green roof

I'm just idly pondering the idea of a green roof for part of my house.
I have a single story extension to the original (c.1900) house. The extension houses the kitchen, bathroom, and a sort of large rear porch/lobby/lean-to which has brick walls and a corrugated plastic roof which, when it's raining at all hard, has interesting designed in water-features (i.e. leaks like a sieve). I'd been thinking about making the whole lot into one tiled roof, preferably without the indoor water features, but as my study window looks right out onto it I thought a green roof might be nicer.
I know of several websites and will have a read around later, so don't want to trouble you for web ref.s - but I wondered if anyone here has any thoughts or direct experience of them, good or bad?

 

hi Claire, I had a green roof put on an extension last year. It was in need of a re-roof anyway so i went for it. It was about twice the cost af an ordinary re-roof, but guaranteed for twice as long. it was finished about this time last year and is a sedum roof. it flowered a bit last summer but is meant to be better the 2nd year onwards.
It was done by a local sheffield company,who are contracted out by a multi-national company, i can let you have all there details if you want.

I was told that the roof should make the room below warmer in winter and cooler in summer, it does seem that way, although i suppose it could just be a 'mind' thing!

i did have to go up and water it last year, whilst it settled in, it gave the neighbours another thing to laugh at i suppose! :D

i'm exremely happy with it, it does seem to attract more bees and bugs, which is excellent and it deffinatly is more pleasing to look at.

I'll try and get a couple of photo's posted if you like?

 

Thanks for the reply glen, it's really nice to hear from someone about it - I'd love to see some pictures if you could post some. Also would be handy to have the details, if you wouldn't mind posting or PM'ing me.
Was it twice as much as tiles or felt? or something else? Did you need to get anything strengthened?

 

Hi Claire, i'll dig out the details of the company and pm them to you, unless anyone else wants them too?? it'll be tomorrow now though, need to get ready for work in a bit. I'll also post some photo's tomorrow, weather permitting!

it was twice as expensive as a felt roof and about the same cost as the rubber roof that I also had a quote for. it didn't need strengthening or anything. it basically is a felt roof, with a few additional layers on top. a root barrier to stop the roots damaging the felt, then the plants which come on a big roll,planted on rubble entwined on a plastic mesh.

 

I always wanted a turf roof - really considered it for my shed - but there were load bearing implications!

I have seen a few turf roofs about (though not any other 'green' roof - and absolutely love the idea. If only...

Glen I would really like to see pics of your roof!

The place I know where there is info on this subject is the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales. If you haven't been, it is worth every mile of the way to go! (the gardens are inspirational, and the whole concept/ethos/everything about the place is amazing!)

A link to the site - I know they have loads of books on the subject - and I'm sure do a fact sheet too:

http://www.cat.org.uk/index.tmpl?refer=index&init=1

Sorry link to downloadable factsheet not working - but if you search for turf roof - it's there!

Let us know what you decide to do!

 

this is my green roof, its pretty hard to get a decent photo of and i suppose it just looks like a block of green!!



its a flat roof on an extension built between the house and a detatched garage. this photo may help put it into some sort of context, its the flat roof above the frech doors.



the gravel around the plants are a barrier to stop them fouling the gutters and also to walk on if you need to work on the roof, although try telling the window cleaner that!! the sedum doesn't seem to mind the limited foot traffic though. :D

 

Claire, i've pm'd you with the contractors details.

 

jarbax, green roof's are becoming quite popular at the mo, Sheffield is becoming a bit of a hotspot too. there is a sedum roof on a school nearby, as well as on the local city farm and a newly built garage block for some appartments, all within a mile or 2 of me. Sheffield university have been doing a lot of study on them and have them on several of their buildings, its a shame that you can't get to see them though. we even had some sedum roofed bus stops in the city, although they were only a temporary thing for the city in bloom competition!