Introduction

Green Roofs are, in short, vegetated roofs, or roofs with vegetated spaces. They are also referred to as eco-roofs and roof gardens. Green roofs have been with us for centuries ranging from the hanging gardens of Babylon to the turf roofed dwellings of Ireland and Scandinavia.  However, modern green roofs have largely developed in the last 50 years, with increasing sophistication to meet a growing range of needs.

Most of this technological advance has been made in Germany; their growth in the 1970s and 1980s has lead to £39million industry. The modern green roof systems are highly durable and provide a number of key sustainable and environmental benefits. The German Green Roof Standards, known as the FLL, are very high and all systems are required to be tested for to ensure that they perform to the highest building standards, whether that be waterproofing or fire resistance. No such standards are in force within the UK, although the larger manufacturers accord to them.

Within the UK the growth of self-build and ecological construction processes from the late 1960s saw an increasing interest in green roofs over the following decades.  However, this was never fully exploited by either the industry or policy-makers, and consequently the UK remains without incentives, standards, or policies to encourage the installation of green roofs.

Intensive Green Roof

Myths still abound.  In the UK there are concerns within the professions and public that green roofs are more liable to leak than traditional roofing systems. This is partly down to a preference for pitched, rather than flat roofs.  However, vegetated roofs provide an extra protection to waterproofing systems from Ultra-Violet light, frost, erosion and other forms of weathering. If in the rare case that they do leak, this is largely down to poor roof construction, and not the green roof system itself.

Nevertheless, within the past 5 years we have witnessed a significant renewed interest in green roofs, and a marked increase in green roofs being designed and installed. Many of these are part of urban regeneration schemes, but be it the garden shed or a large commercial block in the heart of our cities, the opportunities are almost endless.  We are, we believe, on the crest of a third wave of green roofs in the UK.  Mechanisms are now being put in place to help ensure that this interest is sufficiently captured and developed in a way that the necessary policies, incentives and regulatory frameworks in put in place.

This requires research pertinent to the UK, policy development, and advocacy to all levels of Government, which Livingroofs.org is setting out to achieve.

Livingroofs.org aims to promote green roofs, green walls and other similar features, at all levels, working with industry, contractors, local authorities regeneration teams, researchers, and the wider public to ensure that they become a mainstream component of building design and function.