7 Mistakes to Avoid When Specifying a Living Roof

The trend for living roofs is here to stay. Living roofs (also sometimes called green roofs) are popular for their eco-friendly design and the space they can create for outdoor living.

Living roofs have a number of environmental benefits. Intensive and extensive green roofs can create habitat for wildlife within urban areas, reduce the carbon footprint of the building, and giving plant-life a place to grow. On top of this, living roofs are the perfect place to create beautiful roof gardens for us to enjoy. No wonder there is a trend for having living roofs installed.

It might not come as such a big surprise that the living roof market is booming. The yearly market growth of 17.1% shows no sign of slowing, driven by government initiatives and a groundswell of popular support. The construction industry stands to benefit from this new sustainable future the UK is embracing – great news for us all.

Rust

Rust can cause big problems for a living roof. Over time, rain and damp soil can cause construction materials to rust. Rusty materials not only look unattractive but can cause damage to the roof over time and will need to be replaced, causing extra expense.

Water retention is a common problem for living or green roofs. Since soil retains water and can remain sodden for days or even weeks, galvanised steel is not effective enough at preventing rust. The obvious solution is to specify materials that don’t rust, such as aluminum or stainless steel.

Soil erosion

Yet another mistake when engineering a living roof - not providing enough soil. Wind and rain can erode the soil away, causing the plants to dwindle and die over time. Once the plants have wilted and died, the living roof loses its attractiveness. The solution to this problem is to install retention angles, which help to hold the growing medium in place.

Lack of access

Access to the roof will be needed to maintain it. If no safe access is specified, this could lead to the green roof not being maintained, causing probable drainage problems and further plant deterioration. Fixfast can provide a safe access solution including caged ladders and more, depending on the needs of your building.

Damaged waterproof membranes

The waterproof membranes of a living roof can easily be damaged by products that may penetrate the membrane. This could easily occur during installation or maintenance of the roof. Sadly, a damaged membrane can lead to roof leaks (which is not what anyone wants). If a leak occurred, then you’d probably need to remove some or all of the living roof to find the source of the leak. This can be a real pain – not only do you have a leak to deal with, but you’ll need to replace the entire living roof, which can be both costly in terms of time and money.

Compromised fire breaks

We all know how important fire safety is. Living roofs need metal edging and a gravel fire break to remain compliant with regulations. Our recommendation is to segregate the growing medium and the fire break.

Inadequate drainage

Leaves and other natural materials can easily clog and block drains on roofs, leading to standing pools of water, the potential for leaks, and increased roof load. By specifying the correct roof drainage system and an inspection chamber (such as JacBox), many of these problems can be avoided.

Pitched roofs

Pitched roofs can create problems for living roofs. Without the correct support for the growing material, the soil may slip down the roof and compromise the appearance and drainage. It is possible to have a living roof on a pitched roof, but the correct products must be used to prevent the soil slipping.

Knowing what problems could potentially arise will help to reduce the need for extra maintenance or repairs. These seven mistakes can be easily prevented at the specification stage, before construction of the roof has even begun.