Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Green Roofs in the Okanagan Kelowna



If you are a homeowner or commercial building owner and you are looking to replace your roof there is a new option out there for you to consider, and that is to replace your existing roof with a green roof.
A green roof system is an extension of the existing roof which involves a high quality water proofing and root repellent system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants.
Modern green roof systems were developed in Europe in the 1970’s and they have become very popular. In certain cities in Europe, green roofs are mandated for all new construction. In North America, the benefits of green roof technologies are poorly understood and the market remains immature, despite the efforts of several industry leaders. However, this is changing rapidly in some areas, such as Vancouver, which has over four hundred thousand sq. ft. of green roofs within its boundaries.
Some of the benefits of green roofs are:
• Protection of roof membrane resulting in a longer material lifespan (it is estimated that green roofs will last up to twice as long as conventional roofs), resulting in decreased maintenance and savings in replacement costs.
• Savings on energy heating and cooling costs, depending on the size of the building, climate and type of green roof. Studies at BCIT have found up to a 66 % reduction in cooling costs on a one story building.
• Improves air quality and lowers ambient temperature
• Storm water retention
• Beautifying and reclaiming unused space
• Increased property value
While there are some challenges adapting green roofs to the Okanagan climate, these can be overcome by proper planning and selection of plants.

To learn more contact Jim Frank of Okanagan Living Roofs & Walls
250 826 6814
okroofsandwalls@yahoo.ca

or contact www.flywheelbuildingsolutions.com

4 comments:

aaronfaye90 said...

great idea but i was just wondering what the costs were compared to a normal roof?

Unknown said...

Green roofs are an awesome way to show your love for nature and saving a lot of money by planting your own herbs and vegetables. But the construction work of it needs a lot of safety measures to prevent accidents and damages from occurring, that is why roof anchors are essential for the contractors to work on high places. I once witnessed a green roof construction at my friend's house, not only it looks good, the whole process was fast due to the use of roof anchor points, and the workers has one less concern about them falling.

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