Extensive, intensive and brown roofs

Extensive Green Roofs are low maintenance with a thin growing medium sedum, requiring no irrigation other than on installation. Less structural support is needed for an extensive green roof.

All Roofing are trained and registered installers of green roofs and uses a variety of waterproofing systems to suit any project. In general there are three types of green roof: Extensive, Intensive and Brown Roofs.

Intensive Green Roofs require irrigation systems for maintenance. They will also require extra structural support. A deep growing medium which allows the use of shrubs, trees and recreational areas with walkways. Brown Roofs are generally constructed using material from around the site of the roof. The process can be left to seed naturally or be seeded with a wildflower or meadow mix.

Benefits of a green roof

• Can positively affect the heat produced by urban environments, (the Urban Heat Island).
• Significantly reduce the surface run off of rainfall. (A mechanism for Sustainable urban Drainage Systems).
• Can also improve the quality of water and it is possible to use this run off rain water for other uses, (internal water usage, for example flushing toilets).
• They can also significantly reduce the need for air conditioning and can provide a degree of insulation in winter. This is also known as green roof insulation.
• Can also help provide sound insulation using the combined effect of soil, plants and trapped layers of air. The base the plants grow on tend to block the lower sounds, while the plants growing above block the higher frequencies.
• Green roof systems have been shown to substantially increase the life of waterproofing membranes lying at the base of the roof.
• Can improve air quality due to the filtering mechanism of the plants and substrate.
• Roof gardens can provide green space in urban areas for recreational purposes or for urban food growing.