GREEN ROOF CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

Abstract

Green roofs have been increasing in popularity in the United States for the last 10 years and in Europe over the last 40 years. The green roof concept represents a truly rare occurrence in modern economics: the creation of new markets for existing goods and services. The irresistible lure of new business opportunity has drawn companies from across a broad range of industries. As these players step up to stake their claim in the green roof game, they are faced with the reality that there are very few absolutes and the risk level is quite high. Further exciting the marketplace are emerging standards from various regulating and authoritative agencies. American Standards and Testing Methods, Factory Mutual, and National Roofing Contractors Association, to name just a few, either have published or intend to publish guidelines for green roof construction. Challenged with producing a compilation of information gathered from a variety of sources, it is easy to produce an overly general set of guidelines. Obviously, there is no single set of green roof instructions that applies to every situation. The green roof construction guidelines on the following pages are no exception. However, the intent of this book is to cut through some of the proprietary overkill and overly general information, to offer some practical information gathered through real-world installations and independent research.