Going eco-urban: green roofs
In the 1988 Talking Heads song Nothing But Flowers, David Byrne envisaged a world in which civilisation had decayed and was replaced by luxuriant vegetation. Today, nature is increasingly being introduced into inner cities, but to complement modern buildings rather than colonise their remains. Examples include green roofs, vertical forests, rooftop farms and green walls, all of which are most often encountered in urban areas.
Sod roofs originated with Viking dwellings in Scandinavia, and were widely used in the Middle Ages, when they were a feature of most houses. These roofs consisted of a layer of turf on top of layers of birch bark. Protecting roofs from the weather, in the cold winter climate they provided much-needed insulation. From the 18th century onwards, these grass roofs were gradually replaced with tile roofs.
The modern green roof movement was pioneered by Germany starting in the 1960s, and featured a more sophisticated approach to construction. Today at least 12 per cent of flat German roofs have been greened. The movement later spread to Europe, North America, Asia and other parts of the world. Europe however is still the green roof leader.
Benefits of a green roof
There are many advantages in having a green roof.
