What is a Green roof?

In an age of sustainable garden offices, the term “green roof” has taken on an altogether new significance. It refers to a living roof that is partially or completely covered by vegetation. In addition to lending bespoke spaces with a distinctly modern look and feel.

Green roofs, other wise known as ‘sedum roofs’ contribute to the environment in the following ways:

Effectively absorb rainwater

Provide insulation

Create a habitable environment for wildlife

Quite literally growing in popularity, green roofs are cropping up on commercial and residential buildings as we work towards building a more sustainable world.

Keen to do the same with your bespoke space but have a few questions? We’ve got you covered…

What is the point of a green roof?

When considering a green roof, it’s worth looking at the unique benefits they promise to bring to your project. Perhaps one of the largest advantages is the fact that green roofs help to reduce the cost of energy by absorbing heat and providing natural insulation. They also have a great lifespan and only need very little maintenance.

Do green roofs need planning permission?

At Multi Space, we take planning permission and regulations seriously. We take it so seriously, in fact, that we previously produced a blog explaining everything you need to know about planning permission for garden rooms. When it comes to green roofs, it’s unlikely that you will need to seek planning permission but we would always recommend that you speak to a member of our team about your project as sometimes the integration of a green roof can add a few extra millimetres to the overall height of a project meaning this may exceed the maximum height allowance for a garden room, therefore possibly needing to investigate further regarding planning.

That being said in some cases green roofs can actually assist in the planning process, its been known that the acknowledgment of the environmental benefits of green roofs, especially if your project is due to be situated in a conservation area, AONB (area of outstanding natural beauty) or a world heritage site, are taken into consideration. For example if your project roof will be visible to your neighbours they are more likely to prefer looking at an eye pleasing piece of nature that blends in with the surroundings rather than a plain black roof.

Are sedum roofs expensive?

Like every component in a bespoke garden room, sedum roofs vary in cost. Depending on both size and scale, the overall cost of your green roof will be affected by:

Whether it is thinly spread or stacked more intensively: whilst a thicker green roof will cost more, it’s important to keep in mind that it will also provide greater energy savings due to the insulation it provides.

How sophisticated its plant system is: biodiverse wildflower arrangements with a range of different plants will cost more to implement than a more minimalist alternative

The range of accessories you want to apply: if you require edge retention trims or pebble boards you should expect to pay slightly more

To help you perform all the necessary calculations and get an accurate idea of how much your green roof is likely to cost, simply give our team a call today.

How long do sedum roofs last?

When properly installed and taken care of, a green roof can be expected to last for up to thirty or forty years. It’s not unheard of them to last for many years beyond this average period of time, too!

What are the disadvantages of a green roof?

Whilst there are plenty of standout benefits of green roofs, it’s worth keeping in mind that there are also one or two implications that might make it less attractive for your project. While they can help reduce the cost of your energy bills, they do add an initial cost to install, and do require a small amount of maintenance.

With plenty of experience in creating bespoke spaces with green roofs – as well as ones with traditional alternatives – our team at Multi Space will be delighted to speak with you about any plans you have for a future project. Feel free to give us a call today to find out more.