Nowadays, more and more green roofs can be found in the Netherlands. Roofs with sedum plants are especially popular. In many cases you can easily install such a sedum roof yourself, provided the roof meets a number of conditions. In this article we list the most important requirements for installing a sedum roof for you.
A green roof is a roof covered with plants, mosses, flowers, trees or grasses. But a green roof is more than a garden above your head. There are different types of green roofs.
The sedum roofs are known, where the roof is provided with special mats with succulents. But the roof garden – also called an intensive green roof – is a variant that you see more and more.
Installing a green roof has several advantages
Biodiversity is increased. The green roof contributes to the diversity of plant and animal species and provides space for (rare) insect species. A sedum roof, for example, is a food supply for all kinds of beneficial insects.
Green roofs last a lot longer than roofs with normal roofing. A bitumen roofing lasts about twenty years. A green roof can remain in place for up to sixty years.
A green roof increases the insulation value of the roof. Thanks to the green roof, it can be up to 4 °C cooler indoors in summer, which can save up to 7% on energy costs for an air conditioner. But outside noises are also better blocked.
Rainwater (rain, snow and hail) is drained more slowly through the green roof. This relieves the sewage system during heavy rainfall.
If you also have solar panels installed on a roof with sedum mats, you improve the efficiency of the solar panels. Because the air under the panels is cooler thanks to the vegetation, this can yield 6-8% more energy.
Elsewhere on our website you can read more about the various benefits of installing a green roof.
The benefits of installing a green roof
Does my roof meet the requirements?
Are you thinking about installing a green roof? One of the most frequently asked questions is whether the roof is suitable. This question is not always easy to answer. The suitability depends on several factors.
In this article, we look at these factors one by one. The first question is which type of green roof to choose.
What type of green roof?
There are different types of green roofs. We can roughly divide these into two main groups: intensive and extensive green roofs.
An intensive green roof therefore has a much thicker construction layer and weighs much more (sometimes up to 1500 kg/m2). This type of green roof requires intensive maintenance, just like a normal garden. Think of watering, pruning, fertilizing and weeding. Do you also want a green wall? Click the link