way to complete a green roof is to use a rolled lawn as a finishing layer. If the slopes of the slopes are normal, the grass can be planted directly on the ground layer. Before sowing, the soil is compacted with a manual rammer and loosened.

If the slopes are too steep, spring snowmelt or torrential downpours can cause a landslide. As a general rule, if the slope of the roof exceeds 10°, a layer of soil should be laid between special barriers that prevent the soil from "moving" down the roof.

ground fencing

Norwegians and Finns usually do not bother much with the choice of grass crops, so everything that has sprouted itself grows on the roofs. Such a spectacle looks, of course, colorful, but somewhat untidy. Therefore, Russian homeowners prefer to plant special decorative grass on the roofs, which covers the house with an even green carpet.

Let us dwell in more detail on one of the most important layers in the construction of a grass roof - the drainage layer.

Drainage systems for green roofs. Drainage options

Since the water is blocked from entering the house, it must find a way out elsewhere. For this, roof drainage is provided. Without this layer, water will accumulate on the surface of the waterproofing and cause acidification of the soil. This, in turn, will cause the roots and stems of the green roof to rot, ruining the whole idea of ​​a green roof. As a drainage, you can pour a thin layer of sand or gravel. If possible, you can buy lighter coverings such as geotextiles.

Ready-made solutions are often used as drainage systems for green roofs.

Benefits of green roofs

In addition to the obvious advantages (decoration, environmental friendliness and fire safety), a green roof has another advantage. The roofing cake is considered heavy enough to ensure high-quality and uniform shrinkage of the house frame. In summer, the eco-roof protects the building from sunlight entering the attic and creates a comfortable cool temperature in the room.

Exposure of the sun's rays to the conventional and green roof structure

In winter, the grass structure significantly reduces heat loss.

It will not take many years to repair such a roof, and over the years, the appearance of the structure will not cease to please the eye with its elegance and accuracy.