How Green is YOUR roof?


By Richard Storey, Hertalan Living roofs are now a widely accepted solution to help: • improve air quality by removing heavy metals caused by pollution, cars and industry.


• alleviate flood water run off from roofs, as a living roof catches on average circa 60% of the water that lands on it each year.


• reduce energy consumption by minimising the need for air conditioning unit running costs.


• reduce noise pollution by absorbing external noise pollution.


• reduce drainage costs by catching the rainwater and rendering some storm water drains redundant.


• extend the life of the roof. By protecting the membrane and absorbing the UV a green/living roof slows degradation caused in this way.


Specifiers and end users are now beginning to scrutinise the products within the build up of the systems to ensure manufacturers are using the most environmentally friendly and sustainable products available.


Guidelines from the GRO and the German FLL can help a specifier achieve a build up that will give successful results. However, they do not advise on the type of waterproofing to use other than testing some manufacturers’ suitability and making sure it will not be affected by the roots of the planting within various systems.


|70| ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY MAGAZINE


Image: An example of a good sedum living roof by Hertalan


A typical Hertalan living roof system will comprise of the following layers:


• Hertalan EPDM waterproofing tested to FLL standards. • geo-textile protective moisture mat. • moisture retaining drainage board. • growing substrate. • planting layer.


Each element of the system can be given a level of sustainability to the client if they require and the choices for each element are now widespread.


On a recent project, one of our clients used sedum from their building site to achieve full coverage of the roof within 18 months.


Growing substrates now can be formed from recycled crushed brick and green waste compost. Moisture retaining drainage boards are often made from recycled HDPE. The geo-textile moisture mat can be made from waste products of carpet manufacturing.


EPDM carries independent support from the Green Building Digest of being the “best buy” for roofing membranes due to its relatively low impact and its reusability. It has added verification of its longevity from the independent SKZ study, carried out in central Europe.


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