With rapid urbanization and industrialization, modern cities are fast turning into a jungle of concrete and lacking green areas to offer a clean and healthy environment for dwellers. To make up for the lawns and gardens that nowadays are missing in urban areas, green roofing has emerged as a new trend in modern cities. Green roofs not just allows a refreshing environment but also has several benefits for the dwellers. Here are some of the advantages of green roofing:
Energy efficient:
Roof is the main reason of the heat flux in any home or building. If you have greenery or vegetation on your roof, it reduces the heat flux by a great margin and thus, requires less energy to warm and cool the home in winters and summers respectively. When you cover the exterior of your home with vegetation, it works as a natural insulator and help-s in maintaining the temperature of the building. While green roofs reduces the heat loss and keep the home warm through natural insulation in winters; on the other hand, it filters the direct sun heat and keeps your home cool in summers.
Sustains Microclimate:
In the absence of green areas, which is the characteristic of urban areas these days, green roofs or roof gardens keep the air cool and humid and form a microclimate in the surrounding area. Thus, green roofs sustain the microclimate in modern cities that lack open gardens and help keep the environment fresh and cool to some extent.
Rainwater conservation and purification:
Global warming is causing heavy rainfall that result in massive economic and environmental damages around the world. Therefore, green roofs become even more important, mainly in heavily populated cities and countries, as they help conserve water and prevent it from draining directly into the rivers. Apart from rainwater preservation, green roofs also help in filtering or purifying the rainwater. For, rainwater has to move through plants and substrate layers after the downpour and before ending up in the drain.
Wildlife conservation:
Last but not the least, green roofs also help preserve the wildlife and create biodiversity in bleak urban environment. Green roofs attract different ground nesting birds and other wild creature and provide them safe refuge to breed and raise their little ones. Nowadays, people can opt for inexpensive and easy to maintain green roofs especially designed to attract and shelter birds.
Green roofs not only look good and provide clean, green surroundings to breathe in, but they also have various ecological benefits and help sustain the environment.
